Russian Literature - Your Favorite Books

[R]

Correction.  IL Peretz is considered a Russian writer, not taught in any russian literature classes I've ever taken.  But definately Gogol and Aleichem.

Is not the language itself the symbol of the culture and of the nation?

I understand that they are taught in Russian literature classes.  I definitely understand.  The question however, is whether the Russian people, in Russia today, for a nation is truly the judge of its own literary merits, and the Russian Academy of Sciences, would consider Aleichem and Gogol and Peretz and Sharansky to be Russian writers.  The last official definition that I saw was that Sharansky was an Israeli Russian-language writer.  And it was quite official.  And I am not aware of any school in Russia that teaches Sholom Aleichem as a Russian writer. As for Peretz, forgive me, he is unknown to me, but I take your word that he must be a good Russian author.

Language supposes culture and cuture supposes nation.

I do not know what is taught in Russian schools.  But in Universities here in the U.S., in Sweden, in Israel, and other places, I am sure, classes on Russian literature inevitably include Jewish writers.  They also include Gogol.

It doesn't matter what language they wrote in.  Shalom Aleichem may also be taught in Jewish literature classes.  Scharansky primarily writes in Hebrew now, but when he wrote while living in Russia, he was a Russian writer.  

The Jewish culture has always been very important in Russia and in Russian history.  The Ukraine was a part of Russia for a long time.  There is something not kosher about leaving out Gogol or Aleichem or a writer from, say, the far Eastern part of Russia out of a discussion of Russian literature.

Let's stop debating and be inclusive.

Isn't it ok to include any authors who actually lived in Russian territory? I realize one must always take into account that an author's perspective, be it religious or potlicial, must be taken into account. But different perspectives are good. Or at least I think so and help enrich my understanding. Someone who lived in Russia, although not necessarly Russian, has a better understanding than I would having never been there.
For example. Pearl Buck was an American, living in China. She wrote a wondeful book we all know as The Good Earth. (One of my favorite books.) She wrote at a time when little was known about China and gave us all an insight into life there we might not have had.
See what I am trying to say?

I do not know what is taught in Russian schools.  But in Universities here in the U.S., in Sweden, in Israel, and other places, I am sure, classes on Russian literature inevitably include Jewish writers.  They also include Gogol.

It doesn't matter what language they wrote in.  Shalom Aleichem may also be taught in Jewish literature classes.  Scharansky primarily writes in Hebrew now, but when he wrote while living in Russia, he was a Russian writer.  

The Jewish culture has always been very important in Russia and in Russian history.  The Ukraine was a part of Russia for a long time.  There is something not kosher about leaving out Gogol or Aleichem or a writer from, say, the far Eastern part of Russia out of a discussion of Russian literature.

Let's stop debating and be inclusive.

Again, the previous poster has missed the points which I believe are quite worthy of consideration.

Again is not the language the symbol and pride of the nation?  Again is the literature written in the language of the nation the symbol and pride of the nation?

It is completely irrelevant what writers are taught in a Russian literature course abroad.  It is NOT completely irrelevant, however, what the denizens of the nation believe to be its greatest writers and who have contributed the greatest literary value to the language?

I think of Solzhenytsin, who, once was thoroughly reviled by the Soviets, actually wrote in the purest Russian of anyone since probably Pushkin.

No, I am sorry, language, by its very virtue is exclusive.  And thus the literature that it engenders is exclusive.  And that literature is the pride of the nation, not the fodder for a history-of-literature class.

As for the "Let's stop debating", I would refer the poster-in-question to his or her previous posts in which he or she writes openly that this Forum is a topic for debate.  Paradoxical?

There are some wonderful Jewish writers who were born and lived in Russia.  Their works are colorful, humorous, and heart-wrenching.  My favorite ones are those who wrote short stories describing the lives of peasants and Jews in small towns all over the nation.

Shalom Aleichem, a writer who wrote in Hebrew, Yiddish and Russian, wrote mostly short stories.  Possibly his most famous stories involve the character of Tevye the Dairyman, a milkman blessed with 5 daughters and no sons.  His struggle to feed and clothe his family and deal with the inevitable problems of life are depicted with such dexterity by Aleichem that the stories were eventually translated into the famous musical, Fiddler on the Roof.  (If you haven't seen that film, it is considered by some to be the "Jewish roots", lol)

Another great writer of short stories in Yiddish and Russian was Semyon Grug.  He, too, wrote about lives of Jews and their gentile neighbors.  His descriptions about conflicts over dialect and accent of newcomers to areas and the old-timers are particularly funny.

