September 2008: Ivan Turgenev: Fathers and Sons

[Libra]

You might like to take a look here too and comment.

http://www.bookandreader.com/forums/book-month/16648-september-2008-ivan-turgenev-fathers-sons.html

 

[Kupov]

Opps I did not see that thread >.>

Is it at all possible for you to simple move my original post into that thread?

 

[kella]

It started off brilliantly, but I got bored very quickly with the political debates.

It sucks when that happens. Maybe your next book will be better.

 

[SFG75]

The back of the book I purchased (Oxford world classics edition) claims that many Russians of the time were hostilely critical of the character "Bazarov", why would this be? I found Bazarov to be a very interesting character and I was truly saddened by his death at the end of the book.

Thanks for reading.

I too, loved this book. Turgenev was a guy who just couldn't make friends with anybody. The other Russian writers loathed him, which is interesting to read about if you do some internet searching. Radicals hated Turgenev because Bazarov came off as a hothead, they thought i made fun of them. Conservatives thought the opposite way-that Bazarov was made to look good while the older generation was portrayed in a negative light. It's a great study in how perceptions can be different along generational lines, not just a simplistic political one.

 

[saliotthomas]

I started reading this, but gave up at about the half way mark.

Same here.I read it last and gave up. I was desapointed because it had been so highly praised but it wasn't so much the political side that bothered me as the grotesque of the plot and characteres.When in the middle of the ultra secret anarchiste reunion 3 undercover cops turn up i thought it made the all story a bit of a grand guignol.
Some Detective novel age better than others.

 

[Kupov]

I too, loved this book. Turgenev was a guy who just couldn't make friends with anybody. The other Russian writers loathed him, which is interesting to read about if you do some internet searching. Radicals hated Turgenev because Bazarov came off as a hothead, they thought i made fun of them. Conservatives thought the opposite way-that Bazarov was made to look good while the older generation was portrayed in a negative light. It's a great study in how perceptions can be different along generational lines, not just a simplistic political one.

Well I know Dostoevsky hated him, and Tolstoy reportedly challenged him to a duel (but they were friends).

 

[Bassel]

Ivan Turgenev is the one of famous Russian classic. I read the book about Father and sun when I studyed at school. This book gave me a lot life experience.

 

[SFG75]

If we had a book of the month selection earn the honor twice, it should be this one. The conflict between the conservatives and the younger radicals like Bazarov made for an excellent reading. Politics is a big part of the book yes, but it is also about generational differences and that perhaps, that doesn't get a lot of attention when people read this book.