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Strankinja
After leaving the Soviet Union following a series of unsatisfying relationships, Marusya Tatarovich quickly becomes the center of the Russian community in Queens, New York, but finds that it mirrors in many ways the community she left behind
Paperback
First published January 1, 1986
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About the author
Sergei Dovlatov
180 books707 followersSergei Dovlatov (Russian: Сергей Довлатов) was born in Ufa, Bashkiria (U.S.S.R.), in 1941. He dropped out of the University of Leningrad after two years and was drafted into the army, serving as a guard in high-security prison camps. In 1965 he began to work as a journalist, first in Leningrad and then in Tallinn, Estonia. After a period of intense harassment by the authorities, he emigrated to the United States in 1978. He lived in New York until his death in 1990.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 172 reviews
November 11, 2023
Sergei Dovlatov’s satire isn’t skin deep, it’s like a bullet put through one’s head…
The Russian community in New York is as a miniature enclave situated within the huge megalopolis…
The heroine of A Foreign Woman, Marusya is a former Soviet girl from a good family – easy-going, impertinent and saucy…
However vicissitudes of her freewheeling fate and carefree existence have thrown her into America… There her happy-go-lucky living continued… And for her there was no deficit in beaus among the émigrés…
But ignoring all her onetime compatriots she fell in love with a Latin American named Rafael… And this love was really hot…
Those who are devil-may-care in their homeland are devil-may-care in the entire wide world.
The Russian community in New York is as a miniature enclave situated within the huge megalopolis…
We are six brick buildings clustered around a supermarket, inhabited primarily by Russians – that is, recent Soviet citizens. Or, as the newspapers put it, émigrés of the third wave. Our neighborhood stretches from the railroad tracks to the synagogue…
We have Russian stores, day-care centers, photography studios, and barber shops. There is a Russian travel agency. There are Russian lawyers, writers, doctors, and real estate agents. There are Russian gangsters, madmen, and prostitutes. There’s even a Russian blind musician.
The heroine of A Foreign Woman, Marusya is a former Soviet girl from a good family – easy-going, impertinent and saucy…
Before she was thirty Marusya understood that life consists of pleasure. Everything else could be considered unpleasant. Pleasures were flowers, restaurants, love, imported things, and music. Unpleasant things were the absence of money, rebukes, illnesses, and guilt. Marusya gave herself up to pleasure, reasonably avoiding unpleasantness.
However vicissitudes of her freewheeling fate and carefree existence have thrown her into America… There her happy-go-lucky living continued… And for her there was no deficit in beaus among the émigrés…
The religious activist Lemkus was also interested in Marusya. First he gave her a Bible in English. Then he said that God loved the poor and lonely. Finally, he promised happiness and well-being in the next life.
But ignoring all her onetime compatriots she fell in love with a Latin American named Rafael… And this love was really hot…
It was a man of fifty or so in a brown football jersey with “Hello!” on it and tight jogging pants. His head was wrapped in white gauze. His right arm was in a cast. He dragged his leg like an old rifle. I sighed with relief. This man was clearly a victim and not a predator. His face was frozen in fear, bitterness, and rebuke. The smell of iodine filled the room.
“just look at that scarecrow,” Marusya said.
Catching sight of me, Rafa cheered up and spoke. “She beat me, man! What for? First she hit me with a hanger. But the hanger broke. Then she starting beating me with an umbrella. But the umbrella broke, too. Then she took a tennis racket. But that broke after a while too. Then she bit me. With my own teeth. The teeth I paid for her to get. Is that fair?” Rafa went on bitterly. “I went to the hospital, saw a doctor. The doctor thought I had fallen into the hands of terrorists. I said, ‘Doc! Terrorists don’t bite! I was with a Russian woman.’”
Those who are devil-may-care in their homeland are devil-may-care in the entire wide world.
June 23, 2022
[Revised 6/23/22]
A great story translated from Russian but set in the USA in the Forest Hills neighborhood of Queens in New York City. The story is set in the mid-1980s when Russians (mainly Russian Jews) started arriving. The area remains a focus of Russian Jewish settlement today and the corner of 108th Street and 63rd Drive has been given an honorary designation in this author’s memory (1941-1990). The author emigrated to the US and lived in this neighborhood for the last 12 years of his life.
