Favorite Russian Authors (after Dostoyevsky)

[Napoleon]

For some reason, I never really connected with Anna even halfway through the book (although that's as far as I got...). The descriptions never stuck and it seemed like the reader is given the cold shoulder. Despite the "insight" of hundreds of pages the two central characters remained lukewarm and distant. And it was a distance that held no mystery for me, unlike Dostoyevsky. The only reason I might return to it would be the thread with Levin and the wonderful images of the land and the people closest to it. But who knows, the fault may be my own. It is a famous book.

You should finish, the final fifty pages or so are rediculously good. The thread between Levin and his surrounding environment i.e. Nature/God/whatever come full circle and you begin to see some meaning in the story.

The disconnect you feel from the characters could be from the idea that at the heart of the novel "D" is saying that these people are disconnected from each other in their relations. Because their relations (based on societies rules which are inherently flawed) are not heart felt or genuine, their lives are empty and disconnected and meaningless. Maybe I'm wrong but you'll need to finish the book and see for yourself.

My vote went to Tolstoy as I would consider him the all time greatest. There are some others such as Anna Akhmatova (whose poetry was important during soviet times to those opressed) who deserve at least an honorable mention in such a conversation.  Also Solzhenitsyn deserves credit for the most bravery and providing social awareness.

Side note: Chekov is easily in the top 3 and my first choice for best author of short stories. His translated works are amazing (even if there are those on this forum who believe otherwise). His works blow the doors off of his American contemporaries like Mark Twain etc. The Steppe is my all time favorite short story. Check it out yo!

[OlegB]

I find it very disappointing that no one mentioned Ivan Bunin, who is my favourite writer (yes, more favourite than Dostoevsky!   ). This is even stranger considering the fact that he won the Nobel Prize in 1933. I consider him the greatest genius of short stories and the greatest master of Russian language. I believe many things in his works are just untranslatable because they are so breathing and picturesque, but the effect you have of reading his stories is like no other. He has a fascinating attention to details, which look insignificant alone but together create a living picture which really makes your heart beat. His love stories and depictions of Russian life are simply the best ones I have ever read. His works are a blend between literature and music, actually, for me at least. "The Life of Arsenyev" is the greatest hymn to Russia and to life itself ever written, of this I am most sure. But I'm not sure there are any translations which can get any close to the original...
And I haven't mentioned he is also a great poet, and while his prose certainly surpassess his poetry, they still have a lot in common and his poems are true gems of Russian literature.
I've been able to find a link to an English translation of "The Gentleman from San Francisco" - one of his best stories both in terms of language and the idea. The translation is reasonable, though surely is worse than the original which looks extremely complicated (our Russian teacher in the 8th form used to dictate us extracts from it - it was a real pain to write all these HUGE sentences! ) but is actually very easy to read if you do it right. Here is the link: http://www.litrix.com/gent/gent001.htm

[kartachov]

oh, please.
Dostoiévski is an awesome writer, but he is not the only russian genius. Gogol, Nabokov, Tolstoy, and Pushkin are also great. Each of them has their own outstanding particularities, Dostoiévski is among these uncomparable artists, being one of the best. But he is not above the other ones, and i don't think anyone is able to compare them in such a straight forward question.
Bottom line is Dostoiévski is as good as many of them, so stop treating him as if he were a god, I don´t think he would appreciate that.

[myshka]

so you guys think that Dostoevsky was a better writer than  Tolstoy?

I think that too, but I am not sure that many would agree with us outside this forum. What do yall think ?

[underworld men]

UM here not meaning to kill the thread and all but  
Has anyone thought of mentioning Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn?

[lerik]

I have so many favorite russian authors,that i just cannot pick one.Pushkin,Gogol,Turgenev,Esenin...

[An Idiot]

I have so many favorite russian authors,that i just cannot pick one.Pushkin,Gogol,Turgenev,Esenin...

How can one like both Turgenev and Dostoevsky? I guess it's not so much that you agree with the ideas as you enjoy the writing   Chekhov and Solzhenitsyn are mine. I love Chekhov's short stories.

[Kostoglotov]

UM here not meaning to kill the thread and all but  
Has anyone thought of mentioning Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn?

I find it extremely depressing that more people haven't  mentioned the greatest living russian lit. author. (And the fact that he's not even an option on the poll) Solzhenitsyn's writing seems to combine the best aspects of Dostoevsky and Tolstoy and create something completely original. Cancer Ward, The Gulag Archipelago Set, and The Red Wheel set are musts for any fan of lit. My favorite author ever.

[MikeK]

Speaking of Solzhenitsyn, he is the author of one of my favorite pieces of non-fiction writing (can it be called writing? It was a speech).  His 1978 Harvard Commencement address is spectacular; a classic.  It's so reminiscent of so many of Dostoevsky's ideas.  If you haven't read it, you can here.  It doesn't take too long:

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/augustine/arch/solzhenitsyn/harvard1978.html

[Kostoglotov]

I agree! If only people would listen to him...
I don't believe I could dislike anything the man writes. And about Solzhenitsyn, does anyone know if there is any way to contact the man? I've looked for an address or something close, but no luck.

[MikeK]

Some more Solzhenitsyn.  I just happened across this article.


http://www.newyorker.com/fiction/content/articles/060710fi_fiction

[tzar]

well, Solzsh once again...
gentlemen, please, for God's sake don't screw this thread!

[underworld men]

Some more Solzhenitsyn.  I just happened across this article.


http://www.newyorker.com/fiction/content/articles/060710fi_fiction

Excellent thread MikeK!

Thanks

[Radio Saturday]

I haven't read half as much Solzhenitsyn as I'd like to -- just "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich" and about 1/4 of "The Gulag Archipelago." But I enjoyed what I read (if "enjoyed" is the right word). I'm definitely going to read his address at Harvard; my dad told me about a long time ago and I haven't been able to track it down before now. Thanks, MikeK!  

[underworld men]

I haven't read half as much Solzhenitsyn as I'd like to -- just "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich" and about 1/4 of "The Gulag Archipelago." But I enjoyed what I read (if "enjoyed" is the right word). I'm definitely going to read his address at Harvard; my dad told me about a long time ago and I haven't been able to track it down before now. Thanks, MikeK!  

Hey Radio Alex's best (in my opinion) is the Cancer Ward.
I know that it is fiction but MAN. Also Father Arseny is good too.
Do a search on Father Arseny on Google. Him and Father Calciu.