{"id":120,"date":"2008-04-14T11:39:30","date_gmt":"2008-04-14T15:39:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=120"},"modified":"2014-07-16T17:39:49","modified_gmt":"2014-07-16T17:39:49","slug":"20th-century-russian-lit-reading-tip-%d0%b7%d0%b0%d0%b2%d0%b8%d1%81%d1%82%d1%8c","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/20th-century-russian-lit-reading-tip-%d0%b7%d0%b0%d0%b2%d0%b8%d1%81%d1%82%d1%8c\/","title":{"rendered":"20th Century Russian Lit Reading Tip: \u00ab\u0417\u0430\u0432\u0438\u0441\u0442\u044c\u00bb"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sometimes the lists of books assigned for you to read during the course of a semester for a class at an institution of higher (or middle) education can make you feel anything but excited or even a tiny bit thrilled. Usuallly the student asks himself (or herself) the following question (given that the class being taught revolves around a for the student interesting topic): \u201cIf I haven\u2019t read it already then it must mean that it is bad or boring or\u2026 just not my kind of book.\u201d<\/em> This was pretty much exactly what was going on in my head when I found the novel \u00ab\u0417\u0430\u0432\u0438\u0441\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> [\u201cEnvy\u201d]<\/a> on a directory of recommended reading in preparation for the examaniation in Russian Literature at Gothenburg University\u2019s Slavic Department. Up until a couple of months ago I knew practically nothing about 20th century Russian literature (although I can pride myself on knowing EVERYTHING about the classics that belong to the century prior) which is why I was not surprised to find it\u2019s author \u042e\u0440\u0438\u0439 \u041a\u0430\u0440\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0438\u0447 \u041e\u043b\u0435\u0448\u0430<\/strong> [Yuri Karlovich Olesha]<\/a> completely unknown to me. I am now ashamed of my previous ignorance. This book is a wonderful work of fiction, a truly enjoyable piece of art, both humorous and astonishing (especially in it\u2019s plentiful and eccentric \u2013 because of its Soviet Union in 1927 setting \u2013 Biblical references) and very easy and fast to read. I finished it in two days, not very surprisingly though since it is no more than 130 pages long (in my copy that\u2019s a cheap paperback edition from www.azbooka.ru<\/a>).<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A love for books in Russia doesn\u2019t have to have a negative affect on \u043a\u043e\u0448\u0435\u043b\u043e\u043a<\/strong> [the wallet]. In almost every Russian bookstore from Kaliningrad to Vladivostok you can buy the classics of 19th and 20th century literature, both Russian and foreign, in low-priced soft cover copies like this one for no more than 100 rubles.<\/div>\n


\nIt begins with the following line, a line that has probably been more discussed than the novel itself: \u00ab\u041e\u043d \u043f\u043e\u0451\u0442 \u043f\u043e \u0443\u0442\u0440\u0430\u043c \u0432 \u043a\u043b\u043e\u0437\u0435\u0442\u0435\u00bb <\/strong>[He sings in the mornings in the toilet]. A novel in two parts, the first told from a first person narrative and the second from third person perspective, it takes place during the spring of 1927 in Moscow. The story is about a young man, \u041d\u0438\u043a\u043e\u043b\u0430\u0439 \u041a\u0430\u0432\u0430\u043b\u0435\u0440\u043e\u0432<\/strong>, who during a drunken night was pitied on by the successful and raucous Soviet Official \u0410\u043d\u0434\u0440\u0435\u0439 \u0411\u0430\u0431\u0438\u0447\u0435\u0432 <\/strong>(he\u2019s the one who likes to sing and take a crap at the same time), who is building a new dining hall \u2013 \u00ab\u0427\u0435\u0442\u0432\u0435\u0440\u0442\u0430\u043a\u00bb<\/strong> \u2013 where every meal will cost 25 kopeck and this will free the women from the kitchen. The young man sleeps on the Soviet Official’s couch, and finds out that before him on this very couch slept a certain \u0412\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0434\u044f \u041c\u0430\u043a\u0430\u0440\u043e\u0432<\/strong> and that this boy is a soccer player and a model for The New Man for The New Century, so he decides to split. Shortly after this he meets the brother of the Soviet Official \u0418\u0432\u0430\u043d \u0411\u0430\u0431\u0438\u0447\u0435\u0432<\/strong>, who\u2019s out to destroy all the emotions of The Old World with his \u00ab\u0417\u0430\u0433\u0430\u0432\u043e\u0440 \u0447\u0443\u0432\u0441\u0442\u0432\u00bb<\/strong> [conspiracy of emotions]. Ivan has a daughter, \u0412\u0430\u043b\u044f<\/strong>, and the Soviet Official wants Valya to marry Volodya, but the young man Nikolaj has also fallen in love with Valya and is firmly decided on preventing the Soviet Official from \u2018stealing\u2019 her.<\/p>\n