Much of the story consists of short vignettes of the lives of people who came. It’s amazing to note how just about everyone who immigrated changed life paths from what they did previously in Russia. An artist becomes a cab driver; a famous sports coach becomes a custodian; a dissident wedding MC (who is Jewish) becomes a Baptist TV minister; a lawyer runs a grocery store.
Mostly the story (there’s not a lot of actual plot) focuses on the ups and downs of the woman of the title who in Russia had lovers, a husband, lovers, a divorce, lovers, a second husband, a child, lovers, a divorce and so on before coming to America. Despite wanting a career she never quite finds her way. She marries a Latin American man, and is mainly a stay-at-home mom.
The value of the book is in the satire, sarcasm and irony that the author presents to us as he shows us that life in the US compared to life in Russia isn’t all that different --- life is life. He presents us with many sharp and humorous passages and one-liners. It's worth reading this book just for these witticisms. Some examples:
On the Koreans, Hindus, Arabs and Latinos in the neighborhood: “We do not know them. But just in case, we despise and fear them.”
On books: “Back home there was no freedom, but there were readers. Here there was freedom enough, but readers were missing.” (This reminds me of a quote I liked in the book Summer of Betrayal by Hong Ying “Here [in China] there are people listening, but one can’t speak. There [in the West] one can speak, but nobody listens.”
“He’s too lazy to smoke.”
“Dima was a good man. His vices were the absence of defects. After all, we all know that defects are more attractive than virtues.”
A woman questioning a man about a dream he had where he saw himself flying over a brightly-lit city:
She: “Lights? …That’s clear. According to Freud that’s sexual frustration. The lights symbolize the penis.”
He” “What about the wings?”
“The wings,” Fema said, “also symbolize the penis.”
The author inserts himself into the story as an author, using his real name. He said he was so pleased with how well his books were translated into English that a friend of his was fond of saying “Dovlatov loses something in the original.”
A character says: “Recently, I gave my boss an ultimatum: Give me a raise or I quit.”
“What happened?”
“We compromised: He didn’t give me a raise, and I didn’t quit.”
After the author’s life becomes financially comfortable: “Other people’s unhappiness naturally worried me, but less than before.”
A fun, quick read (113 pages), well worth it for the insights. We also get a quick look into the local color of this community in the 1980s.
Top photo of Forest Hills neighborhood from 6sqft.com
Middle photo from thedailybeast.com
Photo of the author from calvertjournal.com
A great story translated from Russian but set in the USA in the Forest Hills neighborhood of Queens in New York City. The story is set in the mid-1980s when Russians (mainly Russian Jews) started arriving. The area remains a focus of Russian Jewish settlement today and the corner of 108th Street and 63rd Drive has been given an honorary designation in this author’s memory (1941-1990). The author emigrated to the US and lived in this neighborhood for the last 12 years of his life.
Much of the story consists of short vignettes of the lives of people who came. It’s amazing to note how just about everyone who immigrated changed life paths from what they did previously in Russia. An artist becomes a cab driver; a famous sports coach becomes a custodian; a dissident wedding MC (who is Jewish) becomes a Baptist TV minister; a lawyer runs a grocery store.
Mostly the story (there’s not a lot of actual plot) focuses on the ups and downs of the woman of the title who in Russia had lovers, a husband, lovers, a divorce, lovers, a second husband, a child, lovers, a divorce and so on before coming to America. Despite wanting a career she never quite finds her way. She marries a Latin American man, and is mainly a stay-at-home mom.
The value of the book is in the satire, sarcasm and irony that the author presents to us as he shows us that life in the US compared to life in Russia isn’t all that different --- life is life. He presents us with many sharp and humorous passages and one-liners. It's worth reading this book just for these witticisms. Some examples:
On the Koreans, Hindus, Arabs and Latinos in the neighborhood: “We do not know them. But just in case, we despise and fear them.”
On books: “Back home there was no freedom, but there were readers. Here there was freedom enough, but readers were missing.” (This reminds me of a quote I liked in the book Summer of Betrayal by Hong Ying “Here [in China] there are people listening, but one can’t speak. There [in the West] one can speak, but nobody listens.”
