Discovering Russian Literature discussion

The thread is now open for the nominations for October and November group-reading. So go ahead and nominate a book you plan to read/re-read or to discuss. If you're not sure where to start, check the bookshelf.

The nominations will end on September 15. Then the polling will start with your choices.


Nominate for "Long Fiction" reading which will start on October 01.

Nominate for "Contemporary Books" which will start on October 20.
(Contemporary books means 90's + ... )

Remember you can give your nominations even if they are still not in our bookshelf specially with the contemporary books.

I nominate The Devils (also known as The Possessed or Demons) by Fyodor Dostoyevsky for the Long Fiction read

Silver wrote: "I nominate The Devils (also known as The Possessed or Demons) by Fyodor Dostoyevsky for the Long Fiction read"

I second Silver's nomination! I have that book sitting here waiting to be read!

Christi wrote: "Silver wrote: "I nominate The Devils (also known as The Possessed or Demons) by Fyodor Dostoyevsky for the Long Fiction read"

I second Silver's nomination! I have..."

I too second that nomination (or third it ;))

A Hero of Our Time by Mikhail Lermontov

Sleepwalker in a Fog by Tatyana Tolstaya for contemporary books.

Amalie wrote: "A Hero of Our Time by Mikhail Lermontov

Sleepwalker in a Fog by Tatyana Tolstaya for contemporary books."

Both of these would be lovely too!

Long fiction -- definitely Dostoyevsky's Devil/Demons/Possessed. What ever you call it, I think it's his best work and I'd love the opportunity to re-read and discuss it.

Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev

I like the sound of all three above. But here's my one Oblomov by Ivan Goncharov

If This get selected I'd love to read Buddha's Little Finger by Victor Pelevin for Contemporary Russian.

Shanez Oblomov is fabulous. I wouldn't read it again, at least not this soon after the first time, but would love to read a discussion.

I'll second Sleepwalker in a Fog for the Contemporary read. It sounds fascinating.

I vote for Devils (aka Demons/The Possessed) by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

My first choice would be Turgenev's Fathers and Sons<. It was a very controversial novel in its time and its reception caused Turgenev to leave Russia. It charts the transition of one generation to the next and the nihilistic views of the son are those of disaffected youth everywhere - those who are causing 'uprisings' now maybe:). There is also some romantic interest, which portrays the formal aristocratic manners of the time. It is a short book and livelier than a lot of Russian novels. Turgenev was an Anglophile and less given to religious moralising than Tolstoy or Dostoyevsky. He was much more modern in his thinking than either of those two (equally great) authors, perhaps more of a Romantic in the European tradition.

I also quite like the idea of reading A Hero of Our Time because the protaganist sounds like a Byronic anti-hero of the kind I quite like:). I am not in the mood for the pessimism of Dostoyevsky at the moment. (BTW Dostoyevsky parodies Turgenev in the character of Karmazinov in The Devils.)

I would like to read Fathers and Sons as well.

I'm sure Amalie will be setting up a poll. Amalie, how does this group decide on a discussion leader?

I recently read Fathers and Sons, so I would look in on the discussions for that, if it is chosen. Same with Oblomov (which I loved).
I recently read Angel Of Vengeance: The Girl Who Shot the Governor of St. Petersburgwhich was a fabulous look through the literature of the period of about 1840-1900 as it was a reflection of the political/social landscape of Russia at the time. It is primarily about a woman who decides to shoot the Governor of St Petersburg. Dostoyevsky was a journalist in the courtroom of that trial, and apparently, Demons is written somehow about this event (not just the shooting, but the social/political events that 'created' the shooter.)

Well, I just had to share that!

For contemporary I would like to nominate

Headcrusher by Alexander Garros

Silver wrote: "I nominate The Devils (also known as The Possessed or Demons) by Fyodor Dostoyevsky for the Long Fiction read"

I second this!

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "I'm sure Amalie will be setting up a poll. Amalie, how does this group decide on a discussion leader?"

Good question Elizabeth. I think we are going to need a a discussion leader. The school started and I'm also busy these days. I think our currently play reading is not working because I didn't appoint a leader and I didn't vote for it so I'm not currently reading it. Then all the sudden the voter are not taking part in the discussion.

I'm hoping one of the nominators of the winning book, once the polling is over, can be our discussion leader. Anyone can nominate another or volunteer. Let's do this in the same thread. I'd rather like volunteers.

For example: I nominated A Hero of Our Time and Sleepwalker in a Fog and Christi second it, so both of us will decide on being a discussion leader if ours get selected. I hope it's ok with you Christi :) She's very attentive and will be a good discussion leader. And I know most of you here, so don't hesitate to volunteer. It's fun when you do it and not difficult.

Here's a link with some tips on how to lead a book club discussion:

http://bestsellers.about.com/od/bookc...

I can lead a discussion on either of my nominations

The Devils or Headcrusher

I know that there was a lot of interest for "The Devils" so if anyone else whom 2nd it wants to be a leader than that is fine too.

Thanks for the tips! I could do Fathers and Sons.

Yes, nice tips. I think I can take Buddha's Little Finger but not Oblomov, perhaps Elizabeth wouldn't mind leading a discussion since she had read it?

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Shanez Oblomov is fabulous. I wouldn't read it again, at least not this soon after the first time, but would love to read a discussion."

Me too!

MadgeUK wrote: "Thanks for the tips! I could do Fathers and Sons."

Bless you! I could do it, but feel I would not be very effective.

I'm sorry about The Cherry Orchard, which I voted for. I had intended to read it - still do - but haven't yet worked it into the schedule. I'm glad to see it broken into Acts, and hope I'll be able to get to at least Act I tonight.

Shanez wrote: "Yes, nice tips. I think I can take Buddha's Little Finger but not Oblomov, perhaps Elizabeth wouldn't mind leading a discussion since she had read it?"

Buddha's Little Finger scares me!! Some of the reviews I have read suggest that it can be tedious unless you have a good knowledge of Buddhism! What are your thoughts on the book? Why does it appeal to you?

Amalie wrote: "Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "I'm sure Amalie will be setting up a poll. Amalie, how does this group decide on a discussion leader?"

Good question Elizabeth. I think we are going to need a a discussi..."

On Amalie, I appreciate your confidence that I might be able to be a discussion leader! But I don't think I have it in me!! I would do it only if nobody else would do it! As it looks, Demons is in the forefront, and there are plenty of volunteers for that read. Whew! I relaize we haven't actually voted yet, but hopefully, we will get to read A Hero of Our Time too, maybe for November.

Here's my suggestion: One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn.