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Журналистка The Telegraph и профессиональная стендап-комедиантка Вив Гроскоп в сложный жизненный период нашла в великих русских романах не только утешение, но и душеполезные советы, которые помогли ей выбраться из бедственного положения � и решила описать этот опыт. В "Саморазвитии по Толстому" она на собственном примере и судьбах русских классиков показывает, что даже из самой сложной ситуации можно найти выход с помощью литературы: "Анна Каренина" облегчает кризис идентичности, тургеневская пьеса "Месяц в деревне" помогает пережить несчастную любовь, а "Мастер и Маргарита" � справиться с тяжелейшими обстоятельствами. Лев Толстой, Федор Достоевский, Анна Ахмат
264 pages, Paperback
First published October 8, 2019
144 people are currently reading
4,120 people want to read
About the author
Viv Groskop
10books184followersViv Groskop is a writer, stand-up comedian and TV and radio presenter. She is the host of the chart-topping podcast HOW TO OWN THE ROOM, featuring women like Hillary Clinton, Margaret Atwood, Sandi Toksvig and Meera Syal talking about power, performance and public speaking. She has hosted book tours for Graham Norton and Jo Brand and is the veteran of four Edinburgh Fringe shows. She has presented BBC Radio 4's Front Row and Saturday Review and appears regularly on TV. She is also a playwright and has had four plays broadcast on BBC Radio 4. Subscribe to Viv's weekly newsletter here for book, TV and film recommendations and loads of great tips on writing creativity and mindset:
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 249 reviews
March 19, 2018
I had really been looking forward to this book, and although I enjoyed it and learned a lot about Russian literature I didn't love it. It just felt a bit like hard work to read, and I wasn't expecting that. The authors way of writing is very self deprecating and very honest, and I like the way she interspersed her own life with stories within the Russian classics. It has made me feel I need to read at least one Russian novel in my life (I gave up on The Idiot last year) so watch this space!
January 27, 2022
I was so glad to find out about this book from an Instagram friend after being disappointed that by Elif Batman was not really what I was hoping for - but this book was much closer! Each chapter focuses on a work of Russian literature, mostly novels but a play and poetry collection or two sneak in as well. The author writes about her own life and experience with Russia but it doesn't dominate the narrative the way Batuman's did, and I honestly skipped it sometimes to focus on the literary commentary. She has done her research but the tone is very approachable, not didactic at all, and she breaks down many works or literature into why they matter to Russian lit, what readers can expect/obtain, major themes, and sometimes interesting connections to each other. I liked reading the chapters about novels I'd already read - Anna Karenina, The Master and Margarita, etc - but also found encouragement in the chapters on the novels I'm not sure about. They feel less daunting now.
February 24, 2018
An immensely delightful memoir cum literary critique cum biography cum soul-searching journal, focusing on the author's lifelong love for Russian literature. You know, those crushingly thick tomes they made us read in school for the purpose (I suspect!) of inducing existential crises at an early age.
As a fellow lover of Russian classics, I laughed a lot at Viv Groskop's often witty commentary on each of the great writers and their masterpieces, liberally condimented with personal anecdotes of her life and adventures in Mother Russia. I laughed the loudest at poor Miss Viv's struggles with Russian patronymics, her very literal translation of Russian names ("God's Gift, son of God's Gift..." Hahaha!), and the torture of learning Russian diminutives that make you think all Russians have 47 names each. All of this is especially amusing to me because, for reasons I can't quite put my finger on, I've never experienced these struggles: I can find out the right patronymics on the spot, can identify diminutives, etc. That must be why I was never confused when reading "Anna Karenina," "Doctor Zhivago," "Crime and Punishment," and the like. Don't ask me why or how, I just get it.
Of the authors mentioned, the ones I enjoyed Groskop's take on the most were the two usual suspects, Lev Nikolaievich and Fyodor Mikhailovich (Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky, for those who do struggle with Russian names, heh.) Her adventures with Bulgakov and Pasternak were also interesting, mostly because I've not read the former yet (I know! Shame, shame, shame...) and I know next to nothing on the latter's life despite counting his book amongst my favourites.
Only one thing I'd reproach Groskop's book for: the shocking absence of any commentary on "The Brothers Karamazov." I say, how can you talk at length about Dostoyevsky in his dedicated chapter and all throughout the book and not utter a peep on the Brothers K?! Minus one star and no beet soup for you!
As a fellow lover of Russian classics, I laughed a lot at Viv Groskop's often witty commentary on each of the great writers and their masterpieces, liberally condimented with personal anecdotes of her life and adventures in Mother Russia. I laughed the loudest at poor Miss Viv's struggles with Russian patronymics, her very literal translation of Russian names ("God's Gift, son of God's Gift..." Hahaha!), and the torture of learning Russian diminutives that make you think all Russians have 47 names each. All of this is especially amusing to me because, for reasons I can't quite put my finger on, I've never experienced these struggles: I can find out the right patronymics on the spot, can identify diminutives, etc. That must be why I was never confused when reading "Anna Karenina," "Doctor Zhivago," "Crime and Punishment," and the like. Don't ask me why or how, I just get it.
Of the authors mentioned, the ones I enjoyed Groskop's take on the most were the two usual suspects, Lev Nikolaievich and Fyodor Mikhailovich (Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky, for those who do struggle with Russian names, heh.) Her adventures with Bulgakov and Pasternak were also interesting, mostly because I've not read the former yet (I know! Shame, shame, shame...) and I know next to nothing on the latter's life despite counting his book amongst my favourites.
Only one thing I'd reproach Groskop's book for: the shocking absence of any commentary on "The Brothers Karamazov." I say, how can you talk at length about Dostoyevsky in his dedicated chapter and all throughout the book and not utter a peep on the Brothers K?! Minus one star and no beet soup for you!
August 28, 2021
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Although The Anna Karenina Fix is certainly written in an engaging style, Viv Groskop's humour, which mostly consists in her use of a forcedly comedic ‘l� tone when discussing serious subjects, lessened my overall reading experience.
In her introduction Groskop writes that:
...which is fair enough. However I don't entirely agree with her claim that when reading a book “However you get it, you’ve got it right�. Of course different people will have different opinions or impressions of a book's subjects and themes but the way she phrases struck me as both vaguely patronising and equivocal.
Groskop interweaves her own personal experiences when discussing her chosen authors and their work. The parallels she draws between herself and these writers seemed for the most part fitting. She doesn't paint herself as the hero or heroine of the anecdotes she writes of, and uses a self-deprecating sort of humour to make light of her struggles to reconcile herself with a culture that is not her own. By drawing on her time as a student in Russia and by examining her relationship to the Russian language, Russian traditions, and Russian people, Groskop does present us with an intimate and compelling depiction of this country.
Complementing her ‘outsider� perspective of Russia are the biographies of various Russian authors. While she sprinkles quite a few fun anecdotes from their lives, she seems to focus on their individual relationships to Russian and the values that emerge from their works (which as she remarks can go at odds to their own way of life).
Readers who have only read a few of these Russian authors (for example I've only read Tolstoy, Bulgakov, and Dostoevsky) might find The Anna Karenina Fix more entertaining than those who are already well acquainted with these classics of the Russian literature. Had I been better versed in the works and lives of these writers I'm not sure I would have found The Anna Karenina Fix very informative or insightful. As it is, Groskop did spark my interest in the works of Gogol, Akhmatova, and Turgenev.
Part of me wishes that Groskop had not revolved her analysis/discussions of these books on these novels' alleged ‘life lessons�. The ‘self-help� aspect of The Anna Karenina Fix seemed a bit unnecessary. In a certain way Groskop seems to be moralising these books in a way that almost goes against her initial claims (that these books can be appreciated without attributing to them clever messages and such things).
The ‘life lessons� themselves were rather obvious:
Anna Karenina = “life is, essentially, unknowable�
Eugene Onegin = “Avoid hubris. Stay humble. Keep an eye out for self-defeating behaviours. Don’t duel.�
From chapter six she also begins to talk in terms of hedgehogs and foxes (from Isaiah Berlin's essay titled The Hedgehog and the Fox) which didn't strike me as being an incredibly profound analogy and she returns to this hedgehog/fox problem time and again...
Groskop's humour was very hit or miss. At times her digressions, which usually appeared in brackets, were spot on funny. For the most part however these asides seemed out of place and forced (“I am not saying that Tolstoy is Oprah Winfrey with a beard […] Well, I am saying that a bit. And in any case, it’s just fun to think of the two of them together.�). Also this happens to be the second self-proclaimed work of ‘l� unpretentious criticism that mentions popular culture one too many times (I am so sick and tired of the Kardashians).
At times she seems to play into this role of ‘amateur� critic when in actuality she happens to have two university degrees in Russian and can speak fluent Russian. Lastly her constant digs against Nabokov were childish. We get it, the man was punctilious and big headed...can we move on?
All in all I would recommend this only to those who are thinking of reading more Russian literature but have yet to read the classics as The Anna Karenina Fix makes for a readable and quick introduction to prominent Russian authors.
“Russian literature deserves more love letters written by total idiots. For too long it has belonged to very clever people who want to keep it to themselves.�
Although The Anna Karenina Fix is certainly written in an engaging style, Viv Groskop's humour, which mostly consists in her use of a forcedly comedic ‘l� tone when discussing serious subjects, lessened my overall reading experience.
In her introduction Groskop writes that:
“But first, an important disclaimer. This is not an intellectual book. It is not a work of primary research. It is not an academic thesis on Russian literature. It’s not supposed to be the last word in interpreting Russian literature. […] Instead it’s a guide to surviving life using some of the clues left in these great classics. It’s an exploration of the answers these writers found to life’s questions, big and small. And it’s a love letter to some favourite books which at one point helped me to find my identity and buoyed me up when I lost it again.�
...which is fair enough. However I don't entirely agree with her claim that when reading a book “However you get it, you’ve got it right�. Of course different people will have different opinions or impressions of a book's subjects and themes but the way she phrases struck me as both vaguely patronising and equivocal.
Groskop interweaves her own personal experiences when discussing her chosen authors and their work. The parallels she draws between herself and these writers seemed for the most part fitting. She doesn't paint herself as the hero or heroine of the anecdotes she writes of, and uses a self-deprecating sort of humour to make light of her struggles to reconcile herself with a culture that is not her own. By drawing on her time as a student in Russia and by examining her relationship to the Russian language, Russian traditions, and Russian people, Groskop does present us with an intimate and compelling depiction of this country.
Complementing her ‘outsider� perspective of Russia are the biographies of various Russian authors. While she sprinkles quite a few fun anecdotes from their lives, she seems to focus on their individual relationships to Russian and the values that emerge from their works (which as she remarks can go at odds to their own way of life).
Readers who have only read a few of these Russian authors (for example I've only read Tolstoy, Bulgakov, and Dostoevsky) might find The Anna Karenina Fix more entertaining than those who are already well acquainted with these classics of the Russian literature. Had I been better versed in the works and lives of these writers I'm not sure I would have found The Anna Karenina Fix very informative or insightful. As it is, Groskop did spark my interest in the works of Gogol, Akhmatova, and Turgenev.
Part of me wishes that Groskop had not revolved her analysis/discussions of these books on these novels' alleged ‘life lessons�. The ‘self-help� aspect of The Anna Karenina Fix seemed a bit unnecessary. In a certain way Groskop seems to be moralising these books in a way that almost goes against her initial claims (that these books can be appreciated without attributing to them clever messages and such things).
The ‘life lessons� themselves were rather obvious:
Anna Karenina = “life is, essentially, unknowable�
Eugene Onegin = “Avoid hubris. Stay humble. Keep an eye out for self-defeating behaviours. Don’t duel.�
From chapter six she also begins to talk in terms of hedgehogs and foxes (from Isaiah Berlin's essay titled The Hedgehog and the Fox) which didn't strike me as being an incredibly profound analogy and she returns to this hedgehog/fox problem time and again...
Groskop's humour was very hit or miss. At times her digressions, which usually appeared in brackets, were spot on funny. For the most part however these asides seemed out of place and forced (“I am not saying that Tolstoy is Oprah Winfrey with a beard […] Well, I am saying that a bit. And in any case, it’s just fun to think of the two of them together.�). Also this happens to be the second self-proclaimed work of ‘l� unpretentious criticism that mentions popular culture one too many times (I am so sick and tired of the Kardashians).
At times she seems to play into this role of ‘amateur� critic when in actuality she happens to have two university degrees in Russian and can speak fluent Russian. Lastly her constant digs against Nabokov were childish. We get it, the man was punctilious and big headed...can we move on?
All in all I would recommend this only to those who are thinking of reading more Russian literature but have yet to read the classics as The Anna Karenina Fix makes for a readable and quick introduction to prominent Russian authors.
June 22, 2018
This is one of those books that I want to buy 10 copies of and give to all my friends.
I had a huge phase with Russian classics in my mid-twenties. I have never understood that mystical aura that surrounds those books, mainly consisting of opinions that they are so difficult to read and oh so intellectual. I thought most of them quite page turners plus beautiful beautiful prose so what's there not to love?
This book is excellent because it is so versatile. It combines interesting facts about the Russian authors (and I mean fun and relatable not dry datums) with an introduction to the storyline and how it is relatable to modern day life and issues. All this is done in such a smart and funny tone that the pages fly by. Highly recommended!
I had a huge phase with Russian classics in my mid-twenties. I have never understood that mystical aura that surrounds those books, mainly consisting of opinions that they are so difficult to read and oh so intellectual. I thought most of them quite page turners plus beautiful beautiful prose so what's there not to love?
This book is excellent because it is so versatile. It combines interesting facts about the Russian authors (and I mean fun and relatable not dry datums) with an introduction to the storyline and how it is relatable to modern day life and issues. All this is done in such a smart and funny tone that the pages fly by. Highly recommended!
August 19, 2019
У Вив Гроскоп отменное чувство юмора, и огромная любовь к русской классике. Оказалось, два этих качества совершенно убийственное сочетание: я читала эту книгу, периодически смеясь в голос и отмечая, что мне надо прочитать или перечитать из классики. Но как русские писатели связаны с юмором, если они не Булгаков? Да никак, конечно, просто Гроскоп жонглирует фактами их биографий с таким смаком, что диву даёшься, как у английской писательницы отросла такая русскость.