“He’s too lazy to smoke.”
“Dima was a good man. His vices were the absence of defects. After all, we all know that defects are more attractive than virtues.”
A woman questioning a man about a dream he had where he saw himself flying over a brightly-lit city:
She: “Lights? …That’s clear. According to Freud that’s sexual frustration. The lights symbolize the penis.”
He” “What about the wings?”
“The wings,” Fema said, “also symbolize the penis.”
The author inserts himself into the story as an author, using his real name. He said he was so pleased with how well his books were translated into English that a friend of his was fond of saying “Dovlatov loses something in the original.”
A character says: “Recently, I gave my boss an ultimatum: Give me a raise or I quit.”
“What happened?”
“We compromised: He didn’t give me a raise, and I didn’t quit.”
After the author’s life becomes financially comfortable: “Other people’s unhappiness naturally worried me, but less than before.”
A fun, quick read (113 pages), well worth it for the insights. We also get a quick look into the local color of this community in the 1980s.
Top photo of Forest Hills neighborhood from 6sqft.com
Middle photo from thedailybeast.com
Photo of the author from calvertjournal.com
October 11, 2019
Dovlatov, čak i kad nije na nivou "Kompromisa", i dalje je odličan. Plus je izdanje koje imam obogaćeno sa 2 odlična intervjua i tekstom Brodskog o Dovlatovu, a to su poslastice po sebi.
December 8, 2019
Već sam pisala o svom oduševljenju nakon što sam otkrila Dovlatova. Osvojio me je na prvu, jednostavno, bez mnogo napora. Volim taj njegov humor, taj mangupski šarm, tu njegovu urođenu vještinu zavođenja. Nije kao Fante, ali tu je negdje, sasvim ravnopravno može da se nađe u istoj rečenici sa njim. Za rođendan želim kompletan njegov opus u Lomovom izdanju.
September 1, 2022
Dovlatov ima savršen stil. Sa druge strane, jako je duhovit i pronicljiv. Za svaku preporuku. Ja se sada bacam na njegove ostale knjige.
August 10, 2012
Underrated and seemingly forgotten, Dovlatov remains one of my favorite writers. His style, called "laconic" and "witty," earned him comparisons to one of his admirers, Kurt Vonnegut. This is not my favorite of his works (that would be The Compromise), but even on an off day, Dovlatov is nothing short of fun.
June 24, 2024
Bir ay içinde okuduğum üçüncü Dovlatov kitabı. Hepsini bayıla bayıla okudum. Muhtemelen dayanamayıp Zona'yı da okurum. Geç bile kalmışım ama başka da çevrilmiş eseri yok, bitince boynum bükük. Yayımlanan 12 kitabı var, dilerim diğerleri de çevrilir. Çok genç ölmüş, keşke yaşasa ve daha da yazabilseydi. Eyüp Karakuş çevirileri mükemmel. İyi ki Jaguar Kitap var.
June 24, 2021
– Отдаться человеку, который путает Толстого с Достоевским!.. Я лично этого не понимаю...
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June 16, 2016«Видимо, Лернер обладал каким-то специфическим даром материального благополучия. Вообще, я уверен, что нищета и богатство — качества прирожденные. Такие же, например, как цвет волос или, допустим, музыкальный слух. Один рождается нищим, другой — богатым. И деньги тут фактически ни при чем. Можно быть нищим с деньгами. И — соответственно — принцем без единой копейки.
Я встречал богачей среди зеков на особом режиме. Там же мне попадались бедняки среди высших чинов лагерной администрации…
Бедняки при любых обстоятельствах терпят убытки. Бедняков постоянно штрафуют даже за то, что их собака оправилась в неположенном месте. Если бедняк случайно роняет мелочь, то деньги обязательно проваливаются в люк.
А у богатых все наоборот. Они находят деньги в старых пиджаках. Выигрывают по лотерее. Получают в наследство дачи от малознакомых родственников. Их собаки удостаиваются на выставках денежных премий.»
это прекрасно.
Я встречал богачей среди зеков на особом режиме. Там же мне попадались бедняки среди высших чинов лагерной администрации…
Бедняки при любых обстоятельствах терпят убытки. Бедняков постоянно штрафуют даже за то, что их собака оправилась в неположенном месте. Если бедняк случайно роняет мелочь, то деньги обязательно проваливаются в люк.
А у богатых все наоборот. Они находят деньги в старых пиджаках. Выигрывают по лотерее. Получают в наследство дачи от малознакомых родственников. Их собаки удостаиваются на выставках денежных премий.»
это прекрасно.
November 9, 2016
ვკითხულობდი და სულ "შელოცვა რადიოთიდან" ელის ამბები მახსენდებოდა.
დოვლატოვი ძალიან ოსტატურად ახერხებს ტრანსპორტში კითხვისასაც კი ხმამაღლა გახარხაროს და თან ამავდროულად ჩუმი სევდაც შემოგაპაროს, რადგან ამ წიგნში ერთოდ უჩვეულო და თან ძალიან ნაცნობ ხალხს გადაეყრებით.
დოვლატოვი ძალიან ოსტატურად ახერხებს ტრანსპორტში კითხვისასაც კი ხმამაღლა გახარხაროს და თან ამავდროულად ჩუმი სევდაც შემოგაპაროს, რადგან ამ წიგნში ერთოდ უჩვეულო და თან ძალიან ნაცნობ ხალხს გადაეყრებით.
August 20, 2023
Dovlatov'un kendine özgü neşeli, sarkastik anlatımıyla süslü bir novella. Yarı kurgu olduğunu düşünüyor insan okurken çünkü kendi yaşamından izler de barındırıyor.
Sovyet Rusya'sından New York'a kaçanların -ki yazar da bir sürgün- hayata tutunma çabasını kimi zaman hüzünlü ama ağırlıklı olarak kendine özgü neşesiyle aktarıyor. Bavul'u da severek okumuştum. Zona da sırada bekliyor.
Sovyet Rusya'sından New York'a kaçanların -ki yazar da bir sürgün- hayata tutunma çabasını kimi zaman hüzünlü ama ağırlıklı olarak kendine özgü neşesiyle aktarıyor. Bavul'u da severek okumuştum. Zona da sırada bekliyor.
February 1, 2021
Keyifli konusu, alışılmadık göçmen kadın karakteri ve dinmeyen humoruyla bana göre dört dörtlük bir kitaptı başlangıçta, ama yazar sanki sıkılıp bırakmış, sonunu aceleye getirmiş gibi hissettim. Tam kapılıp giderken bitiverdi.
July 20, 2019
Aslında burada hikaye aceleye getirilmiş diye ahkam kesip beğenmediğimi dile getirecektim. Fakat okurken bir şekilde yazarın hikayeye sızdığını ve sıla hasretini, yapmak isteyip de yapamadıklarını, özgürlük ülkesi diye iddia edilen topraklarda esir düştüğünü, özgürlüğün peşinde giderken bir gettoya hapsolduğunu, o meşhur "gitmek mi zor kalmak mı?" sorusunu okuyucunun kafasına düşürdüğünü farkettim. Yazar, bir kadının hikayesini anlatıyor anlatmasına ama o sırada yazarın iç sıkıntısı, ikilemleri, kafa karışıklığı peşinizi bırakmıyor. Sürgün konusunu farklı bir açıdan ele alan bu novellanın çevirmeni Eyüp Karakuş'a ise özenli çevirisi için ayrıca teşekkür etmek lazım.
November 30, 2011
My new favorite.
I had three long conversations with Marusya over a cup of coffee. She told me her whole rather silly story. To some degree we became friends. I like people like that--doomed, dying, helpless, and brazen. I always say, if you're in trouble, you're not sinning.
________________
Sales were lukewarm. Back home there was no freedom, but there were readers. Here there was freedom enough, but readers were missing.
I had three long conversations with Marusya over a cup of coffee. She told me her whole rather silly story. To some degree we became friends. I like people like that--doomed, dying, helpless, and brazen. I always say, if you're in trouble, you're not sinning.
________________
Sales were lukewarm. Back home there was no freedom, but there were readers. Here there was freedom enough, but readers were missing.
December 14, 2017
Крутая книга. Читать Довлатова после всякой бизнесовой воды — как пересесть на новенькую БМВ после езды на Ладе Гранте с механикой и без усилителя руля.
