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Dear students!

Section PRO BOOKS to introduce you into the world of classic Russian literature.

On November 9 2023 marks 205 years since Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev (1818-1883) was born.

Ivan Sergeyevich is an outstanding Russian writer, poet, playwright and translator (he had translated the works by Byron and Shakespeare into Russian). Turgenev had also been a great sportsman, avid hunter, big fashion lover, true rebel and a well-known gourmet.

He created more than 70 works in prose: novels, stories and short stories; part of them he combined into a cycle “The Hunter's Sketches” (“A Sportsman’s Sketches” or “A Sportsman’s Notebook” in some translations). His works were both praised and harshly criticized, but Turgenev himself had been looking for the way to bring Russia to well-being and prosperity through his stories.

He had a love of his life, his soul and his true muse – opera singer Polina Viardo. Their beautiful romance lasted for 40 years. It is known that after Turgenev’s death Viardo had 500 letters, 300 of which she had published, after carefully sorting them out and hiding away all the personal secrets.

In the last years of his life, Turgenev created a cycle of lyrical miniatures “Poems in Prose”. One of the most famous poems is “The Russian Tongue” – a hymn of belief in Russia’s great purpose:  

«In days of doubt, in days of dreary musings on my country's fate, thou alone art my stay and support, mighty, true, free Russian speech! But for thee, how not fall into despair, seeing all that is done at home? But who can think that such a tongue is not the gift of a great people! » (Translated by Constance Garnett)

“Poems in Prose” collection has become Turgenev’s farewell to life and art.

Today we offer to your attention I. S. Turgenev’s novel “Fathers and Sons”, based on a conflict of the two generations. Its central character is Eugene Bazarov, and his unduly harsh, uncompromising judgements make him miserable and doom him to loneliness.

Turgenev, I.S. Fathers and Sons: book to read in English language / Turgenev I.S. – St. Petersburg: KARO, 2017. – 320 p. – (Russian classical literature in foreign languages). – URL: https://www.studentlibrary.ru/book/ISBN9785992512526.html

And one more book that contains two lyrical novellas – “Asya” and “First Love”, connected by the topic of the memories of young love where Turgenev described his own feelings and thoughts. English translation by Constance Garnett is provided with paginal footnotes and commentaries.

Turgenev, I.S. Asya / Turgenev I.S. – St. Petersburg: KARO, 2014. – 224 p. – (Russian classical literature in foreign languages). – URL: https://www.studentlibrary.ru/book/ISBN9785992509816.html

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