На деле все просто: Вив в 90-х жила в Питере, откуда вынесла массу уроков по общению с русскими, а также особенное понимание русской классики. При этом будучи сама крутой автрисой, она пишет о собственной жизни и о поиске идентичности (последняя тема красной нитью проходит по всей книге). Спойлер: идентичность находится, но слегка хозяйку свою обескураживает.
Здесь 11 эссе о 10 писателях (Толстой встречается дважды, потому что он хитрый ёж. И потому что любил яйца.), каждая из которых - любовное письмо как к авторам, так и к их творениям.
Честно говоря, я теперь буду всем ее советовать и намерена пойти купить какого-нибудь Тургенева. Или Чехова. Благодаря книге английской писательницы, все эти ребята стали мне ближе примерно раз в сто - и ни один российский автор не сделал ничего подобного.
На деле все просто: Вив в 90-х жила в Питере, откуда вынесла массу уроков по общению с русскими, а также особенное понимание русской классики. При этом будучи сама крутой автрисой, она пишет о собственной жизни и о поиске идентичности (последняя тема красной нитью проходит по всей книге). Спойлер: идентичность находится, но слегка хозяйку свою обескураживает.
Здесь 11 эссе о 10 писателях (Толстой встречается дважды, потому что он хитрый ёж. И потому что любил яйца.), каждая из которых - любовное письмо как к авторам, так и к их творениям.
Честно говоря, я теперь буду всем ее советовать и намерена пойти купить какого-нибудь Тургенева. Или Чехова. Благодаря книге английской писательницы, все эти ребята стали мне ближе примерно раз в сто - и ни один российский автор не сделал ничего подобного.
February 2, 2019
All these Literature majors everywhere and Viv Groskop is the first to publish this slant on analysis/ interpretation? Probably not, but it's the first one I've ever read that does the widescreen and the minutia views played through the camera of her own individual student memoir lens of studying Russian literature IN Russia, speaking Russian and trying to BE Russian. Only in that way that a naive 18 to 20 year old in the turmoil of unrequited love could too.
She thinks her name has to be Russian, despite the entire portfolio of unknowns from her recorded paternal ancestry. And Russian classics literature, being what it is? Well, it's in my soul. I must go to join them. And speak and know and think in Russian.
But that's just the hook of her story. There's far, far more here/ and there. It's enchanting and entertainment delight. And full of quotes, facts, and the intersects filled with piercing literature light beams. Some of the windows: Tolstoy, Gogol, Chekhov, Dostoevsky, Turgenov, Pasternak, Bulgakov, Pushkin, Anna Akhmatova- you will learn if they are "hedgehogs" or "foxes". (I'm a born hedgehog, just like Dostoevsky). And where that "What's it all about Alfie?" question moves though their works and how that applies in our present and always "now" human lives.
Difficult, emotional, and bizarre- all around. And with their uniquely Russian SOUL realities.
The soul that reacts. In all the human schism of duality, self-immolation, crisis duplicitous schemes, avarice, revenge and of course "the duels".
The facts of their biographies are included. So many short lived and of their interact with each other? It's all superb. A most excellent read. I wanted to give it 5 stars. For me it was 4.5 stars. But because of the patronomyics and other "let's learn these features first" intros and backgrounds- I found that the shortest of this is STILL beyond difficult. It's not that we "other" (not Russian) don't "get" all the translations nuances, but more that it is just so extremely DIFFICULT in layers of complexities! This reading experience, giggles for all savvy successful humor and asides, STILL difficult. This short book took me at least 3 times longer to read than a non-fiction strongly defined science book of twice the length.
Why tackle it? I can only guess that if you'll try- you'll love it. If you have read the Russians (maybe by 1/2 of these authors would enhance her tale; I have read about 3/4ths of all she compacts to survey here)- and if you'll have patience. Crazy dichotomies, beyond unbelievable diets, class and religious "big ideas" of obsession or bizarre manners, love of every kind (hate just as evident too) and never forget the unrequited, and those entirely stricken with sickness, under persecution, death in every form. And nearly all entirely in the 19th and 20th century mindsets of Russian soul's expression.
Even if you haven't gotten to Solzhenitsyn yet- give it a college try! Most unique and enjoyable book for the last 2 years in non-fiction for me, despite the 4 star rating. Never perfect (her politico and philosophy "eyes" are SO varied from mine)- especially in what she believes are the "big ideas" and how she draws the lines of "category"- but humor, passion, failure, hypocrisy- your name IS Russian.
The chapter titles, quotes, asides and introduction lines are 5 star stupendous. And there is an excellent reference and reading suggestions portion at the end.
Here appears the last and one of the best chapter titles:
How To Know What Matters in Life:
War and Peace by Lev Tolstoy
(Or: Don't Try to Kill Napoleon)
"We thought it was the end of the world, but it turned out for the best."
She thinks her name has to be Russian, despite the entire portfolio of unknowns from her recorded paternal ancestry. And Russian classics literature, being what it is? Well, it's in my soul. I must go to join them. And speak and know and think in Russian.
But that's just the hook of her story. There's far, far more here/ and there. It's enchanting and entertainment delight. And full of quotes, facts, and the intersects filled with piercing literature light beams. Some of the windows: Tolstoy, Gogol, Chekhov, Dostoevsky, Turgenov, Pasternak, Bulgakov, Pushkin, Anna Akhmatova- you will learn if they are "hedgehogs" or "foxes". (I'm a born hedgehog, just like Dostoevsky). And where that "What's it all about Alfie?" question moves though their works and how that applies in our present and always "now" human lives.
Difficult, emotional, and bizarre- all around. And with their uniquely Russian SOUL realities.
The soul that reacts. In all the human schism of duality, self-immolation, crisis duplicitous schemes, avarice, revenge and of course "the duels".
The facts of their biographies are included. So many short lived and of their interact with each other? It's all superb. A most excellent read. I wanted to give it 5 stars. For me it was 4.5 stars. But because of the patronomyics and other "let's learn these features first" intros and backgrounds- I found that the shortest of this is STILL beyond difficult. It's not that we "other" (not Russian) don't "get" all the translations nuances, but more that it is just so extremely DIFFICULT in layers of complexities! This reading experience, giggles for all savvy successful humor and asides, STILL difficult. This short book took me at least 3 times longer to read than a non-fiction strongly defined science book of twice the length.
Why tackle it? I can only guess that if you'll try- you'll love it. If you have read the Russians (maybe by 1/2 of these authors would enhance her tale; I have read about 3/4ths of all she compacts to survey here)- and if you'll have patience. Crazy dichotomies, beyond unbelievable diets, class and religious "big ideas" of obsession or bizarre manners, love of every kind (hate just as evident too) and never forget the unrequited, and those entirely stricken with sickness, under persecution, death in every form. And nearly all entirely in the 19th and 20th century mindsets of Russian soul's expression.
Even if you haven't gotten to Solzhenitsyn yet- give it a college try! Most unique and enjoyable book for the last 2 years in non-fiction for me, despite the 4 star rating. Never perfect (her politico and philosophy "eyes" are SO varied from mine)- especially in what she believes are the "big ideas" and how she draws the lines of "category"- but humor, passion, failure, hypocrisy- your name IS Russian.
