Virgin Soil [Paperback]

Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2004

Translated from the Russian by R. S. Townsend

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Novel by Ivan Turgenev, published in Russian as Nov in 1877. Its focus is the young populists who hoped to sow the seeds of revolution in the virgin soil of the Russian peasantry. Turgenev presents realistic and somewhat sympathetic portraits of the many different types of characters who were involved in the revolutionary movement, from the ardent young Nezhdanov, whose speeches to peasants only confuse them, to his lover Marianna, who wears peasant clothes and affects peasant mannerisms in order to be an effective revolutionary worker, to the crude Markeloff, whose speeches advocating total armed revolution cause the peasants to turn him over to the police. The novel's strongest character, and the one most representative of Turgenev's own views, is Solomin, a calm, efficient factory manager who despises the aristocracy and advocates gradual liberalization. -- The Merriam-Webster Encyclopedia of Literature --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Language Notes

Text: English, Russian (translation) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: IndyPublish.com (February 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1414211813
• ISBN-13: 978-1414211817
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars oh-so-russian, January 20, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Virgin Soil (New York Review Books Classics) (Paperback)

Although this book definitely stands on its own, perhaps not as good as Fathers and Sons however, I enjoyed it much more immensely having lived in Russia for a time. Knowing a bit about the Russian people, way of thinking adds immeasurably to the pleasure and understanding of the novel (as it does for all Russian novels). In other words, I can vouch that Turgenev is right on! He truly captures the Russian character, the essentials of which have not changed much since this novel was written over a hundred years ago. Virgin Soil is concerned, among other things, with problems encountered by young revolutionaries when they go out and try to spread the word among the "people." Well, surprise, surprise, this is the same thing I saw when I lived in Russia in the early 90's - why a swift wholesale transition to capitalism did not happen smoothly. You can change economic, political etc. systems but you CANNOT change a people's mindset just like that! So ... read Virgin Soil for Turgenev's wonderful descriptions of nature and his individual characters, but read also with this in mind - that you are getting a glimpse into the Russian character. It all rings true, from the long conversations to the vodka to how world view is influenced by social class.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quintessential Turgenev, March 13, 2001

By 

J. Rabideau (Stuck in the Loser State) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Virgin Soil (New York Review Books Classics) (Paperback)

Encompassing social commentary, a (albeit fairly simplistic) love story, and a homage to Russia's beauty, this work does not fail the lover of Turgenev. Certainly this might not necessarily be the best work with which to begin one's odyssey through Turgenev, but this very effectively pulls together all the familiar elements of his writing. Turgenev is not known for his plot development, and this is again the case here: very little actually occurs. The absence of plot and of action, however, is not to say that this dry, boring drivel. Rather, Turgenev's material, this work in particular, becomes a pleasant marriage of the classic novel with the novel of ideas.

His commentary, both political and human, is both trapped in the amber of history and universally relevant (a lovely dichotomy) to the human condition. "Virgin Soil" is a very fine story, and the translation is flowing and literate (having no Russian, I cannot speak to how accurately this might reflect the original).

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Do not start your Turgenev tour with this, January 27, 2001

By 

recluse "recluse" (Tokyo, Japan Japan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Virgin Soil (New York Review Books Classics) (Paperback)

Having read all of Turgenev's major works, this would be the best one to close one's odyseesy of Turgenev works as it provides his finally achieved view of the desparate situation of then Russia and the skepticism toward the revolutionary movements aiming at social re-engineering. Story is very simple, and no significant action was involved, but a minimum knowlwedge of Russian literature, changing revolutionary movements and intelligentsia situation is required to grasp the width of the topics and issues covered.