Прекрасная и грустная повесть.
Прекрасная и грустная повесть.
December 7, 2023
I <3 Dovlatov
January 9, 2025
Oh Marusia... Querida Marusia, imposible olvidarte.
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October 18, 2017 Uno fra i mei tanti limiti.
Sospendo il mio giudizio riservandomi di leggere altro di questo autore.
Il libro è incentrato sugli emigrati russi a New York ed in particolaresi racconta la storia di Marusja Tartarova.
Il tono è comico e quindi la lettura potrebbe essere piacevole.
Interessante è anche l'idea dello scrittore che balza nella storia diventando egli stesso personaggio. La struttura soffre , tuttavia, un po' di disordine ma nel complesso sarebbe un racconto gradevole.
Sarebbe...
Faccio parte di quella schiera di lettori che non legge in modo scientifico, ossia con osservatore obiettivo. Se l'autore ci mette del suo scrivendo io non sono in grado di neutralizzarmi quando leggo. I miei valori, la mia etica, insomma IO: tutti elementi che costituiscono le lenti della mia lettura.
Detto ciò, Dovlaton in questo racconto reitera pregiudizi razziali che non solo mi hanno infastidita ma non accetto.
So ben distinguere se vengono dette cose stupide da un personaggio perchè tale è la sua caratterizzazione.
In questo caso, purtroppo, si fanno continue osservazioni offensive verso il popolo afroamericano da parte di più personaggi e dell'autore stesso. Quindi non ci sto!!
Esempi:
"Dopo altri sedici giorni Marusja atterrava all'aeroporto " Kennedy " Teneva in mano un sacchetto di pop-corn. Accanto a lei arrancava Lèva fiacco ed assonnato: appena vide due negri scoppiò a piangere forte."
"Tra gli allievi vi erano alcuni negri. Ascoltavano per ore intere musica dondolandosi sugli sgabelli.
Ognuno di loro si teneva accanto, per terra, una radiolina. Talvolta Marusja sentiva un odore strano. Lenja, il traduttore, le spiegò che era marijuana."
"Avrebbe voluto essere tanto trascurata, sicura, ed agile quanto i negri dalle magliette strappate o le vecchiette con gli ombrellini aperti."
"Marusja invidiava i bambini, i mendicanti, i poliziotti, tutti coloro che si sentivano parte di questa città. Invidiava persino Pan Glinski che dormiva nel metrò e non aveva paura dei teppisti negri"
"A cinquantanni aveva conservato dinamismo, una prominente muscolatura ed una certa aggressività. I negri lo irritavano."
"Per giornate intere Suster faceva le pulizie. Spazzava via le immondizie, riempiva il bollitore, spostava le sedie da una parte all'altra. Quando si avvicinava con la scopa, gli allievi si alzavano per facilitargli il lavoro. Tutti tranne i negri."
"I negri in America è già tanto tempo che non li linciano più. Anzi è tutto al contrario"
"Inoltre dicono che i sud-americani siano ancora più terribili dei negri. Questi almeno sono stati schiavi per duecento anni, cosa che di conseguenza si è riflessa nella loro mentalità. Ma quelli? Sono tutti uguali: sani, impertinenti e aggressivi."
Quando è troppo è troppo però!
Sospendo il mio giudizio riservandomi di leggere altro di questo autore.
Il libro è incentrato sugli emigrati russi a New York ed in particolaresi racconta la storia di Marusja Tartarova.
Il tono è comico e quindi la lettura potrebbe essere piacevole.
Interessante è anche l'idea dello scrittore che balza nella storia diventando egli stesso personaggio. La struttura soffre , tuttavia, un po' di disordine ma nel complesso sarebbe un racconto gradevole.
Sarebbe...
Faccio parte di quella schiera di lettori che non legge in modo scientifico, ossia con osservatore obiettivo. Se l'autore ci mette del suo scrivendo io non sono in grado di neutralizzarmi quando leggo. I miei valori, la mia etica, insomma IO: tutti elementi che costituiscono le lenti della mia lettura.
Detto ciò, Dovlaton in questo racconto reitera pregiudizi razziali che non solo mi hanno infastidita ma non accetto.