The chapter titles, quotes, asides and introduction lines are 5 star stupendous. And there is an excellent reference and reading suggestions portion at the end.
Here appears the last and one of the best chapter titles:
How To Know What Matters in Life:
War and Peace by Lev Tolstoy
(Or: Don't Try to Kill Napoleon)
"We thought it was the end of the world, but it turned out for the best."
October 28, 2019
I discovered Viv Groskop's 'The Anna Karenina Fix : Life Lessons from Russian Literature' while browsing in the bookshop and couldn't resist getting it. I thought it was time to read it now.
Viv Groskop's book has eleven essays on Russian classics. In each of the essays, Groskop picks one Russian classic, discusses the plot and the characters, and talks about the insights and life lessons that the classic has to offer. She covers many of the great 19th century writers (and some 20th century writers) but Leo Tolstoy gets the pride of place by having two of his books featured in the list. My favourite essays in the book were those on Dostoevsky's 'Crime and Punishment', Chekhov's 'Three Sisters' and Solzhenitsyn's 'One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich'.
Throughout the essays, Groskop weaves in her own story and experiences and describes how the classics impacted her and helped her. Groskop's style is breezy, charming, conversational, filled with humour and is a pleasure to read. The book suspiciously resembles Elif Batuman's acclaimed book 'The Possessed : Adventures with Russian Books and the People Who Read Them'. But I haven't read Batuman's book yet, and so I can't really complain.
I enjoyed reading 'The Anna Karenina Fix'. It is a beautiful, charming love letter to Russian literature. It is also a great introduction to Russian literature. If you love Russian literature, you will enjoy reading this.
I am giving below two of my favourite passages from the book to give you a feel for Groskop's style.
"The Russian classics are, admittedly, not the most obvious place to look for tips for a happier life. Russian literature is full of gloomy people wondering how on earth they have ended up in the appalling predicament in which they find themselves, looking around desperately for someone else to blame and then realizing that, in fact, they were right in the first place : life really is extremely inconvenient and annoying, and we are all just waiting to die. But they also teach us that it can, crucially, be survived. And it can be enjoyed, beautifully."
"A few weeks after...we moved on to Pushkin. If I thought the parrot was a bad idea, this was an even worse one. It's like giving someone a two-week course in English and then saying, 'And now we're going to read Othello.' It's fairly typical of the teaching of Russian though. They like to throw you in at the deep end. And they like to make sure you remain completely intimidated by the language for as long as possible. That way, if you pass on to the other side and actually do learn to speak it, you'll maintain the age-old myth that it's difficult to learn and pass that on to other people so that the Russian speakers can remain in their own special and secret club. Having to read Pushkin several weeks into a 'Russian from scratch' course is a sort of hazing you never recover from. It is specially designed to make you want to haze others so that they will suffer as you have suffered. To quote Pushkin : 'I want to understand you. I study your obscure language.'"
Have you read Viv Groskop's book? What do you think about it?
Viv Groskop's book has eleven essays on Russian classics. In each of the essays, Groskop picks one Russian classic, discusses the plot and the characters, and talks about the insights and life lessons that the classic has to offer. She covers many of the great 19th century writers (and some 20th century writers) but Leo Tolstoy gets the pride of place by having two of his books featured in the list. My favourite essays in the book were those on Dostoevsky's 'Crime and Punishment', Chekhov's 'Three Sisters' and Solzhenitsyn's 'One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich'.
Throughout the essays, Groskop weaves in her own story and experiences and describes how the classics impacted her and helped her. Groskop's style is breezy, charming, conversational, filled with humour and is a pleasure to read. The book suspiciously resembles Elif Batuman's acclaimed book 'The Possessed : Adventures with Russian Books and the People Who Read Them'. But I haven't read Batuman's book yet, and so I can't really complain.
I enjoyed reading 'The Anna Karenina Fix'. It is a beautiful, charming love letter to Russian literature. It is also a great introduction to Russian literature. If you love Russian literature, you will enjoy reading this.
I am giving below two of my favourite passages from the book to give you a feel for Groskop's style.
"The Russian classics are, admittedly, not the most obvious place to look for tips for a happier life. Russian literature is full of gloomy people wondering how on earth they have ended up in the appalling predicament in which they find themselves, looking around desperately for someone else to blame and then realizing that, in fact, they were right in the first place : life really is extremely inconvenient and annoying, and we are all just waiting to die. But they also teach us that it can, crucially, be survived. And it can be enjoyed, beautifully."
"A few weeks after...we moved on to Pushkin. If I thought the parrot was a bad idea, this was an even worse one. It's like giving someone a two-week course in English and then saying, 'And now we're going to read Othello.' It's fairly typical of the teaching of Russian though. They like to throw you in at the deep end. And they like to make sure you remain completely intimidated by the language for as long as possible. That way, if you pass on to the other side and actually do learn to speak it, you'll maintain the age-old myth that it's difficult to learn and pass that on to other people so that the Russian speakers can remain in their own special and secret club. Having to read Pushkin several weeks into a 'Russian from scratch' course is a sort of hazing you never recover from. It is specially designed to make you want to haze others so that they will suffer as you have suffered. To quote Pushkin : 'I want to understand you. I study your obscure language.'"
Have you read Viv Groskop's book? What do you think about it?
June 4, 2018
I heard of this book thanks to the Spectator books podcast. The Spectator's literary editor, Sam Leith, is a wonderfully nerdy character who seems to be interested in a number of random and quite specific subjects, and he had Viv Groskop in one of the episodes to talk about this book. I was immediately taken by her, she was funny and unpretentious. I procured a copy of The Anna Karenina Fix and told myself I'd read it, but not right away (given the fact I have about 800 other books in my TBR).
Of course I did end up reading it right away. I just wanted to read a little bit to see what it was like, and it was so good, I couldn't possibly put it down again, 800-books-long TBR be damned.
This is a guide to Russian classics and the most famous Russian authors. Viv, a lifelong Russophile, wants us to know that Russian classics aren't scary and difficult to read, they're for everyone because they are about life. And if it helps, don't think of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky as inaccessible gods of literature; Tolstoy was a guy who was crazy about eggs, and Dostoevsky fainted whenever he saw a beautiful woman. Viv relates the books to her own life, often through hilarious anecdotes, so this is also a bit of a memoir.
Ultimately, this is a beautiful love letter to Russian literature, and I'm extremely grateful to Viv Groskop for it. I feel ready to tackle these classics, starting with Anna Karenina. I only wish there were books like this for the literature of other countries as well!
Of course I did end up reading it right away. I just wanted to read a little bit to see what it was like, and it was so good, I couldn't possibly put it down again, 800-books-long TBR be damned.
This is a guide to Russian classics and the most famous Russian authors. Viv, a lifelong Russophile, wants us to know that Russian classics aren't scary and difficult to read, they're for everyone because they are about life. And if it helps, don't think of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky as inaccessible gods of literature; Tolstoy was a guy who was crazy about eggs, and Dostoevsky fainted whenever he saw a beautiful woman. Viv relates the books to her own life, often through hilarious anecdotes, so this is also a bit of a memoir.
