Futility (Modern Classics) [Paperback]

William Gerhardie (Author)

Book Description

Series: Modern Classics | Publication Date: June 27, 1974

This is the first novel by William Gerhardie, first published in 1922, and it was made famous by H. G. Wells, who described it as 'true, devastating - a wonderful book'. Based on Gerhardie's own experiences as a member of the British Military Mission to Siberia shortly after the October Revolution, Futility paints a picture of contemporary Russian society which deserves comparison with the writing of Chekhov. At the centre of the story is Nicolai Vasilievich, who trails across Russia in the wake of the British Mission in the perpetual and unrealistic hope of seeing his fortunes improve, even though they steadily deteriorate. In counterpoint to Nicolai's comic progression, Gerhardie tells the story of his narrator's hopeless love for Nina, the second of Nicolai's three bewitching adolescent daughters. 'William Gerhardie is one of our immortals. He is our Gogol's Overcoat. We all came out of him.' Olivia Manning 'He is a comic writer of genius ... but his art is profoundly serious.' C. P. Snow

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

William Alexander Gerhardie was born in St Petersburg, Russia, in 1895. As a young man he went to London and, when the First World War broke out, joined the army. He was first sent to Russia and later travelled the world before beginning to write. Futility (1922), his first novel, was sponsored by Katherine Mansfield, and other notable works of his include The Polyglots (1925) and Of Mortal Love (1936). Gerhardie's writing was acclaimed as an influence on many of his peers, including Anthony Powell, H. G. Wells, Evelyn Waugh, Graham Greene and Olivia Manning. He died in London in 1977. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd; New impression edition (June 27, 1974)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140003916
• ISBN-13: 978-0140003918
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,510,203 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars neglected minor masterpiece, December 11, 2008

By 

Ted Byrd - See all my reviews

This review is from: Futility (Revived Modern Classic) (Paperback)

One of my greatest enjoyments in reading is the discovery of idiosyncratic books which have escaped public awareness, but manifest elements of genius; often quirky and flawed. This is the pleasure of the treasure-hunter at having stumbled across something precious among so much that is common and derivative. I would definitely include Gerhardie's book "Futility" in this personal grouping, along with such disparate authors as Robert Aickman who wrote wildly different horror, and David Lindsay who penned the one-of-a-kind "Voyage To Arcturus". The only thing these authors have in common is that they are different from anything else I've read. Gerhardie's novel seems at first to be an amusing farce which belies the bleak connotation of the title. A young Englishman born and educated in pre-revolutionary Russia is gradually initiated into the absurd complexities of a very extended Russian family with whom he becomes acquainted. The patriarch and provider has cascaded his obligations into astronomical proportions by having successively declared his love for three different women. One remains his legal wife, one is an ex-mistress, the other his current mistress. Each of these relationships has brought into Nikolai Vasilievich's domain numerous relatives who continue to look to him for their livelihood. The young Englishman,called Andrei Andreiech, while trying to establish a romantic relationship with one of the attractive daughters becomes involved, sometimes to a degree he regrets, in these complicated affairs. For the most part,though, he maintains a sympathetic but detached observation of the progress of this situation, which actually adds up to no progress at all. The desires, illusions, delusions, expectations and eccentricities of the many players in this drama all seem to add up to nothing but a perpetual waiting for something to happen, or futility. There is a frequent airing out of emotional states reminiscent of Doestoevski's novels but without his oppressive morbidity. So it seems you can label this as an amusing social satire. Then a rather deeper tone makes itself felt. The story enters the period of the revolution. The families remain absorbed in their own local tempest even while the world they knew is being dismantled by outside events. The stupidity and blundering of the leaders and the bloodthirsty rampaging of the mobs drag on and on until there is no longer any possibility of humane solutions. A more universal futility encompasses the localized futility of the family. The narrator maintains his detached-observer attitude, almost to the point of glibness, in the face of such monstrous events. But now, surprisingly, we see our young Englishman begin to occasionally make astute comments about the war, the various personalities he comes in contact with, and life in general. What might have been construed as glibness is really, it seems, a determination to maintain his objectivity in the face of the unbridled irrationality rampant in the world. Ironically, he himself is caught up in an irrationality of which he is well aware, and that is his vain pursuit of the capricious daughter, Nina. There is a definite story in this work . It is told plainly enough to be easily understood in a literal fashion. This was the great charm of the book for me. Without any allegory, symbolism or pretentious post-modern trappings, it seemed to me a penetrating look at humanity with its mixture of the tragic, the comic, and the mundane; always waiting for "real life" to begin, while "real life" is continually passing and sliding away behind us. The characters are amusing in their quirkiness, but I think the real point is that their quirkiness serves to exemplify the extremes of human nature. Perhaps this work contains some structural or stylistic flaws, but I have to give it 5 stars based on my personal engagement with it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gerhardie must be in stitches!, March 16, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Futility (Paperback)

No, this is not The Wreck of the Titan, this is the brilliant tragicomedy of Russian life that has inspired so much laughter, tears, and admiration since it was first published in the 1920's. As the subject is the comic hopelessness of love and success, I'm sure the author is very amused (posthumously)to find it mistaken for a book about a shipwreck in all of these reviews. But if you end up here, by mistake or not, do read this book, because it is horribly funny and poignant and true.

5.0 out of 5 stars Now I've actually read the book, its wonderful, March 26, 2004

By 

Seamus Sweeney "reader" (Dublin Ireland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Futility (Revived Modern Classic) (Paperback)

Now I've read it, I recommend - nay, DEMAND - that every man woman and children in the English speaking world reads this brilliant novel. Waugh said "I have talent, while he has genius" - having read Doom and The Polyglots since, this shows that genius at its best. Highly recommended (obviously) - readers who enjoy Anthony Powell and Waugh will particularly love Gerhardie.