Once you have mathematical certainty there is nothing left to do or to understand. There will be nothing left but to bottle up your five senses and plunge into contemplation. While if you stick to consciousness, even though the same result is attained, you can at least flog yourself at times, and that will, at any rate, liven you up. Reactionary as it is, corporal punishment is better than nothing.
1. My sister and I had an interesting conversation with a ballpark acquaintance about various books and other things, in which he declared his love of Russian literature.
2. Amazing French Open men‘s final.
3. Thanks to prompting from @TheSpineView I went to the bookstore and preordered the upcoming Ann Cleeves book.
4. Dark Winds on Netflix.
5. Large #libraryhaul and a pedicure on the same day.
#5joysfriday
Where I finally read a book recommended to me about fifteen years ago. Thank you to mother and daughter, Anna Kosloff & Anna Bilbrough, for writing their story, Stateless.
https://www.suzs-space.com/stateless-by-anna-kosloff-anna-bilbrough/
#NationalPoetryMonth #April #day18 #water #AprilPoetryChallenge
These poems were translated by Jane Kenyon with Vera Sandomirsky Dunham in 1985. They are included in her book, Collected Poems, which is how I was introduced to this Russian poet.
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/anna-akhmatova
so-soThis didn‘t work for me as a novel (as its described) because there is no plot and there are no main characters who you get to know or care about (The narrator is an observer not driving most scenes). But as a documentary it‘s interesting, with intricate detail & some vivid scenes from prison life in Siberia in the 1850s. I found it slow & dense but it‘s a valuable record for anyone researching the subject, done with an eye for human nature.
pickThis was very strange, and so very Russian. It contains almost every Russian trope and is full of allegory, including a modern Christ figure. Most of it is dialogue and digression, and almost every character has episodes of mania, delirium, or hysteria. It wore me out a bit by the end, and I had a lot of "wth is going on?!?" moments, but it's still a pick.
pickBold and evocative. Pushkin immerses the reader in Russian life and a Russian winter with his lively words and biting wit. His hero left much to be desired but Russia was the heroine of the story.
pick#OffMyShelf for short stories; anthology, or essays
I‘m really wishing I had taken a Russian literature class in college. I absolutely loved this short story collection. An incredible writer, Chekhov definitely transcends time. I can see why he‘s considered one of the greatest short story writers.
So this book is off my TBR shelf, but I‘m definitely keeping it & will revisit these stories often.
#2025OffMyShelf
