The Diary of a Madman, The Government Inspector, and Selected Stories (Penguin Classics) [Paperback]

Nikolai Gogol (Author), Ronald Wilks (Translator), Robert A. Maguire (Introduction)

Book Description

Release date: April 25, 2006 | Series: Penguin Classics

This expanded collection of influential Russian satirist Nikolay Gogol's ingenious pieces now includes his most famous play.

• Includes a chronology, explanatory notes, and publishing history for each work

@StaticBureaucracy Finally got my new threads today. Took it to work, I look Superfly. I’m not a gnat on a wall any more, I’m Akaky ‘Big Pimpin’’ Akakyevitch.

Seriously, check out pics on my Flickr. This coat is so money, it doesn’t even know how money it is.

From Twitterature: The World's Greatest Books in Twenty Tweets or Less

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Gogol, Nikolay Vasilyevich (1809-52), Russian writer, whose plays, short stories, and novels rank among the great masterpieces of 19th-century Russian realist literature. Ronald Wilks has translated many Russian works of literature including, for Penguin, those of Gorky, Sologub, Tolstoy, and Pushkin, and most recently, three volumes of Chekhov's stories and his short novel, The Shooting Party. Robert A Maguire is Professor and Head of Department at Columbia University. He is the author of several books about Russian literature and the prize-winning translator of Petersburg by Andrei Bely (Indiana UP, 1979) and most recently, for Penguin, of Gogol's Dead Souls.

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Classics (April 25, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140449078
• ISBN-13: 978-0140449075
• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 0.9 x 7.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #107,291 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

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

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Good Collection But Short April 14, 2009

By J. Robinson

Format:Paperback

Do you buy this Penguin Classics translation by Ronald Wilks or the Vintage Classics version translated by Pevear and Volokhonsky, currently the best translators of 19th century Russian novels? No contest. The other has 14 stories versus 8 here. Buy the other book if you must buy only one.

I bought both and have no regrets. The present book has two good features: it has a better introduction by Robert Maguire plus it has the play, The Government Inspector. And according to Nabokov, and it is hard to argue with him, that play is the best Russian play ever written. This is a 1972 translation, revised in 2005.

So, it has only 8 stories, but the book does contain an impressive introduction by Maguire, professor from Columbia University, international scholar, now passed away. The present book contains 7 stories translated by Wilks, the introduction by Maguire, plus the play. None of the stories are much over 50 pages and some are shorter. They are good examples of the writings and the literary techniques of Gogol. He is an extremely complex writer and one must read the analysis to appreciate the subtle features and nuances in his writings.

Two stories are from "the Ukrainian Tales" and five from the "Petersburg Tales," and as pointed out by Maguire, that is an editorial division only of Gogol's works, not a division created by Gogol. The former stories from the Ukraine include his use of witches and the devil.

Nikolai Gogol (1809-1852, Ukraine-Russia) is one the best known Russian writers. His masterpiece is Dead Souls. It is a charming and a highly entertaining novel about a man touring Russian farms by horse and buggy in the early 19th century. In addition, Gogol has approximately 19 well known short stories plus non-fiction writings. He was a friend of Pushkin and he published some of his works in a magazine by Pushkin, The Contemporary. He spent 12 of his last 16 years living in western Europe where he wrote Dead Souls (a must read if you claim to be literate).

Ukrainian Tales.

There are two in his group.
"a world of proud, boastful Cossacks, of black-brown beauties, of witches, devils, magic spells and enchantments..."
The stories are as follows:
Ivan Fyodorovich Sponka and His Aunt, and
The Story of How Ivan Ivanovich Quarreled with Ivan Nikiforovich.

Petersburg Tales.

These are similar to the stories covered in the Vintage translation and are among his best known works. They are set in Petersburg, and are as follows:
Nevsky Prospect, The Diary of a Madman, The Nose, The Carriage, and The Overcoat.
Also included is the play, The Government Inspector, which is set in a rural area.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A running Nose.... February 23, 2009

By Matthew Watters

Format:Paperback

"The Nose" -- which tells with an utterly straight face the improbable tale of a man who wakes up one day to find his nose missing, only to then later spot it running around town wearing the uniform of a government official -- is probably the single funniest work of serious literature ever written. When I was at university 20 years ago, a fellow literature student and three of her male admirers (myself counted among them) started a weekly "story night" in which each member of the circle would bring in something to read to the others. I'll always remember the night I brought in "The Nose" and read it aloud, and everyone was rolling with laughter. Gogol has the added distinction of being a major influence on 20th century comedy, including the films of Luis Bunuel and Woody Allen. A must-read.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Diary of a Madman is a collection of great short stories by the pen of Russian master Nikolay Gogol February 12, 2010

By C. M Mills TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Paperback

Penguin has published a selection of short stories and the play "The Government Inspector" by Nikolay Gogol (1809-52) one of the premiere Russian authors of the nineteenth century and all time.
The collection includes:
Ivan Fyodorvich Shponka and His Aunt-This delightful gem tells the tale of Ivan who is a retired Russian Army officer. He spends his days with his masculine and domineering aunt on a large estate in the Ukraine. Shponka is shy failing to court a fetching beauty on a nearby estate. Gogol is a word artist who is able to paint the scene of a rural Russia where peasants and landowners go about their humdrum lives. The story reminds me of a tale which could have been written by Anton Chekhov.
How Ivan Ivanonich quarrelled with Ivan Nikiforovich-This is the bittersweet, sometimes humorous, tale of two old friends who are estate owners. They quarrel over Ivanonich's eagerness to be given a beautiful rifle owned by Nikiforovich. Their dispute ends up in a law court where a rebellious pig eats court documents! The story is narrated by an invented character. A memorable and excellent piece of short fiction!
Nevsky Prospect-Located in St. Petersburg this tale deals with a man who is a dreamer. It is surreal in parts and is evocative of life in mid nineteenth century St. Petersburg dubbed "The Paris of the North." One of Gogol's greatest short stories;often anthologized.
The Nose-An asburdist tale in which a Nose leaves the face of a minor government official only to return to his face as the story concludes. It is a satire on Russian government and the human desire to win fame and prestige by holding office. A precursor to Kafka in its absurdist and disorienting story.
The Overcoat-The tragic tale of a little clerk who is very poor. He finally saves up his money, purchases a beautiful and warm coat only to have it stolen one frigid St. Petersburg night. His boss is later tormented by the ghost of the thief who purloined the coat. This is one of the best short stories in all of world literature. Vladamir Nabokov is the critic to read on this tale.
The Carriage-This story concerns a landowner who falls asleep in his carriage despite the visit to his estate of several high officials. A humorous tale poking fun at the government.
The Government Inspector is a play in which the mayor and high officials in a small provincial Russian village mistakenly suppose a visiting wastrel is a high governmental official. All of the hypocrisy, greed and self-seeking resident in the human being are on display in this brilliant play.
The Penguin edition contains an excellent introduction to Gogol by Dr. Robert Maguire. Gogol is a delight to read; his insights into humanity are on target. May he and his carriage travel across the vast reaches of Russia forever!