Discovering Russian Literature discussion

Hello readers! The thread is now open for the nominations for October/November and December group-readings.

For a change I thought it's better to give chance for different choices. We'll be reading:

Contemporary Fiction:October
Play or Poetry: November
Collection of Short Stories: December

So go ahead and nominate a book or books you plan to read/re-read or to discuss. You can nominate for all three sections. If you're not sure where to start, check the bookshelf.

The nominations will end on September 30th.

Contemporary: The Winter Queen
Poetry: Eugene Onegin
Short stories: Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka

I don't know when I will finish Quite flows the Don because it is really huge!
But, here my nominations and I will do the possibile to take part to the group reads:

Omon Ra by Victor Pelevin
The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov

Don't know about the short stories; I have alraedy read a lot of collections by Dostoevskij, Bunin, Chekov...I will wait and see the suggestions of the other members.

I don't know contemporary Russian lit well enough
but I think Andrea's suggestions in message #2 are
a very nice mix.

Forgive me if I repeat something that was recently read. I haven't been in the group very long.

Contemporary: Cancer Ward or Buddha's Little Finger
Poetry: Eugene Onegin
Short Stories: From Karamzin to Bunin: An Anthology of Russian Short Stories

I would really be ok with any selection of short stories. I want to read them all!

So I guess I can't nominate The Brothers Karamazov?

I will nominate The Lower Depths for the play section instead.

For short stories The Portable Chekhov.

For contemporary, I would vote for anything by Alexei Ivanov. He's probably the most significant Russian author right now. However, I don't know if he's been translated into English. He must have been. Gold of the Rebelion is an absolute masterpiece but I have read it already.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25...

But I haven't read Parma's Heart which is supposedly of the same caliber. So I'm voting for it. Let's hope it's been translated.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/69...

If it hasn't I'm voting for Victor Pelevin'Buddha's Little Finger (which I read) or for his Sacred Book of the Warewolf or Empire V (which I haven't read).

For Play I'm voting for Anton Checkhov as I haven't read him yet.

For collection of short storied, I'm voting for Pelevin again.

I really love Andrea's three suggestions but for the sake of throwing something else into the mix I'll add
Vladimir Sorokin's ICE TRILOGY (contemporary) and Julia Gousseva's 12 MONTHS OF A SOVIET CHILDHOOD (short stories).

Contemporary fiction: Strugatsky brothers, "Roadside Picnic" : http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/64...

Poetry: Pushkin's "Fairy Tales": http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13...

dely wrote: "The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov..."

We have read it already, how about another?

I want to read The Seagull
Short story The Queen of Spades and Other Stories by A. Pushkin

Amalie wrote: "dely wrote: "The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov..."

We have read it already, how about another?

I want to read The Seagull
Short story The Queen of Spades and Other Stories by A. Pushkin"

Of course, no problems!
Will see if I can join for the group reads and if I will find the books that will win.

I also vote for The Winter Queen and Eugene Onegin. I think Chekhov's short stories are fascinating. But if not him, how about Hadji Murad?

Amalie wrote: "C.P. wrote: "how about Hadji Murad? "

Thank you so much! I've never heard of that before. However it looks like a novella than a short story and I think we've read enough of Tolstoy."

I'm still struggling with "Quite flows the Don". Something always comes up and I can never find the time these days. However I will make my thoughts even if others have finished reading.

I'm not so sure of poetry so I'd like to read a collection of short stories. The Collected Tales of Nikolai Gogol or something from Ivan Turgenev First Love and Other Stories These are short stories, only "First Love" may be considered a novella.

As for plays, I'll vote for Anton Checkhov.

Here are my suggestions:


October (Contemporary Fiction): Gogol The Collected Tales of Nikolai Gogol Many of the stories are creepy tales with a supernatural twist; just perfect for October and Halloween.

November (Play or Poetry): Pushkin Eugene Onegin

December (Collection of Short Stories): Chekhov Selected Stories or The Complete Short Novels

I'd like to start reading The Winter Queen this week.
Does anyone know how many pages the first installment
will be? I guess it is early to ask but..

Alans, it's a really easy read, so the number of pages should not be a problem. I read it when it first came out in English and am looking forward to re-reading it with the group.

Note that the Russian title is Azaziel, which might be better translated as "Fallen Angel" or "Banished Demon," FWIW.

Alans wrote: "I'd like to start reading The Winter Queen this week.
Does anyone know how many pages the first installment
will be? I guess it is early to ask but.."

The thread is open for the readers: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...

Good. Now I know what to pick on my next trip to the library. I don't believe I've read Akunin before.