russian literature Archives

Reading

Literature and War Readalong: Everything Flows by Vasily Grossman

I’m reviewing this book as part of the Literature and War Readalong hosted by Caroline of the excellent book blog Beauty is a Sleeping Cat. The first thing to say about this book is that it is unfinished. The second…

Reading

“Russian Short Stories from Pushkin to Buida” Part 5

The final part in my journey through Russian literature. For the original post in the series, please click here. Varlam Shalamov Here we move into the Stalinist era and writing about the Gulag. Through the Snow is a beautiful extended…

Reading

“Russian Short Stories from Pushkin to Buida” Part 4

For the original post in this series, click here. Isaak Babel These three stories come from Babel’s posting as the equivalent of an embedded war correspondent with a Cossack regiment in Poland in 1920. They are not compromised or sanitised…

Reading

“Russian Short Stories from Pushkin to Buida” Part 3

For the original post in this series, click here. The Gentleman from San Francisco and In Paris by Ivan Bunin Two stories about abrupt deaths, both beautifully written, both very different. The Gentleman from San Francisco is about the transitory…

Reading

“Russian Short Stories from Pushkin to Buida” Part 2

Continuing my journey through Russian literature: if you want to see the introduction and reviews of earlier stories, click here. Bobok by Fyodor Dostoevsky Not my favourite Dostoevsky, this one. It’s quite a funny little story about a man who…

Reading

“Russian Short Stories from Pushkin to Buida” Part 1

I was always going to enjoy this book. I have loved Russian literature from an early age, and this short story collection is a Hall of Fame of Russian literature. With a few exceptions, which the editor Robert Chandler highlights…

Reading

“The Master and Margarita” by Mikhail Bulgakov

The devil is unleashed in Stalinist Moscow. The funny thing is that while the devil kills, maims and causes havoc throughout the city, he is very far from a traditional definition of evil. In fact, the character struck me as…

Reading

“The Gentle Spirit” by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Dostoevsky is one of my favourite writers. I discovered him in my teenage years, read as many of his books as I could get my hands on, and to be honest haven’t read anything else by him in a long…

Andrew Blackman

Andrew Blackman

Andrew Blackman

Tag: russian literature

Literature and War Readalong: Everything Flows by Vasily Grossman

“Russian Short Stories from Pushkin to Buida” Part 5

“Russian Short Stories from Pushkin to Buida” Part 4

“Russian Short Stories from Pushkin to Buida” Part 3

“Russian Short Stories from Pushkin to Buida” Part 2

“Russian Short Stories from Pushkin to Buida” Part 1

“The Master and Margarita” by Mikhail Bulgakov

“The Gentle Spirit” by Fyodor Dostoevsky