Selected Works

by Mikhail Lermontov

Genres: Russian Literature

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1976

About the author

Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov (Михаил Юрьевич Лермонтов), a Russian Romantic writer, poet and painter, sometimes called "the poet of the Caucasus", was the most important Russian poet after Alexander Pushkin's death. His influence on later Russian literature is still felt in modern times, not only through his poetry, but also by his prose.

Lermontov died in a duel like his great predecessor poet, Aleksander Pushkin.

Even more so tragically strange (if not to say fatalistic) that both poets described in their major works fatal duel outcomes, in which the main characters (Onegin and Pechorin) were coming out victorious.

Reviews

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's not that I don't like poetry but most of the time I just don't 'get' it. I guess I'm just too stupid to figure out what the fuck they are saying. But Lermontov's stuff, that I get . . . which makes me think either it's really good, or more likely really bad which would explain a lot.

I bought this book for $2 at a used book sale and I thought it was sort of neat that on the title page it reads: 'Printed in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics'.

[Cami · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this collection! The short-form poems eased me into the longer stories, and I am grateful for the introduction's historical background. As for the novella which takes up half of this collection, it strikes me as the opposite of my experience with Charles Dickens (specifically Great Expectations): The plot is boring when I stop to think about it, but it's very entertaining and immersive in the moment! Whereas I've found Dickens a chore to slog through, but lots of fun to revisit, Lermontov's style seems much more compelling, though I don't have much to say about specific characters or plot lines now that I've finished.