Ultimately, this is a beautiful love letter to Russian literature, and I'm extremely grateful to Viv Groskop for it. I feel ready to tackle these classics, starting with Anna Karenina. I only wish there were books like this for the literature of other countries as well!
August 21, 2021
No tämäpäs oli... Melkein-kaima ja minun laillani venäjää opiskellut Groskop pohtii ihanasti niin elämää kuin venäläistä kirjallisuuttakin. Paljoltihan tämä on kirjallisuustiedettä ryyditettynä Groskopin omalla elämäntarinalla (osalla siitä). Syvällinen, helposti lähestyttävä, hauska, älykäs. Ihana!
November 20, 2019
The Anna Karenina Fix is a collection of essays where Viv Groskop leads you into a journey of how to navigate Russian literature. Interspersed amongst them are anecdotes of Groskop’s own transformation into a Russophile. As an Englishwoman through and through, Groskop talks about finding meaning in Russian culture that she found lacking in her own. An intense desire to be as Russian as possible, she has both studied the language for years and lived in Russia in order to connect with this unique Eurasian civilization that has produced some of the most renowned works of art.
Having read most of the well-known Russian classics, I thought this collection was such an entertaining read that combined the experience of amateur literary criticism and a casual fangirl chat with a friend. Groskop and myself could not be anymore different from each other but her manner of conversing with Russian texts is a delight to read. Even our approaches to Russian literature greatly differ. For instance, Groskop states that, due to its length, is a novel she was put off by for the longest time. But personally, whilst always lingered in the back of my mind and I was never sure if I would read it, I found myself completely enthralled and never struggled with it once I began.
However, through our mutual love of Russian literature, there were also multiple instances where I could complete relate to her. Her appreciation for Alexander Pushkin alone makes me feel a little more hopeful for the literary world.
If you enjoy a good discussion on Russian literature, you must read this. I know she meant it more for readers who haven’t read the books she mentions but I enjoyed it more because I had read the novels she talked about.
After this, I am also reminded that I have yet to read , a novel I’m fairly certain I won’t like but must read nonetheless since I feel like a charlatan not having done so.
Having read most of the well-known Russian classics, I thought this collection was such an entertaining read that combined the experience of amateur literary criticism and a casual fangirl chat with a friend. Groskop and myself could not be anymore different from each other but her manner of conversing with Russian texts is a delight to read. Even our approaches to Russian literature greatly differ. For instance, Groskop states that, due to its length, is a novel she was put off by for the longest time. But personally, whilst always lingered in the back of my mind and I was never sure if I would read it, I found myself completely enthralled and never struggled with it once I began.
However, through our mutual love of Russian literature, there were also multiple instances where I could complete relate to her. Her appreciation for Alexander Pushkin alone makes me feel a little more hopeful for the literary world.
If you enjoy a good discussion on Russian literature, you must read this. I know she meant it more for readers who haven’t read the books she mentions but I enjoyed it more because I had read the novels she talked about.
After this, I am also reminded that I have yet to read , a novel I’m fairly certain I won’t like but must read nonetheless since I feel like a charlatan not having done so.
August 5, 2020
minu meelest täiesti vaimustav raamat. kuidagi suudab autor rääkida üheaegselt vene kirjandusest ja kirjanikest, iseenda identiteediotsingutest, elust 90ndate Venemaal ja tõepoolest ka üldistest elu õppetundidest, ja see kõik klapib kokku ja muutub üheks selgeks looks.
lisapunktid tulevad selle eest, et tegu on briti autoriga, kes oskab vene keelt ja tunneb vene hinge, aga kes seletab seda... teistele brittidele, ma arvan, või üldisemalt inglise emakeele ja lääne taustaga inimestele. ja seda on nii huvitav lugeda, sest olles ise vene keelega koos üles kasvanud (ma olin vist viimane aastakäik, kellele seda juba lasteaias õpetama hakati - aga muidugi tollal, 80ndate keskel, oli vene keel ka me igapäevaelus ju kogu aeg olemas) ei ole ma kunagi eriti mõelnud nt sellele, kui segadusseajavad võivad olla venelaste hüüdnimed. või kogu isanime kontseptsioon. või kui jaburad on paljude nimede otsetõlkelised tähendused. ja no respekt, meil on tegu briti preiliga, kes elas üle varajaste 90ndate Peterburi ühikad koos kõigi prussakatega. ma käisin ka tollal seal ja see oli päris karm.
elu õppetunnid jutustatakse siin lahti vene klassikute konkreetsete teoste ja autorite endi elulugude abil, kõigest räägitakse parasjagu nii vähe ja huvitavalt, et hullult tahaks nüüd ise juurde ja üle lugeda. Tolstoi, Tšehhov, Turgenev, Dostojevski, Bulgakov, Ahmatova, Solženitsõn... võimalik, et veel keegi. Pasternak. ma pole Pasternaki üldse lugenud ja nüüd on kohe hädasti vaja.
lõpus on õnneks kasutatud kirjanduse nimekiri, kus soovitatakse nt konkreetseid tõlkeid inglise keelde, aga ka elulooraamatuid-päevikuid-kirjavahetusi. ja siis mu eriline lemmikkoht, autor nendib, et sellise vene klassikute teemakäsitluse juures ei olnud naisautorite jaoks palju mänguruumi, aga et ta tahab neid ka soovitada, ja loetleb siis terve portsu ammusema ja praegusema aja vene naiskirjanikke. nii sümpaatne!
lisapunktid tulevad selle eest, et tegu on briti autoriga, kes oskab vene keelt ja tunneb vene hinge, aga kes seletab seda... teistele brittidele, ma arvan, või üldisemalt inglise emakeele ja lääne taustaga inimestele. ja seda on nii huvitav lugeda, sest olles ise vene keelega koos üles kasvanud (ma olin vist viimane aastakäik, kellele seda juba lasteaias õpetama hakati - aga muidugi tollal, 80ndate keskel, oli vene keel ka me igapäevaelus ju kogu aeg olemas) ei ole ma kunagi eriti mõelnud nt sellele, kui segadusseajavad võivad olla venelaste hüüdnimed. või kogu isanime kontseptsioon. või kui jaburad on paljude nimede otsetõlkelised tähendused. ja no respekt, meil on tegu briti preiliga, kes elas üle varajaste 90ndate Peterburi ühikad koos kõigi prussakatega. ma käisin ka tollal seal ja see oli päris karm.
elu õppetunnid jutustatakse siin lahti vene klassikute konkreetsete teoste ja autorite endi elulugude abil, kõigest räägitakse parasjagu nii vähe ja huvitavalt, et hullult tahaks nüüd ise juurde ja üle lugeda. Tolstoi, Tšehhov, Turgenev, Dostojevski, Bulgakov, Ahmatova, Solženitsõn... võimalik, et veel keegi. Pasternak. ma pole Pasternaki üldse lugenud ja nüüd on kohe hädasti vaja.
lõpus on õnneks kasutatud kirjanduse nimekiri, kus soovitatakse nt konkreetseid tõlkeid inglise keelde, aga ka elulooraamatuid-päevikuid-kirjavahetusi. ja siis mu eriline lemmikkoht, autor nendib, et sellise vene klassikute teemakäsitluse juures ei olnud naisautorite jaoks palju mänguruumi, aga et ta tahab neid ka soovitada, ja loetleb siis terve portsu ammusema ja praegusema aja vene naiskirjanikke. nii sümpaatne!