In a letter upon ditching the Soviet Official\u2019s apartment Nikolaj writes: \u00ab\u042f \u043f\u043e\u043b\u0443\u0447\u0443 \u0412\u0430\u043b\u044e \u2013 \u043a\u0430\u043a \u043f\u0440\u0438\u0437 \u2013 \u0437\u0430 \u0432\u0441\u0451: \u0437\u0430 \u0443\u043d\u0438\u0436\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0435, \u0437\u0430 \u043c\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0434\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044c, \u043a\u043e\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0443\u044e \u044f \u043d\u0435 \u0443\u0441\u043f\u0435\u043b \u0443\u0432\u0438\u0434\u0435\u0442\u044c, \u0437\u0430 \u0441\u043e\u0431\u0430\u0447\u044c\u044e \u043c\u043e\u044e \u0436\u0438\u0437\u043d\u044c\u00bb. <\/strong>[\u201cI will get Valya \u2013 as a prize \u2013 for everything: for the humilation, for the youth which I didn\u2019t have the time to see, for my dog\u2019s life\u201d.]<\/p>\n

During an interrogation with the \u0413\u041f\u0423<\/strong> Ivan, who once turned the port vein of a wedding into water, explains his \u2018emotional conspiracy\u2019: \u00ab\u2026\u0446\u0435\u043b\u044b\u0439 \u0440\u044f\u0434 \u0447\u0435\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0435\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0445 \u0447\u0443\u0432\u0441\u0442\u0432 \u043a\u0430\u0436\u0435\u0442\u0441\u044f \u043c\u043d\u0435 \u043f\u043e\u0434\u043b\u0435\u0436\u0430\u0449\u0438\u043c \u0443\u043d\u0438\u0447\u0442\u043e\u0436\u0435\u043d\u0438\u044e\u2026 \u0436\u0430\u043b\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438, \u043d\u0435\u0436\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438, \u0433\u043e\u0440\u0434\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438, \u0440\u0435\u0432\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438, \u043b\u044e\u0431\u0432\u0438 \u2013 \u0441\u043b\u043e\u0432\u043e\u043c, \u043f\u043e\u0447\u0442\u0438 \u0432\u0441\u0435 \u0447\u0443\u0432\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0430, \u0438\u0437 \u043a\u043e\u0442\u043e\u0440\u044b\u0445 \u0441\u043e\u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f\u043b\u0430 \u0434\u0443\u0448\u0430 \u0447\u0435\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0435\u043a\u0430 \u043a\u043e\u043d\u0447\u0430\u044e\u0449\u0435\u0439\u0441\u044f \u044d\u0440\u044b. \u042d\u0440\u0430 \u0441\u043e\u0446\u0438\u0430\u043b\u0438\u0437\u043c\u0430 \u0441\u043e\u0437\u0434\u0430\u0441\u0442 \u0432\u0437\u0430\u043c\u0435\u043d \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0436\u043d\u0438\u0445 \u0447\u0443\u0432\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e\u0432\u0430\u043d\u0438\u0439 \u043d\u043e\u0432\u0443\u044e \u0441\u0435\u0440\u0438\u044e \u0441\u043e\u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f\u043d\u0438\u0439 \u0447\u0435\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0435\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u043e\u0439 \u0434\u0443\u0448\u0438\u00bb.<\/strong> [A whole series of human emotions it seems to me are liable to elimination\u2026 pity, tenderness, pride, jealousy, love \u2013 in a word, almost all the emotions that made up the soul of the ending era\u2019s human being. The era of socialism will create in exchange for the old feelings a new series of conditions of the human soul.]<\/p>\n

