Russian Poets

by Peter Washington (editor)

Russian poets have always been admired for the lyric and emotional intensity with which they forge private and public experience into verse, and this volume gathers together some of the best-loved, and most powerful and immediate poems from the greatest Russian poets of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Here is the work of Alexander Pushkin, Mikhail Lermontov, Alexander Blok, Andrei Bely, Vladimir Mayakovsky, Ivan Bunin, Osip Mandelstam, Anna Akhmatova, Marina Tsvetaeva, Boris Pasternak, and Joseph Brodsky, among many others.

Arranged by theme—love, mortality, art, and the enduring mystery of Mother Russia herself—and presented in the best available translations, these poems will serve as both an introduction to the mastery of Russian poetry and a wide-ranging selection to be returned to again and again.

Genres: Poetry, Russia, Russian Literature, Anthologies, Classics

256 pages, Hardcover

First published May 7, 2009

Reviews

[⭒☆tiredbee☆⭒ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four stars because this edition does NOT have the parallel text in russian and it is disappointing.

[Elliot · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wish this collection contained more contemporary poets - most of the poetry in this collection is from the 1800s. One thing this collection did do was confirm my love of Anna Akhmatova, as well as Marina Tsvetayeva, and a grudging respect for Alexander Blok. I can pick all three of them out of the thicket every time, as they shine amongst their peers.

[Peter Holford · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first foray into Russian poetry. The translations (various translators) seemed excellent, preserving rhyme, rhythm and the poetic sense of each poem. This little volume contains about 180 poems spanning about 30 Russian poets. It includes sections on Russia ('Native Land' and 'Black Earth') as well as love poetry and, typically for Russian poets, I think, a section on mortality called 'What is the use of time?'.

I found some of the poems somewhat inaccessible, but, keeping a note of those I enjoyed the most, I can now identify my favourite Russian poets: Mikhail Lermontov (1814-1841), Alexander Blok (1880-1921) and Alexander Pushkin (1799-1837), although some of the Soviet-era poets were great too (e.g. Anna Akhmatova).

A good introduction to the Russians!

[Fernando · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quarantine book #5

Russian poetry is colorful not for its cheerfulness, but for its depth of feeling. Russian poets love differently, yearn differently, protest differently. Russia's geographic vastness and frigidness rub off on its poets, but you still find intimacy and warmth in their words.

There's a section in this anthology entitled "What is the use of time?" and, boy, did I race to read it first. And, boy, did I almost regret it. While there was Tolstoy to remind us of all death and decay, I also met Esenin for the first time and he was a bit more hopeful in departures leading to reunions. That was close!

This edition is by @everymanslibrary

More Russian poetry here #onebookRussia
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#QuarantineReading

[Lawrence Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every volume in the Everyman Pocket Poets series is a well-thought-out anthology, and this is one of the best. It is especially rich in the Silver Age poets persecuted during the Soviet time. Much praise to the editor, Peter Washington!

[Archie Hamerton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bloody hell, Russia poetry is INTENSE. But it was only a tenner and it fits in my coat pocket, so that makes for some fun reading on the bus

[Clare Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite poetry collection next to Mary Oliver and Bukowski, simply because it has Akhmatova, Tsvetaeva and Pushkin in one place.

[BiblioBrandie]

I wouldn't say Russian poets are my favorite poets.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have realized that I don't like Pushkin.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic collection of classic poetry from Russia including the greats such as Alexander Pushkin, Boris Pasternak, Anna Akhmatova, Fyodor Tyutchev and many others.

The poetry is generally very well written and accessible. I don't think there were many I didn't like.

I'd actually recommend it for people new to poetry. There are no explanatory notes but the poetry is genuinely accessible.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recommend this collection wholeheartedly. It's a perfect size and blend of numerous translated Russian poems.

"But a sound may be truer than reason
And a word may be stronger than man"
(from "Stanzas" - Vladislav Khodasevich).

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great selection of poets. Incredible work. Highly recommended.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable collection of poetry. I loved the feel of a lot of the poems.