So ben distinguere se vengono dette cose stupide da un personaggio perchè tale è la sua caratterizzazione.
In questo caso, purtroppo, si fanno continue osservazioni offensive verso il popolo afroamericano da parte di più personaggi e dell'autore stesso. Quindi non ci sto!!
Esempi:
"Dopo altri sedici giorni Marusja atterrava all'aeroporto " Kennedy " Teneva in mano un sacchetto di pop-corn. Accanto a lei arrancava Lèva fiacco ed assonnato: appena vide due negri scoppiò a piangere forte."
"Tra gli allievi vi erano alcuni negri. Ascoltavano per ore intere musica dondolandosi sugli sgabelli.
Ognuno di loro si teneva accanto, per terra, una radiolina. Talvolta Marusja sentiva un odore strano. Lenja, il traduttore, le spiegò che era marijuana."
"Avrebbe voluto essere tanto trascurata, sicura, ed agile quanto i negri dalle magliette strappate o le vecchiette con gli ombrellini aperti."
"Marusja invidiava i bambini, i mendicanti, i poliziotti, tutti coloro che si sentivano parte di questa città. Invidiava persino Pan Glinski che dormiva nel metrò e non aveva paura dei teppisti negri"
"A cinquantanni aveva conservato dinamismo, una prominente muscolatura ed una certa aggressività. I negri lo irritavano."
"Per giornate intere Suster faceva le pulizie. Spazzava via le immondizie, riempiva il bollitore, spostava le sedie da una parte all'altra. Quando si avvicinava con la scopa, gli allievi si alzavano per facilitargli il lavoro. Tutti tranne i negri."
"I negri in America è già tanto tempo che non li linciano più. Anzi è tutto al contrario"
"Inoltre dicono che i sud-americani siano ancora più terribili dei negri. Questi almeno sono stati schiavi per duecento anni, cosa che di conseguenza si è riflessa nella loro mentalità. Ma quelli? Sono tutti uguali: sani, impertinenti e aggressivi."
Quando è troppo è troppo però!
April 24, 2024
El cinquè Dovlàtov que em llegeixo no baixa el llistó. Novel·la fidel a l'estil episòdic de l'autor, amb delicioses descripcions de personatges i situacions inoblidables. Irònic i sorneguer retrat de la societat russa establerta a Nova York. La protagonista emigra una mica per caprici, no per dissidència política ni persecució. Protagonistes lacònics que estan de tornada de tot (inclòs el mateix Dovlàtov), i sobreviuen diluïts dins la monstruosa metròpoli, on fins i tot el KGB actua amb desgana. Una obra brillant.
November 25, 2011
Я понял, что Довлатов для меня - почти идеальная беллетристика для отдыха :) Немного смешно, немного грустно, немного ярких деталей, немного лытдыбра, немного ошеломляющей мудрости, немного цинизма, немного лиризма... И в целом все очень изящно и хорошим современным слогом.
Довлатов хорош...и всего лишь хорош... для отдыха мозга :)
Довлатов хорош...и всего лишь хорош... для отдыха мозга :)
January 12, 2020
Ne pamtim kad sam zbog neke knjige zaspala s osmehom na licu.❤
Dovlatov piše pitko, mudro, ironično, zabavno...
Živela sam jedan dan u Njujorku s emigrantima iz Rusije i jednim papagajem Loloom, koji je svojim bekstvom iz kaveza simbol svih onih koji su se obreli u tuđem svetu bežeći od krivice, žudeći za slobodom, ili bežeći od sebe samih.
Predivna knjiga!
Dovlatov piše pitko, mudro, ironično, zabavno...
Živela sam jedan dan u Njujorku s emigrantima iz Rusije i jednim papagajem Loloom, koji je svojim bekstvom iz kaveza simbol svih onih koji su se obreli u tuđem svetu bežeći od krivice, žudeći za slobodom, ili bežeći od sebe samih.
Predivna knjiga!
December 26, 2015
Very touching! The book is written with a great sense of humour. A story about each of us! 5 out of 5!
May 19, 2024
Маруся не типичная иммигрантка.
Правильное советское педигри, красивая, комментарии и шпильки ставит к месту. И в тоже время как-то правильный брак распался, неправильные отношения затянулись и вообще с бухты барахты эмигрировала.
