The Torrents of Spring [Import] [Hardcover]

Ivan Turgenev (Author), David Magarshack (Translator), Faith Jaques (Illustrator)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 167 pages
• Publisher: The Folio Society (1967)
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0000CNLLQ
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,353,378 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Preferred "Torrents" Translation, April 2, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Torrents Of Spring (Paperback)

This is the translation that I first read (years after it was published) and loved. The novel has been around a long time but its attraction can be won or lost according to the translation. Another, later translation irked me so much that I didn't want to finish reading it. Now that I've found my favorite translation -- which I think is more poetic and does better justice to the style and mood of the Russian original -- I'm buying a copy for myself and one for a gift to someone in high school.

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful introduction to Russian literature, October 16, 2011

By 

Lucas W. Humble (Lexington, KY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Torrents of Spring (Kindle Edition)

Turgenev has a beautiful style of writing. A review of his works cannot be complete without noting this fact -- regardless of whether or not you are a fan of the stories he tells, there is no denying that Turgenev absolutely knows how to tell them.

This novel is an excellent introduction to Turgenev, and to Russian literature as a whole. If you are considering reading the great Russian authors (Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Turgenev, Chekhov, perhaps Pushkin), Turgenev is a great place to start because, unlike some of the others, Turgenev's style really does not seem like it has aged at all. And while Fathers and Sons is undoubtedly Turgenev's magnum opus, this novel is approachable and short enough to finish in a couple of days.

As far as the plot, I prefer not to give anything away -- after all, this is a very short novel, so every plot point could conceivably be a spoiler. Just pick it up and enjoy a great introduction to one of Russia's greatest authors.