Customer Reviews

The Fierce and Beautiful World (New York Review Books Classics)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Platonov is the finest Russian prose-writer of the last century, but this republication of a volume first published around 1970 is a disappointment. Firstly, the translation is mediocre; secondly, the short novel "Dzhan", the longest and greatest work in this volume, was translated from a heavily censored Soviet text. Many of the most striking, most unusual or most subversive passages of the original have been cut out.

Except Anton Chekhov, I have never read any book so subtlely investigating the human nature from the well-tailored short stories. The best one among them is "The Third Son", which was highly praised by Hemingway, exposed a highly dramatic scene and shaken my heart in its lowest and humblest sound. Platonov is among the best short stories writers almost as great as Chekhov. This is my bias that he was even better than James Joyce and Guy Maupassant because he never use too cynical, satirical or poignant attitude to his subject (even to the ugliest side of the human nature). He accept the "most" good and the "most" bad one too. Unlike Chekhov, he showed us the straightness and rustlessness of the Russians, his nation-people and the influence of Soviet Union on Russian culture. So he could deal with the essential problem of human beings in his era, under its own cultural atmosphere.

If I could give stars by the stories, I'd definitely give five to some (Homecoming, Potudan River and The Fierce and Beautiful World) and less or much less (Dzhan) to others. However, even in the lesser stories, Platonov's writing is able to shine through, be it in a description a simile/metaphor or simply in a turn of the phrase. The translation seems to capture this in English, though a better introduction of the content of each story might have been useful. Worth buying, especially if you have a taste for Russian literature.

Platonov's "voice" is not quite like any other author's. The closest
I can think of is that of Juan Rulfo (Pedro Paramo). Platonov is not
despairing, nor is he accepting, nor is he indifferent. It is difficult
to articulate his outlook. It's maybe two steps beyond existential.
It might not matter, or maybe it matters; that's not significant.
Beauty is significant, and feelings are significant. Maybe the key
is patience? Certainly there is an impression of vast time, and vast
space. In my opinion, some of the stories in this book are sui generis,
an exciting peek into a completely original perception.

If you really want to know how it all happened, you have to read this book. But don't just read it, try to place yourself there and at the time. And you will understand it.

This is a stunning, terrifying, monumental book that will forever change the way you read, write, think, and live.