October 30, 2021
Британская журналистка Вив Гроскоп влюблена в русскую литературу и пишет о Толстом, Достоевском, Тургеневе, Ахматовой (всего 10 авторов) легко, остроумно, душевно, а главное - с совершенно непривычного (без придыхания и "анализа") ракурса. Мне захотелось перечитать буквально все произведения, о которых говорилось у Гроскоп, - ну какой итог может быть лучше?
А ещё у книги удачная озвучка. Вив Гроскоп и Варвара Шмыкова (обе хулиганки) - perfect match. В общем, если хочется послушать о русской классике и параллельно с этим печь пироги или гулять по городу, Вив Гроскоп может составить замечательную компанию. Ну а я продолжу марафон литературоведения с книгами Элиф Батуман. Пишут, что она тоже очень клёвая.
А ещё у книги удачная озвучка. Вив Гроскоп и Варвара Шмыкова (обе хулиганки) - perfect match. В общем, если хочется послушать о русской классике и параллельно с этим печь пироги или гулять по городу, Вив Гроскоп может составить замечательную компанию. Ну а я продолжу марафон литературоведения с книгами Элиф Батуман. Пишут, что она тоже очень клёвая.
February 26, 2020
4 αβίαστα, απλόχερα, απολαυστικά αστεράκια σ' αυτό το σχεδόν βιογραφικό/σχεδόν λογοτεχνικό πόνημα.
Τι κι αν έχω διαβάσει μόνο τρία από έντεκα έργα που προτείνει η δημιουργός; Όταν έχεις καλή διάθεση κι η συγγραφέας χιούμορ, η ανάγνωση γίνεται τόσο ευχάριστη που δε χρειάζεται καν να είσαι λάτρης της ρώσικης λογοτεχνίας για να το εκτιμήσεις.
Για μένα που το έχω το κολληματάκι μου (#DostoyevskyFTW) και που ψευτομαθαίνω ρώσικα (fat chance, I know...), είναι σχεδόν αναγκαίο, έστω και για να τακτοποιήσω τα μελλοντικά μου αναγνώσματα.
Η μόνη ερώτηση: τι θέμα έχει η Viv με το Nabokov; Εκτός του ότι απουσιάζει από τη λίστα (μαζί με τo Maksim Gorky), όλο έψαχνε ευκαιρία να τον διακωμωδίσει, να τον μειώσει και γενικά να "του την πει". Προς τι το μίσος κι ο αλληλοσπαραγμός;
Τι κι αν έχω διαβάσει μόνο τρία από έντεκα έργα που προτείνει η δημιουργός; Όταν έχεις καλή διάθεση κι η συγγραφέας χιούμορ, η ανάγνωση γίνεται τόσο ευχάριστη που δε χρειάζεται καν να είσαι λάτρης της ρώσικης λογοτεχνίας για να το εκτιμήσεις.
Για μένα που το έχω το κολληματάκι μου (#DostoyevskyFTW) και που ψευτομαθαίνω ρώσικα (fat chance, I know...), είναι σχεδόν αναγκαίο, έστω και για να τακτοποιήσω τα μελλοντικά μου αναγνώσματα.
Η μόνη ερώτηση: τι θέμα έχει η Viv με το Nabokov; Εκτός του ότι απουσιάζει από τη λίστα (μαζί με τo Maksim Gorky), όλο έψαχνε ευκαιρία να τον διακωμωδίσει, να τον μειώσει και γενικά να "του την πει". Προς τι το μίσος κι ο αλληλοσπαραγμός;
January 13, 2019
A wonderful book. Very witty, funny and smart at the same time. A perfect balance between a memoir and a discussion of Russian literature. Made me want to read more Russian classics (I realized I have never read anything form Gogol or Turgenev) and re-read Anna Karenina, Crime and Punishment, The Idiot, Master and Margarita, and Doctor Zhivago. A great book I would recommend to anyone interested in Russian authors.
September 10, 2018
via my blog:
'More instances of unrequited love are added to the mix so that, in the end, it’s a merry-go-round of people sighing over people looking the other way.'
I didn’t think this book would be so much fun, let’s face it, Russian Literature is heavy but Viv Groskop had me laughing about her own Russian experience. In search of her roots, trust me this changes the meaning Viv excavated from literature and Russia itself, Viv takes us on a ride through the minds of the great authors and you don’t have to throw yourself on the train tracks to relate. There were interesting tidbits, where inspiration bubbled up for say Leo Tolstoy or Ivan Turgenev and how many of the authors struggled with their own hypocrisy. Then there is Gogol and his neurotic tendencies, you shouldn’t laugh, but how can you not? We are only human, and just as contrary as the greats.
What of Viv, herself a fool for love, unrequited? Who hasn’t walked the empty rooms of such love? Baying at the moon, why� why don’t you love me? Well, the Russian’s have your back. Just join the ranks of all those star-gazing fools sighing over the object of their affections who are sighing over someone else, who probably doesn’t love them back either. Oh it’s a cold, cruel world!
One could overdose on all the moralizing, and yet the very characters we’re meant to avoid becoming, they make us love. Am I a hedgehog or a fox? Am I both? (you have to read) Let the women not be discounted either, for their own greatness, how many people write for survival, how many write when it could very well be your death? I can’t even memorize this post, and I doubt I could find ten people to keep something I’ve written safe in their own heads.
Viv is frank about her own life, her search for identity by hitching on the Russian wagon, and when she finally solves the mystery of her family’s ethnicity I couldn’t suppress a laugh because it has the ingredients for a classic story itself� really, doesn’t it just figure, what a character Viv is! I loved it, loved her voice, her drama, her humor and you don’t have to like Russian literature, you can avoid it, fear it, embrace it and still come away from this book having a giggle. Trust me, there are serious moments, of course there are, some downright heartbreaking, no wonder these authors wrote masterpieces, their own lives were fresh hell at times. You can’t get more morbid or down in the dumps than the characters these men created, well maybe you can, the world can be a pretty ugly place. But like Viv tells us, ‘if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry.�
Publication Date: October 23, 2018
Abrams Press
'More instances of unrequited love are added to the mix so that, in the end, it’s a merry-go-round of people sighing over people looking the other way.'
I didn’t think this book would be so much fun, let’s face it, Russian Literature is heavy but Viv Groskop had me laughing about her own Russian experience. In search of her roots, trust me this changes the meaning Viv excavated from literature and Russia itself, Viv takes us on a ride through the minds of the great authors and you don’t have to throw yourself on the train tracks to relate. There were interesting tidbits, where inspiration bubbled up for say Leo Tolstoy or Ivan Turgenev and how many of the authors struggled with their own hypocrisy. Then there is Gogol and his neurotic tendencies, you shouldn’t laugh, but how can you not? We are only human, and just as contrary as the greats.
