Contemporary Russian Poetry: A Bilingual Anthology [Paperback]

Gerald Stanton Smith (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 22, 1993

"The book is a credit to the press, a boon to everyone interested in Russian culture, and an important resource for teachers and students of Russian literature." —Library Journal

"... a solid and conscientious piece of work, informed by discerning taste and learning." —Times Literary Supplement

"Smith's collection of contemporary Russian poetry should be useful to anyone with a serious interest in work produced during recent years both by poets living in the U.S.S.R. and by prominent Third Wave emigrés.... The introductory and biographical materials are excellent." —Publishers Weekly

The work of twenty-three poets, living in Russia and abroad and writing during the period since 1975, is highlighted in this dual-language anthology. The book features an extraordinary cohort of talented poets, including Joseph Brodsky, Evgenii Rein, and Bella Akhmadulina. Notes, biographical sketches, a detailed bibliography, and an informative introduction make this an indispensable resource for teachers, students, and readers of modern Russian literature.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Smith's ( Songs to Seven Strings ) collection of contemporary Russian poetry should be useful to anyone with a serious interest in work produced during recent years both by poets living in the U.S.S.R. and by prominent Third Wave emigres. He has selected the work of 23 poets loosely linked through their use of technical formalism (which is the norm among Russian poets) and through the moral questioning that has long dominated Russian poetry. The volume begins appropriately with the cautionary words of Boris Slutsky (1919-1986): "Any beginning is the beginning of the end. / That's why we begin with an egg, / but end up with a smashed shell. . . ." The youngest poet in the anthology, Aleksei Parshchikov (b. 1954), lives today in Palo Alto, Calif., and his work pitches an interesting echo: "After all, our names are not multipliable, but divisible / by the ploughed-up earth. . . ." The collection also includes a small selection by poets who are better known to an American audience, such as Bella Akhmadulina and the Nobel laureate Joseph Brodsky. The introductory and biographical materials are excellent.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Russian poets have been publicly idolized as voices of the metaphysical concerns of their society; in exchange, they have suffered penalties ranging from silencing to imprisonment or an exile that deprives them of contact with their culture. To these insults has been added the laziness of Western scholars content to study and teach only known writers. Smith is the doughty exception: professor of Russian at Oxford, he has long tracked poetry in the USSR and the diaspora, and this anthology represents his selection of poems written since the mid-1970s by 23 major poets from three generations. Even readers who know no Russian can trace themes and imagery from Smith's impeccable literal translations. The book is a credit to the press, a boon to everyone interested in Russian culture, and an important resource for teachers and students of Russian literature. Recommended.
- Mary F. Zirin, Altadena, Cal.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 392 pages
• Publisher: Indiana University Press (May 22, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 025320769X
• ISBN-13: 978-0253207692
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #91,345 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #60 in Books > Literature & Fiction > World Literature > Russian

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent bilingual compilation, October 23, 2005

By 

Alexander Shaumyan (New Haven, CT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Contemporary Russian Poetry: A Bilingual Anthology (Paperback)

Professor Gerald Smith has done an excellent job in compiling some of the best new voices in contemporary Russian poetry by poets living in Russia and abroad. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who's seriously interested in the study of contemporary Russian poetry.

--Alexander Shaumyan, Russian born poet, author of Spirit of Rebellion

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic poety..., July 6, 2006

By 

D. Almario-kopp "Gintarele" (Chcago, usa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Contemporary Russian Poetry: A Bilingual Anthology (Paperback)

I enjoy reading poetry in the original & this is a great way for linguists to practice their language skills. I'm happy to have found this book. If you already speak a foreign language or are just learning, dual language books such as this are worth their weight in gold. I also recommend DoverPublications.com for a list of dual language books (short stories, poetry, even some w/ CDs!). they have Italian, French, German, and a few Russian books. Great for a fun way to study & practice!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unique opportunity to understand both Russian forms and translation issues, July 4, 2010

By 

Joseph Savage - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Contemporary Russian Poetry: A Bilingual Anthology (Paperback)

By making this bilingual, the poetic forms used in the Russian language can be demonstrated, as well as the beauty of the sounds of the language. The choices (and difficulties) of translation also apparent. The author has frequently chosen direct translation, so the forms and sounds are less apparent, so be sure to look at both versions carefully, even if you do not read Russian. This book is insightful in ways that other texts simply cannot be.