Alexander Pushkin presents in an encapsulated form his various sexual relations, complex thoughts on life, the nature of sin, love, and creativity, as well as the complicated that led him to his tragic end. Now translated into 24 languages, the Secret Journal deserves to be placed among the most scandalous works of Russian Erotic literature.
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Book Description
--This text refers to the
Kindle Edition
edition.
Editorial Reviews
Review
"The contents of the Secret Journal make for a compelling read. Pushkin if frank in his thoughts, actions and opinions that nothing is left to the reader's imagination... for an exciting and accessible read - with a story that shows a tragic hero struggling to balance his own infidelity against his need for devotion from his wife - it's hard to imagine a more arousing tome"
Lisette Ashton (London)
The International Journal of Erotica
--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.Language Notes
Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Russian
Original Language: Russian
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
THE GREAT DISCOVERY IN I9th-CENTURY RUSSIAN LITERATURE,
This review is from: Secret Journal 1836-1837 (Paperback)
The following intriguing description appears on the back cover of this book: THE GREAT DISCOVERY IN I9th-CENTURY RUSSIAN LITERATURE. The famous Russian poet and writer Alexander Pushkin (1799-1837), fatally wounded in a duel by his brother-in-law and rival, left behind his secret ciphered journal, which was discovered and smuggled out of the U.S.S.R. There has been much speculation and mystery surrounding this journal. According to legend, Pushkin's will stipulated that the journal not be published until one hundred years after his death. Some people claimed that the journal did not exist at all.
The journal does exist and consists of explicit confessions about intimate relationships that Pushkin had with his wife, her two sisters, and other women, which brought him to his tragic end. These astonishing events and reflections reveal unknown details of Pushkin's life - the life a nineteenth-century Russian Don Juan. If all this is factual, then it is truly a great discovery in nineteenth-century Russian literature. I would add that the same would be true for world literature as well. Despite the suspicious circumstances related by Armalinsky, we must be fair and at least admit the possibility that these were actual events. The hint that the journal is indeed authentic is the reaction of the Russian press. The specific nature of the official Soviet literary criticism is very different from that in the free world. If an official critic in a Soviet magazine is furious about a particular literary work and vigorously disclaims it, the ordinary people understand that this is worth reading. If an official critic praises a book, people do not pay attention to it. In other words, that which the Soviet government hates, the Soviet people like. It is worth noticing that the books attacked are usually not available to Soviet readers, so a critic can impose "his" (meaning government) opinion on the readers, who are intentionally deprived of an opportunity to establish their own opinions! Something similar occurred this time, too. Major Soviet magazines (Ogonek, Voprosi Literaturi) published screaming articles denouncing and threatening to castrate Mikhail Armalinsky for smuggling the manuscript out of the Soviet Union. Soviets challenged Armalinsky to a duel! Why? Because Pushkin holds a place of highest honor in Russia, second only to Lenin. And the Soviet government tolerates nothing erotic to be related to their "saints." What is interesting is that, as usually happens in the Soviet Union, the article offered no literary proof of its outstanding dismay and based its accusations solely on critics disturbed emotions. But what is all the fuss about? The journal is truly an erotic piece of literature. It is beautifully crafted. It can be described in a few words as a hymn to female genitalia. The author (whether Pushkin or Armalinsky or someone else remains to be seen) reveals his position toward life, which has only two values: literature and women (not necessarily in that order!). A woman, for Pushkin, is the carrier, keeper, and custodian of the God, who appears on earth in the shape of her genitals and in the state of emotions that they produce. Because genitals are a physical form of God, their influence and force wears out, as does anything physical. Therefore, the only way to maintain the strength of the sacred feelings produced by female genitalia was, for Pushkin, to change women and, consequently, their genitals in order to refresh God's appearance with constant renewal. This task clashed with his marriage in the last years of his life, and reflections of that create the content of Secret Journal. The footnotes by Armalinsky in the English edition explain the references to the names of people mentioned by Pushkin. The journal contains many erotic observations of human nature that are poignant and clever; some are funny, many are controversial and even objectionable to some. But are not these qualities of a good piece of literature that is enjoyed and recommended to others? It would be interesting to see a detailed analysis that would prove me wrong, but I have not yet seen one. According to U.S. law but not Russian law, one is innocent until proven guilty. Thus, meanwhile, let us enjoy Pushkin's Secret Journal. As Armalinsky says in the preface, "Pushkin's literary reputation is so strong that his personal reputation could not shake it, but on the contrary promises us a remarkable study of human nature, which, because of its immutability, makes us all one with the past as well as the future."
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
dilemmas over dilemmas,
By mithat aksoy (ıstanbul,turkey) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Secret Journal 1836-1837 (Paperback)
Once I started to read this journal ı immensed my self in those pages that revealed the authors human needs,having a loving wife, happy kids,very ıntriguing environment, betrayels, mercyness, suspicion and finally reaching the end of his limit to the mortalıty by a duel with his brother-in-law. one might say that was that worthed to be killed like that after having captured the whole nations heart by being one of the most admired native son in russian literature!As the author stated in his journal" it is better to die with honour then to live as a dishonoured man" where the tsar was overwatching writers wife all over the places and sometimes calling her in for having to be near to her and to touch her! on the other hand, the writer's brother in-law d'anthes had an eye for pushkins wife natalia pushkina and having to spread rumors all over that he had an affair with authors wife! whatever may pushkin have done within his troubled marriage, human honour would always judge ıtself whether the unfaithfullness and mistrust one another in a marriage belongs only to the committed ones or not!
1 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Secret Journal - ...,
By
This review is from: Secret Journal 1836-1837 (Paperback)
I read Puskin's Secret Journal, and I waited in anticipation to read his thoughts, feelings on life, literature, family life and Russia.For Alexander S. Pushkin is my favorite writer, and I was thrilled when the book finally arrived. I immediately opened the package and sat down to what I thought was going to be an experience, the chance at a glimpse into the mind of a literary genius. My elations and joy quickly soured as I started to read this book. It reads like a cheap sex novel, filled with prostitutes, orgies and other detestable sexual adventures. For any avid Pushkin fan who reads this and knows about the author, you will agree with me. For those who are not fans of Pushkin, or are not well knowledgeable of his works, this book will give you a distorted view of him - a false view. One of the reasons why I ardently disprove of this book is because I have done extensive research on him, family life, and etc. This does not indeed make me an expert, for I do not claim to be such. However, I am well versed in his literary works, to see a farce or the truth. Thus, I do not recommend anyone to read or buy this farce...
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