What of Viv, herself a fool for love, unrequited? Who hasn’t walked the empty rooms of such love? Baying at the moon, why� why don’t you love me? Well, the Russian’s have your back. Just join the ranks of all those star-gazing fools sighing over the object of their affections who are sighing over someone else, who probably doesn’t love them back either. Oh it’s a cold, cruel world!
One could overdose on all the moralizing, and yet the very characters we’re meant to avoid becoming, they make us love. Am I a hedgehog or a fox? Am I both? (you have to read) Let the women not be discounted either, for their own greatness, how many people write for survival, how many write when it could very well be your death? I can’t even memorize this post, and I doubt I could find ten people to keep something I’ve written safe in their own heads.
Viv is frank about her own life, her search for identity by hitching on the Russian wagon, and when she finally solves the mystery of her family’s ethnicity I couldn’t suppress a laugh because it has the ingredients for a classic story itself� really, doesn’t it just figure, what a character Viv is! I loved it, loved her voice, her drama, her humor and you don’t have to like Russian literature, you can avoid it, fear it, embrace it and still come away from this book having a giggle. Trust me, there are serious moments, of course there are, some downright heartbreaking, no wonder these authors wrote masterpieces, their own lives were fresh hell at times. You can’t get more morbid or down in the dumps than the characters these men created, well maybe you can, the world can be a pretty ugly place. But like Viv tells us, ‘if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry.�
Publication Date: October 23, 2018
Abrams Press
August 17, 2021
Todella mainio ja viihdyttävä kirja venäläisistä klassikoista. Aloin kuunnella ajatellen, että tämä on hyvä kirja kuunnella, kun ei ole aikaa lukea nyt venäläisiä klassikoita. Tämän kuunneltua tuli kuitenkin olo, että pitäisi Sota ja rauha etsiä käsiini.
December 27, 2019
An entertaining look at some of the major works of great Russian literature. The author's light style and her intermittent search for her own ethnic origins binds it all together. It reminded me that I want to re-read both Tolstoy masterpieces, and to add several others to my tbr. It worked well as an audiobook from Hoopla, although I'm doubtful of some of the reader's pronunciations.
January 26, 2021
Fantastinen teos venäläisten klassikoiden lukemisesta, niiden opeista ja oman identiteetin etsimisestä muun muassa kirjallisin keinoin. Groskop kirjoittaa hauskasti osoittaen samalla laajaa tietämystä, mahtava kombinaatio. Heli Naski on tehnyt oivalloista työtä käännöksen kanssa ja Anu Vilhunen lukee hyvin.
Olin ilokseni lukenut tai nähnyt useamman teoksessa esitellyn klassikon, mutta lukemattomuuskaan ei haittaa, sillä Groskop kyllä pitää sopivasti lukijan kädestä kiinni.
Älä heittäydy junan alle innosti myös tarttumaan erääseen jo useamman vuoden kesken olleeseen venäläiseen klassikkoon, ehkä tällä kertaa jopa rennommalla otteella!
Olin ilokseni lukenut tai nähnyt useamman teoksessa esitellyn klassikon, mutta lukemattomuuskaan ei haittaa, sillä Groskop kyllä pitää sopivasti lukijan kädestä kiinni.
Älä heittäydy junan alle innosti myös tarttumaan erääseen jo useamman vuoden kesken olleeseen venäläiseen klassikkoon, ehkä tällä kertaa jopa rennommalla otteella!
August 18, 2019
This is finally of my currently reading shelf. I didn't need this long to read the book, but to read all the books she mentions in the book. Each chapter is devoted to a book and its author and she gives away the plot for the book.
Do you have to read all the books to read this? No! But I thought it was a good motivation to finally get to those books.
And it was really interesting as I came to this book with a lot of my own thoughts on the books and the impact they made on my life, or lack thereof.
This book turned out to be more of her life and how she related to the different stories and Russia in general, looking for herself along the way. I really enjoyed how she related to the books and their message and found life lessons in them for herself mostly but also general ones. I also enjoyed how she really provided background information of the authors and their lives and interprets their reasons for writing the books and their relationship to their writing and Russia.
Overall it is a fun way of getting in touch with a lot of daunting Russian literature and shereally takes away the dauntingness - if that even is a word.
The tone is light and very accessible, the audiobook was a breeze through.
Do you have to read all the books to read this? No! But I thought it was a good motivation to finally get to those books.
And it was really interesting as I came to this book with a lot of my own thoughts on the books and the impact they made on my life, or lack thereof.
This book turned out to be more of her life and how she related to the different stories and Russia in general, looking for herself along the way. I really enjoyed how she related to the books and their message and found life lessons in them for herself mostly but also general ones. I also enjoyed how she really provided background information of the authors and their lives and interprets their reasons for writing the books and their relationship to their writing and Russia.
Overall it is a fun way of getting in touch with a lot of daunting Russian literature and shereally takes away the dauntingness - if that even is a word.
The tone is light and very accessible, the audiobook was a breeze through.
May 28, 2023
A journey of a British woman to her identity through Russian literature, the Russian language and Russia itself.
May 15, 2018
A very accessible romp through some of Russia’s famous writers. I found this very interesting, enlightening and, during certain writers� chapters, incredibly moving. I studied modern history at university so I already have a good grasp of the history of Russia but learning about how the conditions affected these authors and their work was shocking. I very much enjoyed how the author weaved in her own tales of identity and life with these novels. I’m persuaded to give Anna Karenina another go after abandoning it half way through at 16 at yet another ‘boring� Levin chapter.
April 8, 2018
Bloody loved this!
Viv Groskop’s exploration of Russian classics is clever, thoughtful, often funny and hugely compelling - I listened to the whole audiobook today!
Now, I need to go buy some books...
Viv Groskop’s exploration of Russian classics is clever, thoughtful, often funny and hugely compelling - I listened to the whole audiobook today!
Now, I need to go buy some books...
April 27, 2020
Hauska ja upea sukellus venäläisten klassikoiden ja kirjailijoiden pariin. Teoksesta nauttii, vaikka ei näitä 11 venäläistä klassikkoa olisi lukenutkaan. Groskopin Venäjän ja kaiken venäläisyyden pakkomielle alkoi enlantilaisittain oudosta sukunimestä. Hänestä tuntui vahvasti, että hänen sisimmässään asuu venäläinen sielu. Tämä innostus johdatti Groskopin venäläisen kirjallisuuden ja kielenopiskelun pariin 1990-luvulla.
Esipuheessaan Groskop kertoo venäjän patronyymeistä sekä loputtomista diminutiivi- ja hellittelymuodoista. Riemastuttavaa kuunneltavaa, vaikka en osaakaan venäjää. Hän tuntee kirjailijansa, on lukenut laajalti heidän elämäkertojaan ja kertoo kirjailijoista paljon sellaista, mitä Wikipedia ei tiedä. Älä heittäydy junan alle on kerrassaan viihdyttävää ja sivistävää kuunneltavaa. Kirjailijoiden elämä ei ollut helppoa ennen Stalinin aikaakaan, mutta silloin kirjailijuus oli hengenvaarallista.