Semyon Yushkevitch was another great writer.  He wrote many plays which were quite famous in Russia.  His writing focussed more on the relationship of Jews and peasants to the autocracy, economic and political problems, and self-identity.

I'll write more about some of my other favorite writers, but each of these is available in English.  If you are going to start somewhere, I recommend Shalom Aleichem, as his short stories are easy to read in any language, make you laugh, make you cry, and make the Russian village come alive.

Isn't it ok to include any authors who actually lived in Russian territory? I realize one must always take into account that an author's perspective, be it religious or potlicial, must be taken into account. But different perspectives are good. Or at least I think so and help enrich my understanding. Someone who lived in Russia, although not necessarly Russian, has a better understanding than I would having never been there.
For example. Pearl Buck was an American, living in China. She wrote a wondeful book we all know as The Good Earth. (One of my favorite books.) She wrote at a time when little was known about China and gave us all an insight into life there we might not have had.
See what I am trying to say?

Yes, I agree with you.  She was a great American writer.  She wrote in English.  Had she written in Chinese, I am not sure that she would have been considered a great American writer.  She is still widely read in China today.

The language is the modicum of the culture.  The French Academy was founded under Louis XIII to ensure that the greatness of the French language was achieved through the greatness of its writers.  And the Imperial Russian Academy was founded for the same reason.

I have been reflecting on all of this and realized that this is an issue that has been settled a long time ago.  The literature of the nation is the symbol of the language of the nation and the language of the nation is the symbol of the nation.  It is decidedly not what ad adjutant professor at the University of Lower X in the United States believes is Russian literature.

To wit, you are American.  You live in America.  You write your major works in Urdu.  Are you a great American author?  Are your collective works American literature? Hardly, in my opinion.

To, you are Ukranian.  You live in the Ukraine.  You write your major works in Russian.  Are you considered a great Russian author?  Are your collective works great Russian literature? Hardly.

Yuskevitch, cited above, was virtually ignored in Russia.  And many of his works were banned during his lifetime.

Shalom Alecheim, however, deserves to be read thoroughly, if only for the pathos and humor of his works.  His works tend to romanticize life in the Pale of Settlement in general and in the sthettls in particular.

But these are minor writers compared with the Tolstoys, the Pushkins, the Lermontovi, the Goncharovi, etc., etc., whose very writings moved an entire century and brought Russia to the height of its literary greatness.

I just thought of another good short-story writer. David Aizman was very widely read by Jews and non-Jews in Russia.  

He wrote a series of stories about pogroms and violence, particularly in smaller towns.  What makes him, in my opinion, unique, is his deep and very expressive love for Mother Russia, which comes through all of the violence and trauma of the plots of his works.  He does not write in a one-sided way at all, but explores the events from the perspectives of both Jew and gentile.  

A lot of Russian literature mocks the government or in some way ridicules the status quo. Aizman, instead, explores it, finds it often lacking, but continually asserts his love of country.

Oh......how can we forget Mihail Sholokov in our discussion of favorite pieces of Russian literature?  "Quiet Flows the Don" is a masterpiece!!!!!!!!!!  A MUST read!

If one considers that Russia began to come of age literarily in the 1th Century, then one would perhaps consider reading at least excepts from these great figures of that period.

the poetic works of Mikhail Lomonossov

the poetic works, or the theater of Great Prince Ivan I. Dolgoruky

the poetric works of Prince Nicolai I. Lvov

the poetic works of Mikhail N. Muravev

the poetic works, and early classical writings of Count Vassili V. Kapnist.

I will suggest more later.  These are the writers that helped prepare Russia for its literary century of greatness -- the 19th century.

They were not much taught during the Soviet period, which itself now has become totally discredited (vetuste, as the French say).

Alas, most of the authors you listed are not available in English translation.  I have read some in french, however.

It is interesting that most of them did not consider themselves primarily to be writers of prose or poetry.  Lomonossov was a great scientist and his poems to the Empress are a bit self-serving and obsequious.  

Lvov was an amazing architect and landscaper.  He not only wrote poetry, but translated many great works into Russian.  And to him we must be greatful for an amazing portfolio of Russian folk music.  I seem to recall that Kapnist was his brother-in-law, but I may be mistaken.

Thank you for the list of 18th-century Russian authors, AlexP. I admit this is a subject in which I am woefully ignorant. I only read what was required of me in this area, never for pleasure!

