Discovering Russian Literature discussion

It's that time again! The thread is now open for the nominations for the January Long Fiction group-reading. So nominate a book you are planning to read or to re-read.

Please include both the book the author!

Thanks!

I'll get a poll up in about a week.

There is an idea among our most participating members to start the new year with Anna Karenina. It's a beloved classic and it'll be odd to not to read it. I'm all for it. Let us know what you think.

I vote for Crime & Punishment or Resurrection.

I second Crime and Punishment

Dioscuri wrote: "I've already read that :("

There will always be someone who has already read whatever is nominated. I wouldn't mind if The Idiot won, though. Dostoyevsky is no. 1 on my list of Russian writers I want to get to but haven't yet.

Crime and Punishment

I wouldn't mind Crime & Punishment or Resurrection. I would like to see what others think about them and get out of the story.

Amalie wrote: "There is an idea among our most participating members to start the new year with Anna Karenina. It's a beloved classic and it'll be odd to not to read it. I'm all for it. Let us know wha..."

I agree!

I add my voice for Anna Karenina, But, the other suggestions sound good too. So, I would read along with any of these.

I have decided to focus on Russian lit this winter, so I am looking forward to everyone's selection.

I am re-reading C&P after 10 years and would enjoy re-reading Anna Karenina (after, um, 30 years!!).

The Idiot.

The Whisperers by Orlando Figes. It's not written by a russian author, but it's about how the families and society behaved back when Stalin ruled the country.
I'm looking forward to reading it,I'd like to understand a little bit more how people felt under such strict system.

I too would love to read Anna Karenina. Some love it some not so much and I want to find out why.

Dostoyevsky's Demons

Shanez wrote: "I too would love to read Anna Karenina. Some love it some not so much and I want to find out why."

Every time you read or reread Anna Karenina you find you're a different novel. That is because of the set of characters involved. So, you'll find yourself attracted to another bunch when you reread.
By the way, Ana Karenina was based on Tolstoy's sister-in-law who was a Gypsy.

Everitt wrote: "Crime and Punishment is one of my favorite books of all time. The Idiot would be a great choice as well. I really like the Peaver and Volokhonsky translations but unfortunately they have not comple..."

I am now reading the P/V C&P translation I purchased from Amazon. Or maybe I am the victim of literary fraud . . . ;}

Dorly wrote: "Dostoyevsky's Demons"

We acutally just read that for our October group read, the dicussion for it is still currently up.

Victoria (vikz) wrote: "I add my voice for Anna Karenina, But, the other suggestions sound good too. So, I would read along with any of these."

same here..anna karenina

Amalie wrote: "There is an idea among our most participating members to start the new year with Anna Karenina. It's a beloved classic and it'll be odd to not to read it. I'm all for it. Let us know wha..."

Amalie wrote: "It's that time again! The thread is now open for the nominations for the January Long Fiction group-reading. So nominate a book you are planning to read or to re-read.

Please include both th..."

agree :)

Silver wrote: "Dorly wrote: "Dostoyevsky's Demons"

We actually just read that for our October group read, the discussion for it is still currently up."

Often same books are renominated again "Crime & Punishment" and "The Idiot" appears in the nominations every time, specially Crime & Punishment.

How about we choose the top two books in the group poll to be read one after the other? The second to get most votes will be read in February or March (depending on the length of the first selection). What do you think Silver?

I am right now reading the "Idiot". I have read all of Dostoyevski in the past. I am very interested in how readers will interpret the Idiot. But whichever one you choose will be fine with me.

Amalie wrote: "Silver wrote: "Dorly wrote: "Dostoyevsky's Demons"

We actually just read that for our October group read, the discussion for it is still currently up."

Often same books are renominated again "Cri..."

In the case of Demons though it was the last book we just read, so it would be reading the same book twice in a row.

I like the idea of taking the top two books from the poll. I think doing that is a system that generally works rather well.

Everitt wrote: "MountainShelby wrote: "Everitt wrote: "Crime and Punishment is one of my favorite books of all time. The Idiot would be a great choice as well. I really like the Peaver and Volokhonsky translations..."

I checked and it's a 1992 version. But I admit I am not that savvy on translations--I checked recommendations on Amazon and then just took a shot. I think the Peaver and Volokhonsky translations are quite good.

Anna Karenina

War and Peace

Carol wrote: "War and Peace"

I would love a group read of War & Peace!

Carol, Danielle most of us have War and Peace in our mind and it's a huge enterprise. If we are to read it, then we'll be taking about half a year to get it done, separately. Keep your fingers cross we'd probably visit it in 2012.

Ale wrote: "The Whisperers by Orlando Figes. It's ..."

Ale, do nominate this when we read Contemporary Russian Books again. I currently stopped the idea because there aren't enough members for readings.

EDIT

*****************************

Ok, the nominations closed! Voting open:
http://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/57...

I feel I should warn you, while Figes is a decent Russian historian, he's not a very great writer. I'm a Russian minor so I've read plenty of his books as history texts and I promise you, they're texts much more than they are enjoyable reading. But you will learn a lot.

I nominate Crime and Punishment also.

I made the suggestion to read War and Peace because it is so large that it would be a goodread for the long winter months. Many people are busy with summer activities and the fall holidays (like now). It was just a suggestion.

Carol wrote: "I made the suggestion to read War and Peace because it is so large that it would be a goodread for the long winter months. Many people are busy with summer activities and the fall holidays (like no..."

I too would like to go back to War and Peace. I think reading it as a group will be much easier than alone. I hope we will read it 2012.

Looks like the winner is The Idiot. I read that book a couple of years ago--should make for some lively discussion. I will unearth my copy and see what I wrote in the margins. I very much enjoyed the P&V translation. Looking forward to it!!

I do hope there will be a good discussion, I wouldn't mind joining either although I was hoping for Anna.

Oh, me too. But The Idiot is well worth the effort--I enjoyed it very much and hope others do, too.There is a very memorable female character--I can't recall her name--but she really stands out in my mind.

I started The Idiot but never finished it. I am going to order the P&V version, love their War & Peace translation. Look forward to reading this, all the way through this time :), and seeing what you all think of it.

Which novel came in second? I don't see the poll posted anymore. Are we still using the idea to read the runner up for the following long fiction read?

Kristen wrote: "Which novel came in second? I don't see the poll posted anymore. Are we still using the idea to read the runner up for the following long fiction read?"

Yes, we'll be reading "The Idiot" in January and then "Crime and Punishment."

I am re-reading C&P now after 10 years since the first read. I really encourage finding the P&V translation. Despite its imperfections, C&P is hands-down my favorite psychological character study. I think The Idiot and C&P are a great pairing!!!

The Idiot. Nice!

Any recommendations for a specific translation? E.g. Garnett, Carlisle or Pevar/Volokhonsky?


EDIT - I just ran into this article:

http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2005...

I thought P&V's translation was very accessible, but I am not a translation guru by any means.

CharliReads wrote: "The Idiot. Nice!

Any recommendations for a specific translation? E.g. Garnett, Carlisle or Pevar/Volokhonsky?


EDIT - I just ran into this article:

http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2005..."

That is a great article. Thanks for posting.

Amalie wrote: "Kristen wrote: "Which novel came in second? I don't see the poll posted anymore. Are we still using the idea to read the runner up for the following long fiction read?"

Yes, we'll be reading "The ..."

Awesome! I'll be looking forward to the Crime and Punishment group read!