Ivan also explains to \u0413\u041f\u0423<\/strong> that he wants to gather a group of representatives of the emotions now belonging to a \u2018lost world\u2019. He is then asked: \u00ab\u0418 \u0447\u0442\u043e \u0436\u0435, \u0432\u0430\u043c \u0443\u0434\u0430\u043b\u043e\u0441\u044c \u0443\u0436\u0435 \u043d\u0430\u0439\u0442\u0438 \u043a\u043e\u0433\u043e-\u043b\u0438\u0431\u043e?\u00bb<\/strong> [So then, have you already succeeded in finding anyone?] \u00ab\u042f \u0434\u043e\u043b\u0433\u043e \u0437\u0432\u0430\u043b, \u0434\u043e\u043b\u0433\u043e \u0438\u0441\u043a\u0430\u043b. \u042d\u0442\u043e \u043e\u0447\u0435\u043d\u044c \u0442\u0440\u0443\u0434\u043d\u043e. \u0411\u044b\u0442\u044c \u043c\u043e\u0436\u0435\u0442, \u043c\u0435\u043d\u044f \u043d\u0435 \u043f\u043e\u043d\u0438\u043c\u0430\u044e\u0442. \u041d\u043e \u043e\u0434\u043d\u043e\u0433\u043e \u044f \u043d\u0430\u0448\u0451\u043b\u00bb.<\/strong> [During a long time I called, during a long time I searched. It is very difficult. Maybe, they don\u2019t understand me. But I have found one.] \u00ab\u041a\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0438\u043c\u0435\u043d\u043d\u043e?\u00bb<\/strong> [Who exactly?] \u00ab\u0412\u0430\u0441 \u0438\u043d\u0442\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0441\u0443\u0435\u0442 \u0447\u0443\u0432\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e, \u043d\u043e\u0441\u0438\u0442\u0435\u043b\u0435\u043c \u043a\u043e\u0442\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0433\u043e \u043e\u043d \u044f\u0432\u043b\u044f\u0435\u0442\u0441\u044f, \u0438\u043b\u0438 \u0435\u0433\u043e \u0438\u043c\u044f?\u00bb<\/strong> [Are you interested in the feeling of which he is the carrier, or his name?] \u00ab\u0418 \u0442\u043e \u0438 \u0434\u0440\u0443\u0433\u043e\u0435\u00bb. <\/strong>[Both.] \u00ab\u041d\u0438\u043a\u043e\u043b\u0430\u0439 \u041a\u0430\u0432\u0430\u043b\u0435\u0440\u043e\u0432. \u0417\u0430\u0441\u0438\u0441\u0442\u043d\u0438\u043a\u00bb.<\/strong> [Nikolaj Kavalerov. Envious person.]<\/p>\n

Nikolaj and Ivan are shortly after this united in their mission against Ivan\u2019s brother Andrej, the Soviet Official, to save Valya from marrying Volodya. And since I\u2019m not a fan of spoilers myself, I will leave you with this and no more. Okay, so I can add as much as that the ending is brilliant \u2013 perhaps not from a moral point of view, but from a literary one. I was very pleased with the reading of this book and I hope I\u2019ll be just as pleased with the next book on the recommended reading list: \u00ab\u0414\u0440\u0443\u0433\u0430\u044f \u0436\u0438\u0437\u043d\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> [\u201cAnother Life\u201d] by \u042e\u0440\u0438\u0439 \u0412\u0430\u043b\u0435\u043d\u0442\u0438\u043d\u043e\u0432\u0438\u0447 \u0422\u0440\u0438\u0444\u043e\u043d\u043e\u0432 <\/strong>[Yury Valentinovich Trifonov]<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sometimes the lists of books assigned for you to read during the course of a semester for a class at an institution of higher (or middle) education can make you feel anything but excited or even a tiny bit thrilled. Usuallly the student asks himself (or herself) the following question (given that the class being…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[3,178,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-120","post","type-post","status-publish","hentry","category-culture","category-history","category-language"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/28"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=120"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6034,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120\/revisions\/6034"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=120"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=120"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=120"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}