Oh......how can we forget Mihail Sholokov in our discussion of favorite pieces of Russian literature?  "Quiet Flows the Don" is a masterpiece!!!!!!!!!!  A MUST read!

I agree, but always keeping in mind that Sholokov didn't actually write And Quiet Flows the Don - he apparently stole the manuscript from a little known Cossack writer. I remember Sholokov's plagiarism was revealed in the early 1990s, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, but it had been rumored for years. Perhaps AlexP or Hikaru knows more about this story and can give us more details.

I think Shalom Alecheim is primarily considered a Yiddish writer, is he not? He has never been on any PhD reading lists of Russian literature that I have came across. At our university there is a special program in Jewish Studies and he is taught there.

But I would be the first to admit that there are some writers who simply defy easy categorization. In my opinion Gogol is both a Russian and a Ukrainian author. He is the latter by virtue of birth, and the former by virtue of the fact that he wrote all his major works in the Russian language and exerted (and continues to exert) a profound influence on Russian literature itself.  Or take Nabokov. He was born in Russia and only emigrated to the United States as an adult. His early works are in Russian, but his most famous works are in English. He is considered both an American and a Russian author.

 

I had forgotten about the plagerism incident, Elisabeth!  Thanks for that reminder!  Since we are recommending books, I would still recommend it, regardless of the authorship, of course!  But it is so disappointing....

Shalom Aleichem is primarily a yiddish author, but he wrote quite a bit in Russian, though many are not aware of that fact.  His stories reflect Russian life of a particular kind in such a good way that it is recommended reading in many different types of courses (history and literature) and I know he is on the syllabus of at least 2 Russian literature classes at major private Universities here in the US and in 1 at the Uppsala University.  

Good point about Nabokov.  I've never been able to really delve deeply into his writing but of course he is a Russian author!

We should not leave out Boris Pasternak.  But for him, many would not have developed an appreciation for the Russian lifestyle....

I had forgotten about the plagerism incident, Elisabeth!  Thanks for that reminder!  Since we are recommending books, I would still recommend it, regardless of the authorship, of course!  But it is so disappointing....

Shalom Aleichem is primarily a yiddish author, but he wrote quite a bit in Russian, though many are not aware of that fact.  His stories reflect Russian life of a particular kind in such a good way that it is recommended reading in many different types of courses (history and literature) and I know he is on the syllabus of at least 2 Russian literature classes at major private Universities here in the US and in 1 at the Uppsala University.  

Good point about Nabokov.  I've never been able to really delve deeply into his writing but of course he is a Russian author!

We should not leave out Boris Pasternak.  But for him, many would not have developed an appreciation for the Russian lifestyle....

Doctor Zhivago is wonderful reading, the quality of the Russian language is on a par to that of Tolstoy or Sholzenitsyn.  I remember in the Emigration how as soon as the first smuggled copy came out, The Russian Orthodox Archbishop of Paris invited all the "shkolniki" to come read it in during our three-times-weekly Russian literature class, after our "verucheniya" class.  It has left a deep impression on me.  I do not know if all of the nuances and phrases and flavors and tones have survived translation.

Sholom Aleichem was not much published in Russian under the Ancien Regime, allowed for the first 20 years of Leninism/Marxism regime and then banned again under the dying years of the CP of the USSR.

Now I will return to more 18th century suggestions in the next posting where are more familiar to me.

The Petty Demon, by Fyodor Sologub --  1905, this book is amazing.  I can't recommend it highly enough.  It's about life in a small Russian village where everyone runs around stabbing each other in the back under the smallest provocation.  Very funny and very, very strange.

Hi, RichC, good to chat with you again! I've missed your presence here in the forum. I agree, Petty Demon is a marvelous novel. Have you read Sologub's short stories by any chance? I actually prefer them to his longer works. They are peculiar in the extreme, laden with that particularly sinister Sologubian(!) atmosphere of doom and gloom. Try "The Kiss of the Unborn" (in which Tolstoy plays a cameo role - unnamed), "The Wall and Shadows," or "In the Crowd." The last one mentioned is based on the disaster at Khodynka Field during Nicholas II's coronation. It is about as close as you can get to an eyewitness account (albeit fictional) of that event. Terrible and gripping. Be prepared to be disturbed.

Thank you for the suggestions, Elisabeth.  I will certainly check out Sologub's short stories, in addition to many of the other suggestions other individuals have made on this great thread.  It's almost like having an online book discussion group.  I wonder if it would be possible to pick a book and read it while discussing it section by section online.


RichC