Довлатов любит свою Марусю на фоне «типичные» понауехавших. Она такая easy come and easy go, река жизни сама течёт как течет.
Цитаты:
Америка разочаровала Караваева. Ему не хватало здесь советской власти, марксизма и карательных органов. Караваеву нечему было противостоять.
...Американцы предпочитают собственную литературу. Переводные книги здесь довольно редко становятся бестселлерами. Библия – исключительный случай.
Люди одеты похуже, чем в Доме кино. Однако получше, чем в Доме науки и техники.
При этом он был совершенно нетипичным эмигрантом. Не выдавал себя за бывшего лауреата государственных премий. Не фантазировал относительно своих диссидентских заслуг. Не утверждал, что западное искусство переживает кризис.
- ...Так где же справедливость?
Тут я бестактно засмеялся.
- Циник! - выкрикнул Зарецкий.
Мне пришлось сказать ему:
- Есть кое-что повыше справедливости!
- Ого! - сказал Зарецкий. - Это интересно! Говорите, я вас с удовольствием послушаю. Внимание, господа! Так что же выше справедливости?
- Да что угодно, - отвечаю.
- Ну, а если более конкретно?
- Если более конкретно - милосердие...
У наших женщин философия такая:
"Если ты одна с ребенком, без копейки денег - не гордись. Веди себя немного поскромнее".
Они считали, что в Марусином тяжелом положении необходимо быть усталой, жалкой и зависимой. Еще лучше - больной, с расстроенными нервами. Тогда бы наши женщины ей посочувствовали. И даже, я не сомневаюсь, помогли бы.
Рецензии меня почти не интересовали. К тому, что пишут обо мне, я
совершенно равнодушен. Я обижаюсь, когда не пишут...
Сын генерала Федорова учился на хирурга. Это был юноша с заведомо решенными проблемами, веселый и красивый. У него было все хорошо. Причем он даже не знал, что бывает иначе.
Я не педант. Просто я стараюсь защититься от хаоса…
Правильное советское педигри, красивая, комментарии и шпильки ставит к месту. И в тоже время как-то правильный брак распался, неправильные отношения затянулись и вообще с бухты барахты эмигрировала.
Довлатов любит свою Марусю на фоне «типичные» понауехавших. Она такая easy come and easy go, река жизни сама течёт как течет.
Цитаты:
Америка разочаровала Караваева. Ему не хватало здесь советской власти, марксизма и карательных органов. Караваеву нечему было противостоять.
...Американцы предпочитают собственную литературу. Переводные книги здесь довольно редко становятся бестселлерами. Библия – исключительный случай.
Люди одеты похуже, чем в Доме кино. Однако получше, чем в Доме науки и техники.
При этом он был совершенно нетипичным эмигрантом. Не выдавал себя за бывшего лауреата государственных премий. Не фантазировал относительно своих диссидентских заслуг. Не утверждал, что западное искусство переживает кризис.
- ...Так где же справедливость?
Тут я бестактно засмеялся.
- Циник! - выкрикнул Зарецкий.
Мне пришлось сказать ему:
- Есть кое-что повыше справедливости!
- Ого! - сказал Зарецкий. - Это интересно! Говорите, я вас с удовольствием послушаю. Внимание, господа! Так что же выше справедливости?
- Да что угодно, - отвечаю.
- Ну, а если более конкретно?
- Если более конкретно - милосердие...
У наших женщин философия такая:
"Если ты одна с ребенком, без копейки денег - не гордись. Веди себя немного поскромнее".
Они считали, что в Марусином тяжелом положении необходимо быть усталой, жалкой и зависимой. Еще лучше - больной, с расстроенными нервами. Тогда бы наши женщины ей посочувствовали. И даже, я не сомневаюсь, помогли бы.
Рецензии меня почти не интересовали. К тому, что пишут обо мне, я
совершенно равнодушен. Я обижаюсь, когда не пишут...
Сын генерала Федорова учился на хирурга. Это был юноша с заведомо решенными проблемами, веселый и красивый. У него было все хорошо. Причем он даже не знал, что бывает иначе.
