It is an age thing; under some other circumstances, i would have read such stuff too when i was 18 ^_^
But now... it is unlikely. Who knows, though?
I did read the four main novels of Dostoevsky at 17-18, though. Would never read them now, despite "Dream of a ridiculous man" being still a story i like.
Speaking of Dostoevsky: people seem to have moved on, and he is routinely spoken badly of, but imo some of his short stories are very good - and his original influences were short-story writers like ETA Hoffmann and Nikolai Gogol.
Gogol, of course, was a far better writer than Dostoevsky.
Similar background then.
Crime & Punishment was the first lengthy novel I studied. Year 10 in a Jesuit school! No surprise those weirdos liked him, but so did I. I read the other major ones by the time I was 18. Some stories (The Gambler and few others) were great, but the best for me was Diary of a Writer. A very long collection of his writing in newspapers, and stories, over many years. It's interesting because it is like watching a briliant mind descend slowly and ineluctably into a peculiar madness, with really crazy slavophilic ideas at the end.
Nabokov's analysis of the major writers of that Golden Era of Russian literature hit the spot with me. After a certain age, Dostoyevsky is no longer profound, but cloyingly sentimental and saccharine.
I agree with him that Tolstoy is much better. (IMO, but not to everyone's taste.) Turgenev is a great describer of the Russian peasantry, especially in "A Sportsman's Notebook", which I was shocked to learn was an influence on the start of the revolutions.
Saltykov-Schedrin wrote what I heard later was described as "the gloomiest book ever written", The Golovlyov Family. I really liked it and got a lot of laughs. Shrug.
I loved this quote of S-S, which Wiki also has: The sole object of my literary work was unfailingly to protest against the greed, hypocrisy, falsehood, theft, treachery, and stupidity of modern Russians.
I bet lots of Russians would like to see that spirit again!
Herzen's collections from his Kolokol days are a delight. Nothing as passionate as Marx's white-hot writing from a similar period. A gentler socialist, "we sat around drinking tea, and discussing Russian politics. Where is the crime in that?", I remember vividly even now.
Goncharov's "Oblomov" was another favourite. I am like Oblomov now, hanging around the house in my pyjamas. Only difference is that I play Civ and mathematics, so I'm not a completely idle wastrel.
Gogol tops the lot for me. Dead Souls is hilarious, and explained a lot about Russia (and my old homeland Lithuania) as far as corruption goes.
I still think of Gogol's metaphors these days - leering phantoms grinning from the corners of dark rooms. Insomnia, staring at the ceiling while lying on my back in bed looking like a giant pair of scissors. What an image!
And then the fixation just vanished. I never read another Russian novel after I was 30.
Thanks for all the philosophy recommendations! I have bookmarked this page, and while I don't expect to read all of them, I do hope to make it to a couple.
I loved Crime and Punishment. It struck me as both powerful and somewhat haunting, and was one I thought about afterwards longer than most novels. I read about half of The Idiot last year, but I was reading mainly on public transit, and it really needed longer sessions.
I believe the only Gogol story I've read it The Overcoat. Admittedly I'm a bit lacking on his writing compared to Turgenev, Pushkin, and Tolstoy.
You're very welcome, Quintillius.
If you really get into the writing of that period, Lermontov's "A Hero of Our Time" is also a gem. Then there's Gorky's early works. And many, many other great writers. But, there are also splendid works from many other countries and cultures so it's a shame to fall down one hole and miss all of them for lack of time.
I like this song, but one line really hits home because I had a long beard and read Russian novels on Sydney trains.
Why does everyone who reads Dostoyevsky, look like Dostoyevsky?
Is this related to your studies or just for fun? My birthday was on thursday and my grandfather got me a cookbook from 1897, which also features dozens of handwritten recipes in the back. It has some really interesting stuff like brain dumplings, maybug soup, "fake" turtle soup and more.
I vaguely recall a wonderful line, something like: "First, catch your coney..."
from a Medieval Cookbook lying around my sister's house.
So many recipes were utterly bland, there being no garlic, tomato, potato, pepper or other spicy flavours in northern Europe.
There is also The history of western philosophy (iirc), by Bertrand Russel. Though i haven't read it, i know a synopsis of it and it is quite known as synopseis of this kind go
An all time favourite for my family, especially because there is a terrific audio book available now.
Not philosophy per se, but a great introduction by a very stylish, intelligent writer. We are still amazed that there's a laugh to be had on nearly page of that very long book.
It's
Western Philosophy, and now a little dated, but Bertie is such an admirable dude! Arrested at 99 years of age on an anti-nuke march. Wow!
I'm not suggesting that you tackle Wittgenstein's works if you're a newcomer to philosophy, but read his wiki page for a potted bio of a fascinating man, at a fascinating time.
Imagine coming to Cambridge University just after WW1, and as someone who fought against England, and to have the sheer audacity to follow Bertrand Russel around corridors. Bertie didn't know if he was a nutter or a genius. (Similar story with Ramanujan and Hardy).
Several years later W. was a professor at Cambridge and not having a PhD.
Came from the 2nd richest family in Europe; paid off Hitler to release family known to be Jewish; 3 or 4 siblings suicided early; killed a child pupil he was teaching; bisexual; worked as an ambulance and hospital orderly in WW2; would turn around and yawn at poetry recitals (so he's not all bad!)
Amazing story of a very unusual man, and considered to be the most influential philosopher of the 20th century. And that's just his wiki page! The best wiki bio of all time IMO.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_Wittgenstein
Moderator Action: Multiple posts merged. ~ Arakhor 
