Wow! Why this book is not studied in schools?! No, really, I listened to it and thought that it should be read BEFORE you start reading any classical Russian literature or at least in parallel with them. Younger students may not be able to read Юрий Лотман properly, of course, by a teacher should at least talk to them about the things Лотман is discussed in the book. It does not guarantee that you would understand EVERYTHING in Толстой, Достоевский, Чехов, etc., but it explains A LOT. Overall, the book provides a very comprehensive picture of “быт и традиции русского дворянства” and presents this class as an extremely interesting and meaningful culture.
Plus, Юрий Лотман’s narration is very consistent and engaging; I was listening to it with attention and enjoyed it a lot!
I would love to have this book in paper form at home. I even consider it a necessity if you are interested in classical Russian literature: everything from this epoch (18-19th centuries) should be read while periodicaly consulting with Юрий Лотман’s book.
I had only two reservations about it:
1. The first one is not a complaint, but rather a personal observation — Юрий Лотман did what was claimed, i.e. discussed “Russian aristocracy,” and the book is perfect in this regard, but I found that it is sometimes irritating for me to read about “Russian aristocracy” anymore. I hate them, I hate that it always was in the center of attention in Russian history and culture. I hate all those Russian officers, and Russian landowners, and Russian emperors, etc. I want now a wider view of the history and culture of this nation.
2. I don’t know why but I was disappointed in the last and largest chapter, “Декабрист в повседневной жизни.” I have very little knowledge about “декабристы” overall and feel that it must be an extremely important and interesting part of the Russian history. I was fascinated and inspired by the first half of the Юрий Лотман’s book and had high expectations for the final chapter about “декабристы.” However, it looked for me quite weak and “abstract.” Probably, it’s completely my own fault, and I should have investigated the problem beforehand and read Лотман’s analysis just as a complementary information.
Anyway, the book is highly recommended, especially if you are still interested in classical Russian literature and want to expand you understanding tremendously.