Я не педант. Просто я стараюсь защититься от хаоса…
Read
December 13, 2023Yabancı Kadın, Dovlatov’dan okuduğum ilk roman. Çok basit bir konusu ve üslubu var. Sovyetlerden Amerika’ya göç eden bir kadın olan Marusya’nın hayatının kısa bir bölümüne tanık oluyoruz. Marusya, Rus göçmenlerin kümelendiği caddede bir eve taşınır ve uyum sağlamaya çalışır. Dovlatov Sovyetlere de Amerika’ya da eleştiriler yöneltiyor. Amerikanın yaşam tarzındaki tüketim sevdası daha ön planda. Basit bir üslubu olduğunu söylesem de çeviride bile gayet ahenkli bir anlatım vardı. Çok etkilediğini söyleyemem ama yazarı okumaya devam edeceğim.
August 24, 2024
Leer esta novela fue una experiencia trascendental, cómica, emocionante. El otro lado de la literatura rusa
June 25, 2022
Դովլաթովի ամենաուժեղ գործերից չէր: Ընդհանրապես նրա մոտ շատ ավելի լավ է ստացվում պատմվածքը, քան վիպակը: Ամեն դեպքում վիպակից պահանջվում է շատ ավելի ճկուն սյուժե: Իսկ Դովլաթովը սյուժեի վարպետ չէ:
Դովլաթովը խոսքի ու պատմության վարպետ է: Դովլաթովի ամբողջ ոճն ասես պատմություն ներկայացնելու համար նախատեսված լինի: Իսկ այս վեպն ասես ձգված պատմվածք լինի:
Դա չի նշանակում, որ ձանձրալի էր: Ամենևին: Ինչպես հեղինակի բոլոր գործերը, մի շնչով կարդացվում է: Այս գրքում ևս Դովլաթովի ամեն մի արտայտություն, ամեն նախադասություն ու անգամ բառակապակցություն ասես առանձին գիրք լինի:
Հ.Գ. Խորհուրդ է տրվում կարդալ մենակ, որովհետև մարդկանց մեջ սկսում ես ծիծաղել, քեզ գժի տեղ են դնում:))
Դովլաթովը խոսքի ու պատմության վարպետ է: Դովլաթովի ամբողջ ոճն ասես պատմություն ներկայացնելու համար նախատեսված լինի: Իսկ այս վեպն ասես ձգված պատմվածք լինի:
Դա չի նշանակում, որ ձանձրալի էր: Ամենևին: Ինչպես հեղինակի բոլոր գործերը, մի շնչով կարդացվում է: Այս գրքում ևս Դովլաթովի ամեն մի արտայտություն, ամեն նախադասություն ու անգամ բառակապակցություն ասես առանձին գիրք լինի:
Հ.Գ. Խորհուրդ է տրվում կարդալ մենակ, որովհետև մարդկանց մեջ սկսում ես ծիծաղել, քեզ գժի տեղ են դնում:))
November 4, 2014
This was an OK read, but not more than that. I like the format, with the author as a character in the story, and the introductions of all the characters (even though there's a bit too much focus on the See How Crazy We Russians Are, But In A Positive Way-thing), but Marusja? I couldn't find any sympathy anywhere for her, and I failed to see why the author would take her side. Mostly I was just perplexed by her indifference or annoyed by her arrogance.
++ The language in this one is fairly easy.
++ The language in this one is fairly easy.
April 8, 2022
Ասումա 😁
- Վասյա, ի՞նչ է պատահել, ինչու՞ ես տխուր։
-Մարդն աչքիս առաջ ընկավ ջրափոսը։
-Եվ դու տխրեցի՞ր։
-Իհարկե։ Ախր այդ մարդը ես էի ...
-Տրվել մի մարդու, ով Տոլստոյին շփոթում է Դոստոևսկու հետ... Անձամբ ես դա չեմ հասկանում...
- Վասյա, ի՞նչ է պատահել, ինչու՞ ես տխուր։
-Մարդն աչքիս առաջ ընկավ ջրափոսը։
-Եվ դու տխրեցի՞ր։
-Իհարկե։ Ախր այդ մարդը ես էի ...
-Տրվել մի մարդու, ով Տոլստոյին շփոթում է Դոստոևսկու հետ... Անձամբ ես դա չեմ հասկանում...
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