Must read book of the week
 

Last week we had Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, this week the Book of the Week is:

Fathers and Sons - Ivan Turgenev

Fathers and Sons is Turgenev's best known work, perhaps the first modern Russian psychological novel, and one of the greatest works of Russian literature, perhaps on par with such works as Anna Karenina and Crime and Punishment (novels for which, some argue, Fathers and Sons paved the way - Dostoevsky and Tolstoy themselves, however, were rather critical of Turgenev). Unlike most Russian literature, though, Fathers and Sons is a rather easy read, and relatively short to boot.

The story of Fathers and Sons focuses on two young men who consider themselves to be nihilists (the "sons" - it should be noted that the Russian title actually translates as "Fathers and Children"), and how their beliefs clash with those of the older liberals. It explores the theme of great ideals being confronted with the real world, and the hero, a young man named Bazarov, is sometimes said to be the first Bolshevik in literature.
The book provides a fairly balanced view of the characters and their beliefs, and has therefore been criticized by conservatives for being too negative about the "fathers" and too positive about the "sons", while it has been criticized by left wing radicals for the exact opposite - criticizing the young and being too kind about the old. These conflicting criticisms may well be an even better sign of the quality of the story than the huge praise it has received throughout the last century and a half.

My advice: buy it and read it as soon as you can :thumbsup

GFY no like Turgenev? :(

I like him but I haven't read that novel yet. I enjoyed reading his "Torrents of Spring" though. :thumbsup

Huh? I guess I'll have to revise my entire opinion on klikrev posters now...

Anyway, definitely read Fathers and Sons. While Torrents of Spring is a good story, Fathers and Sons is on a completely different level.

Wow, unbelievable.

Huh? What's unbelievable?

I have read Crime and Punishment and Nabokov's Lolita and I like them very much. When I hit the bookstore I may have to check that book you're talking about.

Mmmm Crime and Punishment is Dostoevsky, Not Turgenev no?

Yes, Crime and Punishment is Dostoevsky, and Anna Karenina is Tolstoy. When I say that some argue that Fathers and Sons is on par with those and perhaps paved the way for them, I of course mean as seen in the tradition of (Russian) literature, not in a single author's development (since they are three separate authors).

oh sorry missed that part of your post! I was just answering to reynold...who, Im guessing, was replying to your post!

(didnt see you mentioned Dostoevsky and Tolstoy's works in your original post!)

I have Notes from the underground, from Dostoevsky here...I have yet to read it...! So many books to read, so little time :(

I'm busy getting my Templar fix with Steve Berry's The Templar Legacy.

Haven't read that one yet, and you're definitely right... there are just too many possibly great books in this world to read.

I love these threads. For a brief moment it feels like an intellegent board. Today is my monthly bookstore day. I am considering picking up some Capote just because I have never read him and with the film out it is making me feel like I am lacking in an aspect of pop culture.

Cant wait to see the movie! :)
(Capote)

Thanks for the recommendation and great thread, PW. I'll check out Fathers and Sons. BTW, the download link is at http://ebooks.du.ac.in/etext.library.../t93f/t93f.zip

monkey notes of Fathers and Sons: http://pinkmonkey.com/booknotes/monk...atherSon01.asp

Fuck Fathers & Sons -- what this thread need is SONS & LOVERS, bitches...


WITH the spring came again the old madness and battle. Now he knew he would have to go to Miriam. But what was his reluctance? He told himself it was only a sort of overstrong virginity in her and him which neither could break through. He might have married her; but his circumstances at home made it difficult, and, moreover, he did not want to marry. Marriage was for life, and because they had become close companions, he and she, he did not see that it should inevitably follow they should be man and wife. He did not feel that he wanted marriage with Miriam. He wished he did. He would have given his head to have felt a joyous desire to marry her and to have her. Then why couldn't he bring it off? There was some obstacle; and what was the obstacle? It lay in the physical bondage. He shrank from the physical contact. But why? With her he felt bound up inside himself. He could not go out to her. Something struggled in him, but he could not get to her. Why? She loved him. Clara said she even wanted him; then why couldn't he go to her, make love to her, kiss her? Why, when she put her arm in his, timidly, as they walked, did he feel he would burst forth in brutality and recoil? He owed himself to her; he wanted to belong to her. Perhaps the recoil and the shrinking from her was love in its first fierce modesty. He bad no aversion for her. No, it was the opposite; it was a strong desire battling with a still stronger shyness and virginity. It seemed as if virginity were a positive force, which fought...



http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/toc/mo...c/LawSons.html

KlikRev busting out of nowhere with something relevant.

Ah, yeah. I've seen them make more relevant posts today, though. Perhaps they're not as useless as they seemed, or, perhaps, they've learned how to use Google. Either way, it's an improvement.

going into the west end to see it this afternoon so that I have seen all the best picture nominees by Sunday

Maybe their algo was updated.

il be dropping by the bookstore tomorrow morning... i think i should secure a copy of this book.

i like the idea of "Must read Book of the Week" thread

Ah, so cool that you like our russian writers! Turgenev is one of the famous.:thumbsup

don't know this book, but heard about it and want to read it... My favourite is Song of Solomon by Tony Morrison. Excellent piece of work, worth reading it:thumbsup

Did you read it allready?

I'm reading "Love in the Time of Cholera" (Gabriel Garcia Marquez) right now, but these threads are giving me some new books to add to my reading list

:1orglaugh!!