Knock, Knock, Knock and Other Stories [Hardcover]

Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev (Author), Constance Garnett (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2003

Classic Russian author Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev (1818-1883) is considered one of the best stylists in Russian literature. His lyrical novels, plays, and poetry reflect themes of class suffering and profound humanity at the same time as they portray idealized nostalgic love, innocent young women, and the bittersweet fading of Russia's nobility. KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK, AND OTHER STORIES is somewhat of a departure because it touches upon supernatural and horrific themes.

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CONTENTS:

• KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK
• THE INN
• LIEUTENANT YERGUNOV'S STORY
• THE DOG
• THE WATCH

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

About the Author

Born in Orel in central Russia in 1818 Ivan Turgenev studied at the universities in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Berlin and worked briefly for the civil service before turning to writing. He wrote several novels that examined the social, political and philosophical issues of the time as well as many plays and short stories. Living mainly in Baden-Baden and Paris Turgenev was acquainted with a variety of influential writers and met Dickens and Trollope among others on his travels to England. He was widely perceived to be the first major Russian writer to achieve great success in Europe. Turgenev died in Paris in 1883. The subtitle of Richard Garnett's biography (reissued in Faber Finds) of his grandmother, Constance Garnett (1861-1946) is A Heroic Life. It couldn't be more apt. She remains the most prolific English translator of Russian literature: twelve volumes of Dostoevsky, five of Gogol, six of Herzen (his complete My Past and Thoughts), seventeen of Tchehov (her spelling), five of Tolstoy, eleven of Turgenev and so on. Many of these will be appearing in Faber Finds. In all she translated over sixty works. It is not, however, the sheer quantity that is to be celebrated, though that in itself is remarkable, it is more the enduring quality of her work. Of course there have been critics - translation is a peculiarly controversial subject, but there have been many more admirers. Tolstoy himself praised her. Of her Turgenev translations, Joseph Conrad said 'Turgeniev (sic) for me is Constance Garnett and Constance Garnett is Turgeniev'. Katherine Mansfield declared the lives of her generation of writers were transformed by Constance Garnett's translations, and H. E. Bates went so far as to say that modern English Literature itself could not have been what it is without her translations. This extraordinary achievement was accomplished despite poor health and poor eyesight, the latter being ruined by her labours on War and Peace ,a tragic if fitting sacrifice; hers indeed was A Heroic Life. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 236 pages
• Publisher: Wildside Press (May 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592246524
• ISBN-13: 978-1592246526
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,545,817 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a good suprising read, April 19, 2010

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Lainie "woman of a certain age" (Brisbane Australia) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Knock, Knock, Knock and Other Stories (Kindle Edition)

Downloaded this just because I was experimenting with the kindle and foundthat I loved it. The title story is really page turning - very atmospheric as only russian writers can be without being so dour as to make you suicidal