We're such a literate and art-appreciating bunch here so, following on from Ramon's Monday painting session, as well as Puss's similarly inspiring contributions and the always wonderful Poetry Slams, I'd like to draw your attention to Ivan Turgenev's shorter works.
His 1852 compilation of short stories entitled Sketches from a Hunter's Album (also called A Sportsman's Sketches depending on the translator) gained him due recognition, and also drew the attention of the likes of those twin towers of Russian literature, Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky (or Dostoevsky depending on the translator).
For what it's worth - and it's not worth a great deal - my favourite of these sketches is The Clatter of Wheels (or The Rattling of Wheels...) the suspense of which surely inspired Hitchcock. It's a terrific read about a carriage journey between towns taken by the first person narrator (quite unusual in 19th century Russian literature) and his driver, in search of more shot with which to kill stuff. It's one of my favourite short stories although is rivalled - in my humble opinion - by Nabokov's best. You can read it in full here (it's not painfully long or anything, but it will give you something to do while we await Perseus's next post...or you could do some work). I don't know which translation it is but my preferred translation is Richard Freeborn's (published by Penguin).
Good day to you.
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17 comments:
Thanks Lewd, not bad, not bad at all
Those Russian greats were a bitchy lot, weren't they
My favorite Russian stories are Chekhov's 'Misery' and Gogol's 'The Overcoat'
I am rather partial to some Anton Chekhov.
"More tea, Ivan Ivanovich?"
"Yeah, fuck it, why not".
Has anyone noticed that the only interesting writing on this blog is the stuff Perseus does? More Perseus and tales of the suicide girl (or not), please.
It's all subjective, RS.
We had exciting lives too, once, RS
You wouldn't believe the kinds of mischief we got up to in the bunker when the Jerrys were dropping bombs on us
And Perseus is the only person that seems to piss off Kitten.....
But I like *all* the posts on here guys. Keep up the good work.
I enjoy thinking about these famous old writers and whether they would have made it as bloggers, Turgenev would have been a great blogger. I like thinking about whether they would have got published if they lived now, Turgenev, I doubt it, not in Australia at least.
Quite so, Squib.
I remember turning to Boogeyman and saying, just before we took off on a mission;
"Boogey, old chap. Let's teach this cunting fascist cunts a Goddamn cunting lesson".
He smiled quietly to himself.
Squib, add to the Gogol collection The Nose for an hilarious romp through the miserable streets of St Petersburg. Was ahead of the absurdist comedy genre curve by a century.
Yeah, 'The Nose' was a treat
I was reading the introduction to Crime & Punishment last night by David Magarshack who translated the copy I have. He talks about nihilism, Turgenenv and Fathers and Sons, co-incidence?
PAVEMENT in my town, March 4th 2010
Thats a treat.
Pepsi, isn't it a treat. Stephen Malkmus is a champion of champions.
Coincidence you say? I'd agree.
I just want to rub it in... again... that I saw Pavement at their peak at the Prince with Dirty Three supporting (when nobody had heard of them).
I thought Pepsi was getting pavement in her town, as in a footpath
Do you have them in Perth yet?
Perth gets their Pavement on the 8th March.
Pers, we've had this discussion before - Pogues before they kicked Shane out the first time....I win.
Bob, yes sir, true and proper.
I don’t really read the poetry and Russian stuff, but I like the thought of it being there. It makes me feel intelligent.
Any new thoughts on Marieke?
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