Esipuheessaan Groskop kertoo venäjän patronyymeistä sekä loputtomista diminutiivi- ja hellittelymuodoista. Riemastuttavaa kuunneltavaa, vaikka en osaakaan venäjää. Hän tuntee kirjailijansa, on lukenut laajalti heidän elämäkertojaan ja kertoo kirjailijoista paljon sellaista, mitä Wikipedia ei tiedä. Älä heittäydy junan alle on kerrassaan viihdyttävää ja sivistävää kuunneltavaa. Kirjailijoiden elämä ei ollut helppoa ennen Stalinin aikaakaan, mutta silloin kirjailijuus oli hengenvaarallista.
January 23, 2021
Pidin kirjailijan tyylistä yhdistää oman elämän tapahtumat ja venäläiset klassikot. Tuli hinku lukea Anna Karenina kunnolla, lukea uudestaan Kolme sisarta ja perehtyä Saatana saapuu Moskovaan -romaaniin.
June 10, 2021
Поучительный (в хорошем смысле) пример того, каким образом можно выстраивать свое отношение с литературой. Особенно интересен взгляд человека, которого не заставляли вымучивать сочинения на тему неба над Аустерлицем.
December 5, 2022
Just a fun and interesting book - a lightness to the heavy Russian authors that Groskop uses in her life lessons, plus knowledgeable stuff about their lives, plus stuff about her life, her pursuit into Russian, Russia, the soul of a Russian, believing that is where her last name originated from. I have read Anna Karenina and War and Peace and Cancer Ward and Turgenev and Chekhov, and other of the novels and short stories by these great Russian authors she discusses here, so I'm not scared off by the Russians, but for anyone interested in reading these great novels and nervous about it, and unsure how to start, this is a good book for you!
February 21, 2019
A total delight & reminded me why I love the Russians.
May 27, 2019
3 1/2 stars. Well now that I’ve dipped my toe in attempting to understand Russian literature through Viv Groskop’s life lessons I’m feeling inspired - but if I don’t get there I’m still a little wiser. Entertaining and informative.
June 30, 2020
Признаемся честно � большинству из нас ненависть к классике внушается где-то в период школьного образования. Когда человека в не самом усидчивом возрасте заставляют читать довольно сложные и объемные вещи. Да еще и потом заставляют писать собственные мысли на этот счет, одновременно ограничивая фантазию различными «Луч света в темном царстве» и прочими «Россия в творчестве...». Это когда и обычную захватывающую книгу прочитать сложно, а уж разобраться в своих мыслях и подавно невозможно. Что после этого можно требовать от взрослых людей, выросших из этих детей?
Не буду говорить обо всех, но у меня было именно так. Достоевский с его «комнатой похожей на гроб» или «дубина против шпаги» Толстого. И все, сейчас читать эти книги ��же и не хочется. Спасибо, уже начитался. Уж простите меня Алла Андреевна (учительница литературы и русского языка в моей школе), но русская классика у меня ассоциировалась только с какими-то высокими и глобальными смыслами о которых нужно говорить с придыханием и закатыванием глаз. Какое уж тут «чтение для себя»?
И вот появляется книга англичанки, которая тоже в свое время прочитала эти книги. Но делала она это по своему собственному желанию. Без боязни получить двойку за то, что не достаточно раскрыла четко заданную министерством образования тему в обязательном сочинении. Эту книгу я прочел с возрастающим интересом. Для начала через всю книгу проходит история самой авторши. Она увлекается Россией, учит русский язык, пытается понять, кто же она такая, к какому народу принадлежит, пытается найти друзей и свою любовь в этой загадочной стране.
Во-вторых, её подход к классической литературе. Она подмечает какие-то детали, которые нам, с нашим образованием, подмечать довольно сложно. На фоне в свое время внушенного учителями монументализма мы зачастую проходим мимо деталей. Каждый признанный обществом гений � тоже вдруг оказывается человеком, состоящий из достоинств и недостатков. А ведь в них самое интересное и загадочное. Им и посвящена большая часть каждой главы. Кроме этого, каждый автор того или иного произведения, рассматривается и как личность � каким он был в жизни, как пришел к той или иной истории. И делает это авторша с изрядной толикой юмора и последовательности.
Каждая из этих книг в свое время оказала на нее свое влияние, каким-то образом зацепила, отозвалась в ней. И поэтому ей захотелось написать историю прочтения и те уроки, которые она вынесла из этого произведения. Разобраться в том, что же за народ такой эти русские, через их произведения.
Надо сказать, что одной цели эта книга точно добилась. Мне теперь захотелось прочитать все эти книги. Просто, чтобы сравнить свое ощущение с ощущением «Вивочки». Найти в них то, что нашла эта англичанка. Человек со своим видением русской культуры, и «русскости». Понять, как же так получилось, что для нее эти книги стали своего рода маяками, а для меня, соотечественника этих авторов � нет. Поэтому большой спасибо этой книге. Может быть я дам классике еще один шанс.
Не буду говорить обо всех, но у меня было именно так. Достоевский с его «комнатой похожей на гроб» или «дубина против шпаги» Толстого. И все, сейчас читать эти книги ��же и не хочется. Спасибо, уже начитался. Уж простите меня Алла Андреевна (учительница литературы и русского языка в моей школе), но русская классика у меня ассоциировалась только с какими-то высокими и глобальными смыслами о которых нужно говорить с придыханием и закатыванием глаз. Какое уж тут «чтение для себя»?
И вот появляется книга англичанки, которая тоже в свое время прочитала эти книги. Но делала она это по своему собственному желанию. Без боязни получить двойку за то, что не достаточно раскрыла четко заданную министерством образования тему в обязательном сочинении. Эту книгу я прочел с возрастающим интересом. Для начала через всю книгу проходит история самой авторши. Она увлекается Россией, учит русский язык, пытается понять, кто же она такая, к какому народу принадлежит, пытается найти друзей и свою любовь в этой загадочной стране.
Во-вторых, её подход к классической литературе. Она подмечает какие-то детали, которые нам, с нашим образованием, подмечать довольно сложно. На фоне в свое время внушенного учителями монументализма мы зачастую проходим мимо деталей. Каждый признанный обществом гений � тоже вдруг оказывается человеком, состоящий из достоинств и недостатков. А ведь в них самое интересное и загадочное. Им и посвящена большая часть каждой главы. Кроме этого, каждый автор того или иного произведения, рассматривается и как личность � каким он был в жизни, как пришел к той или иной истории. И делает это авторша с изрядной толикой юмора и последовательности.
Каждая из этих книг в свое время оказала на нее свое влияние, каким-то образом зацепила, отозвалась в ней. И поэтому ей захотелось написать историю прочтения и те уроки, которые она вынесла из этого произведения. Разобраться в том, что же за народ такой эти русские, через их произведения.
Надо сказать, что одной цели эта книга точно добилась. Мне теперь захотелось прочитать все эти книги. Просто, чтобы сравнить свое ощущение с ощущением «Вивочки». Найти в них то, что нашла эта англичанка. Человек со своим видением русской культуры, и «русскости». Понять, как же так получилось, что для нее эти книги стали своего рода маяками, а для меня, соотечественника этих авторов � нет. Поэтому большой спасибо этой книге. Может быть я дам классике еще один шанс.
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