Ivan Turgenev

On the Eve is the third novel by famous Russian writer Ivan Turgenev, best known for his short stories and the novel Fathers and Sons. Turgenev embellishes this love story with observations on middle class life and interposes some art and philosophy. The story revolves around Elena, a girl with a very affected mother and a father who is a retired guards lieutenant and keeps a mistress. On the eve of the Crimean War, Elena is pursued by a free-spirited...

Written in 1850, The Diary of a Superfluous Man is Turgenev's novella in the form of the diary of a dying man. With two weeks to live, Tchulkaturin takes stock of his life only to discover how purposeless, loveless, and futile it has been. The other stories in this collection are "Three Portraits," an historical reminiscence ignited by three paintings; "Three Meetings," a tale of remarkable coincidences; "Mumu." the heartbreaking story of a peasant...

"Fathers and Sons" is not only a portrait of individual characters but also a reflection of the broader societal changes taking place in 19th-century Russia. Turgenev's narrative captures the tension between traditional aristocratic values and the rise of revolutionary ideas that would shape the course of Russian history. He offers a poignant critique of both generations, showcasing their strengths, weaknesses, and their struggle to adapt to the shifting...

Ovsyanikov reminded me of the Russian boyars of the times before Peter the Great.... The national holiday dress would have suited him well. He was one of the last men left of the old time. All his neighbors had a great respect for him, and considered it an honor to be acquainted with him. His fellow peasant-proprietors almost worshipped him, and took off their hats to him from a distance: they were proud of him.

Published in 1867, Smoke contributed to Turgenev's ongoing argument with the Slavophiles and was to trigger his heated political quarrel with Dostoyevsky about the deplorable state of Mother Russia. Part love story, part political commentary, the novel tells of Litvinov, a quiet, ordinary young man, who travels to study European technology and scientific farming.

A journey into the depth of Russian countryside where intimate connection with nature comes as a natural way of life. Meet Kassyan, who can communicate directly with birds and other forest creatures. Discover mysterious sweet-voiced oracle bird, The Gamayune living among trees with leaves that fall not, neither in autumn nor in winter, and apples grow of gold, on silver branches, and every man lives in uprightness and content.

An intriguing confession of doctor's romantic involvement with a beautiful 20 year old patient. Followed by Turgenev's exquisite, often meditative descriptions of Russian countryside and mysterious herbalist Kassyan infatuated with Gamayane, a prophetic bird of Russian folklore, a symbol of wisdom and knowledge.

Lavretsky pursues an education in Moscow, and while he is studying there, he falls in love with a beautiful young woman Varvara. The two move to Paris, where Varvara becomes a very popular salon hostess and begins an affair with one of her frequent visitors. Lavretsky learns of the affair only when he discovers a note written to her by her lover. Shocked by her betrayal, he severs all contact with her and returns to his family estate.

A diary by a man who has a few days left to live as he recounts incidents of his life. He is intelligent, well-educated, and informed but incapable, for reasons as complex as Hamlet's, of engaging in effective action. The story has become the archetype for the Russian literary concept of the superfluous man.

Ivan Turgenev (1818-1883) was a novelist, poet and playwright known for his honest and affectionate portrayals of Russian serfs in the feudal system of the nineteenth century. Unlike his contemporaries Fyodor Dostoyevsky and Leo Tolstoy, whose writings focused primarily on church and religion, Turgenev believed in and advocated the need for Russia to Westernize. He criticized the provincial society and political turbulence of his time through sophisticated,...