Мой первый гонорар

by Isaac Babel

Après l'arrestation de Babel en 1939, un interdit absolu a pesé sur l'homme et sur son oeuvre. Son nom fut banni des manuels et des encyclopédies, ses écrits devinrent introuvables. De là vient que les dix-sept récits recueillis dans le présent volume s'étendent sur toute la vie littéraire de Babel.Comme tous ses écrits déjà connus, ils sont nourris d'expériences vécues, mettent en scène des personnages réels. Rien ici d'inventé, dirait-on, rien d'imaginaire ; et cependant, à travers la diversité des thèmes, la présence incomparable de Babel affirmée partout, composé unique de précision, de densité, d'émotion et d'humour.

Genres: Short Stories, Russia, Fiction, Classics, Russian Literature

9 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1925

About the author

Isaak Emmanuilovich Babel (Russian: Исаак Эммануилович Бабель; 1894 - 1940) was a Russian language journalist, playwright, literary translator, and short story writer. He is best known as the author of Red Cavalry, Story of my Dovecote and Tales of Odessa, all of which are considered masterpieces of Russian literature. Babel has also been acclaimed as "the greatest prose writer of Russian Jewry."

Loyal to, but not uncritical of, the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Isaak Babel fell victim to Joseph Stalin's Great Purge due to his longterm affair with the wife of NKVD chief Nikolai Yezhov. Babel was arrested by the NKVD at Peredelkino on the night of May 15, 1939. After "confessing", under torture, to being a Trotskyist terrorist and foreign spy, Babel was shot on January 27, 1940. The arrest and execution of Isaak Babel has been labeled a catastrophe for the world of literature.

Reviews

[Barb H · Rating 2 out of 5]

I could not summon up any enthusiasm for this story, despite rereading it to gain some comprehension for the actions of the characters in this story. It focused on a young Russian man who was well- educated and well-mannered as he is trying to fit in with his compatriots in his Cossack army unit. They were coarse, ill-mannered and each poorly educated. They seemed to take pleasure jeering at him, causing him physical pain and subjecting him to senseless chores and unnecessary hunger. In order to prove himself as a worthwhile man and member of their unit, he slaughters a goose. The whole tale seemed to point out what happens to many people who fight in wars and how they become
inured to those around them.

[Eva Helena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this one for my course on Russian literature and honestly, gotta love having to read a little spicy story for class, horny letteren for the win hahah

[Daniel Tammet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful stories in a fluid French translation by Adele Bloch. The paperback cover features Chagall's painting 'Au pas pres de la maison'.

[L · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a short story I read for a book club. While there are a few interesting ideas in the work it lacks too greatly in depth and serves to be only a short and passing work.

[Jules · Rating 3 out of 5]

read 2/16/2022

[Eman Ghanem · Rating 3 out of 5]

Isaac Babel’s “My First Goose” tells the story of a young and educated Jew called Liutov who serves in the Cossack army during the Galician war in 1920. In order to ‘fit-in’ he kills the goose of an old peasant woman and then orders her to cook it for him. After doing this , Liutov gains acceptance by his companions. Liutov has realized since his arrival that in order to be part of this close society, he has to be willing sacrifice sides of his personality , such as his religious side , his educational side and his social side for the sake of being identified within the group. Liutov is put in a situation where he either preserves his own ‘personal’ and ‘individual’ identity and this will let him suffer during his stay in the Cossack camp , or he just sacrifices his own ‘individual’ identity in order to ‘fit-in’.
In reference to his Jewishness, Liutov and since his arrival has the feeling of insecurity Being a Jew among the Cossacks society, this makes him less than them because he represents the minority , and accordingly he is treated as such. Religion mainly shapes our views , ideas and attitudes and thus it contributes to the formation of our ‘individual’ identity. Although Liutov is Jew , we see him during the story and after spending time with the Cossacks starts using Christian religious terms for swearing such as “Christ” , and this shows how Liutov is willing sacrifice part of his ‘personal’ identity and starting using the ‘popular’ and ‘collective’ term , so that he will be able to feel as he is belonging to this Cossacks society .

[Anatoly · Rating 4 out of 5]

My First Goose by Isaac Babel --- Review --
The main character of the story "My First Goose" by Isaac Babel is an intelligent person who described one episode of his life. It occurred during the civil war in Russia after the Russian revolution. The hunger held back for one evening for a group of people.

The main character was the only person who was literate. He read aloud the article of Vladimir Lenin in the Soviet newspaper that right now there is a shortage of everything. The fighters listened to the reading with great attention with great respect toward Lenin.

As the narrator said after that: "... and then we went to sleep in the hayloft. Six of us slept there warming each other, our legs tangled, under the holes in the roof which let in the stars." What thoughts were hidden by the author in this short story - readers may only guess.
This is a link to the text of the story:
https://www.shortstoryproject.com/sto...

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of Issac Babel’s famous short stories concerning a well-bred intellectual whose sudden act of violence is necesssary to endear him to his new rabble comrades in a Cossack regiment to which he’s been assigned, and probably insures his survival. The narrator seems surprised that he is capable of committing it but the story suggests that we all capable of violations, even violent ones, of principles we hold when we are confronted with the right (or wrong) circumstances, and that once committed we will commit them again and again.

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

A friend recommended I listened (a few times) to this short story, but I missed to really appreciate its greatness.
I read analysis about it, but am not convinced about all the symbolism critics see into this super short (10 minutes long) story.
At this point, I don't feel like reading more by this author.
Should I?

[martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very short but powerful story that explores the depths we are prepared to sink to in order to be accepted and respected by a group of our fellow men or women. Definitely an author I'd like to read more of.

[˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚HIATUS˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poor goose. I am reading a few shirt stories on the plane, and my ability to comprehend what happened in them worsened the more tired I got. I read this book at about 6 AM after not sleeping since 10 AM on the past day.

[Fiona Hodkinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5, description of killing of goose was very sad/beautiful, I like how Babel hints at physical differences between the narrator and the cossaks in the way that he describes them, the last line I'd heartbreaking and beautiful.

[Juergen John Roscher · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short-story about what an refined, educated man will do to fit in with a group of Cossack soldiers even if it goes against his foundational moral beliefs.

[Gemma · Rating 1 out of 5]

Felt a bit clunky, and didn’t really capture my interest. The writing wasn’t terrible, I just didn’t admire this story.

[Roger · Rating 5 out of 5]

A masterful and precise tale of a sensitive young man’s initiation into the world of war and manhood.

[Lieze Doyen · Rating 3 out of 5]

i also want to be called someone's little whorelet sister

[Joe Lawrence]

Weird, violent, and rude.

Ends with: "only my heart, bloodstained from killing, whined and dripped misery."

[Mack · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't see all that in it. A brief story about peer pressure and violence?