What book are you currently reading?

tovoxy

tovoxy

Active member
"The Karamazov Brothers" by Dostoevsky, for the second time already.
But the first time i read that in Russian, now in English :)
 
N

NihilSlayer

Well-known member
tovoxy said:
"The Karamazov Brothers" by Dostoevsky, for the second time already.
But the first time i read that in Russian, now in English :)
Click to expand...

I think this is the best novel ever written. Its depth and the subtle understanding of psychology employed by Dostoevsky are astounding. It represents an idealized golden age in Russian culture-- I've come to think of it at times as a sort of Slavophile's manifesto, but it is so so much more than that. I'd be curious to know what English translation you are reading also; I hear tell that they vary widely in their quality. I myself prefer the Volkhonovsky/Pevear translation, but it doesn't matter really-- no reason to be a pedant after all.
 
ScaredToBreathe

ScaredToBreathe

Well-known member
im reading Duma Key by Stephen King, but im almost done. after that im gonna read Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King. (he's my favourite author) ;)
 
Hamelech

Hamelech

1
O+Evangelho+Segundo+Jesus+Cristo.jpg


I loved Cain, this one isn't bad at all, but it happens that the reading of the first one seems to eclipse the enjoyment of the second one.
 
thewiz

thewiz

Active member
on the road by jack kerouac

not sure why, I felt like it might have an answer to my bland life.
 
tovoxy

tovoxy

Active member
NihilSlayer said:
I think this is the best novel ever written. Its depth and the subtle understanding of psychology employed by Dostoevsky are astounding. It represents an idealized golden age in Russian culture-- I've come to think of it at times as a sort of Slavophile's manifesto, but it is so so much more than that. I'd be curious to know what English translation you are reading also; I hear tell that they vary widely in their quality. I myself prefer the Volkhonovsky/Pevear translation, but it doesn't matter really-- no reason to be a pedant after all.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I agree with you here. I love his novels, and "Karamazov Brothers" is my favorite.
I'm reading Pevear/Volokhonsky edition and since I'm Russian, i can sort of 'feel it' when a translation doesn't work... but their translation is great
 
superfluouslyme

superfluouslyme

1
tovoxy said:
I'm reading Pevear/Volokhonsky edition and since I'm Russian, i can sort of 'feel it' when a translation doesn't work... but their translation is great
Click to expand...

Ohh, cool! I've read their Anna Karenina and The Master and Margarita translations. From what I've read about them, they seem to be one of the better translation teams out there.
 
N

NihilSlayer

Well-known member
superfluouslyme said:
Ohh, cool! I've read their Anna Karenina and The Master and Margarita translations. From what I've read about them, they seem to be one of the better translation teams out there.
Click to expand...

Random bit of topic expansion: Have you ever seen the Movie/TV series the Russians adapted of The Master and Margarita? It's surprisingly good. It was initially conceived of as a mini-series I guess you could say, so there is an episodic quality to it, but it flows really well. It's on three DVDs and clocks in at 450 min. I was amazed they adapted it so well because of the multifarious plot; with the Yuesha story, the Master and Margarita, and Satan and his retinue, but I find it surprisingly cohesive. The special effects are tasteful, if not a bit antiquated, but I prefer this also to the overdone glossiness of our hollywood stuff. Anyway, you might want to check it out if you haven't already.
 
Lea

Lea

Banned
Basil said:
I'm afraid I can't judge Dostoevsky since I've just discovered that I probably haven't yet read anything to him. Though I remember when I was young I was fond of "Story about a True Man" AKA "Story of a Real Man", the masterpiece of Boris Polevoy, and even though it has quite some tragic chapters I would still read it over and over again. I used to believe he is a great novelist.

I also found two novels of Yuri Bondarev great: "The Last Shots" and "The Hot Snow." Both are so overwhelming, tragic but passionate (romantic?) were about the war, bravery, love and loss.

As a matter of fact, I believe I've also read Mikhail Lermontov's "A Hero of Our Time". Didn't like it as much, maybe because of the subject rather than the style IDK.

@tovoxy: are these well known novels in Russian literature? I only read translations of them.
Click to expand...

Oh The Hot Snow, I read it once when I was in school. I didn´t want to read it at first, but had to since it was compulsory. But I came to like it eventually.
 
Lea

Lea

Banned
thewiz said:
on the road by jack kerouac

not sure why, I felt like it might have an answer to my bland life.
Click to expand...

I read this one too, not bad but somehow it didn´t make much impression on me. Don´t know why it has become a cult book..
 
superfluouslyme

superfluouslyme

1
NihilSlayer said:
Random bit of topic expansion: Have you ever seen the Movie/TV series the Russians adapted of The Master and Margarita? It's surprisingly good. It was initially conceived of as a mini-series I guess you could say, so there is an episodic quality to it, but it flows really well. It's on three DVDs and clocks in at 450 min. I was amazed they adapted it so well because of the multifarious plot; with the Yuesha story, the Master and Margarita, and Satan and his retinue, but I find it surprisingly cohesive. The special effects are tasteful, if not a bit antiquated, but I prefer this also to the overdone glossiness of our hollywood stuff. Anyway, you might want to check it out if you haven't already.
Click to expand...

I have not, but I'll be on the lookout for it.
 
WeirdyMcGee

WeirdyMcGee

Well-known member
I have a really hard time reading books but I'm reading some transcripts for a friend and also making my way through 'How to Practice; the way to a meaningful life'
 
Tiercel

Tiercel

Well-known member
Just started Hero: The Life and Legend of Lawrence of Arabia by Michael Korda.

I'll tell you how it was in about 668 or so pages....

;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top