The stories in this collection are exceptional. Even though I have read multiple works of Tolstoy and Chekhov (fewer of Turgenev and Gogol), their stoThe stories in this collection are exceptional. Even though I have read multiple works of Tolstoy and Chekhov (fewer of Turgenev and Gogol), their stories compiled in this book felt as fresh and timeless as all classic works of Russian literature that provoke sensations of experiencing deep truths about the human experience. I also enjoyed, for the most part, Saunders's commentary on the stories, particularly his manner of peeling layers off of the stories in trying to understand what, really, were the storytellers trying to communicate. There is also plenty of good advice for aspiring short story writers and one can imagine Saunders's being an insightful instructor of creative writing. Understandably, there are also aspects of Saunders's essays that exhibit his American lens of reading these stories. E.g., in his essay on "The Cart", he writes the following about an uninspired school teacher from 19th century Russia - "...what kind of Russia is this that compels a person to work a job to which she has no calling, and be so reduced by it." Clearly there are billions of people in the world today, including millions in America, who work jobs to which they have no calling because they need to provide for themselves and their families. Nevertheless, such aspects are rare, and for the most part Saunders beautifully distils the humane essence of the stories and has a surgical precision to describe elements of the stories that help them retain their timelessness.
Highly recommended for anyone interested in Russian literature (and in the question - what makes Russian literature endure)....more
This book has a fresh voice, for the most part. Vijay's writing is commendable in creating several multidimensional characters and illustrating their This book has a fresh voice, for the most part. Vijay's writing is commendable in creating several multidimensional characters and illustrating their conflicts and moral dilemmas. Through the narrator, Shalini, one gets to know and understand several of the characters and empathize with them - in particular, Shalini's mother and father and the people she meets in Kashmir. At times, however, the writing loses track in favor of mild sensationalism and the actions of the characters appear forced in the narrative.
I also found it off-putting that all of the military characters in the book are largely unidimensional - unempathetic soldiers with a disdain for the Kashmiris. Vijay exhibits a lot of sensitivity in exploring how the lives of the locals got enmeshed in the conflict, often almost advocating that some locals had no other choice but to support international militants in Kashmir at the peak of the insurgency. None of that sensitivity is lent to the military men, thousands of whom have also lost their multidimensional lives only for serving orders of a state trying to tackle an intractable, messy, bloody conflict. Of course a writer has the artistic freedom to take sides in a political situation, yet in good writing, this bias should ideally not reflect in how characters belonging to different sides of such a conflict are developed....more
The parallels between Joshi's Foreigner and Camus's The Outsider are certainly well placed, however, Sindi (the narrator here) and Mersault differ in The parallels between Joshi's Foreigner and Camus's The Outsider are certainly well placed, however, Sindi (the narrator here) and Mersault differ in one important way: their acceptance of indifference.
Mersault is confident of his indifference, he doesn't quiver about the outcomes of his detachment, and in the true spirit of Camus, he confronts the meaninglessness of life head on, without being doubtful of his thoughts and actions. In that respect, Sindi is an early stage of Mersault. Sindi appears to believe in the meaninglessness of life, but is unable to detach himself from the meaning and outcomes of his actions.
This inherent contradiction between his beliefs and actions permeate throughout the novel and lead to the catastrophes that he considers himself responsible for. The contradictions are most apparent in his reflections about love. When Marie asks Mersault for marriage, he agrees, while saying that it doesn't matter either way. When June asks Sindi for marriage, he denies and goes on to explain why he doesn't believe in the institution of marriage. I use this example (which may seem like a spoiler, but is not, given the natural expectations from these characters) to illustrate the essence of why the foreignness and indifference of Sindi is incomplete, and that the novel is an exploration of his journey from a misplaced belief of being indifferent to truly being indifferent. While reading the novel, I initially thought that Joshi's narration falters in places because of these contradictions in the character of Sindi. But things fall in place eventually when one perceives that Sindi is an evolving character.
Joshi's writing is sharp as ever. His keen observation of the hypocrisy of the Indian urban elite (in this case the business elite) is characteristically clear and revealing. His continued themes of the absurdity of life and the search for an appropriate way to live find a different outlet in this novel, and it is here that I felt a bit disappointed. I think Joshi restricted himself in the exploration of what "foreignness" truly means. He shied away from exploring the myriad ways in which foreignness reveals itself, in how "at any street corner the feeling of absurdity can strike any man in the face." I do not intend to over-compare Joshi with Camus, but even if I hadn't read Camus, I think I would have found Foreigner lacking in developing the full meaning of what it means to feel like a foreigner....more
Dostoyevsky is, unsurprisingly, as clear and penetrating in his short fiction as in his more famous longer works. His usual alienated, troubled, and iDostoyevsky is, unsurprisingly, as clear and penetrating in his short fiction as in his more famous longer works. His usual alienated, troubled, and introspective characters come alive, not at all restricted by the length of the work, and express with utmost simplicity and clarity, thoughts that we bury deep within us. In a few pages, he manages to condense an immense complexity of emotions surrounding unrequited love.
While it would be an injustice to the brilliance of this story to quote one particular sentence, must say that this one struck a deep chord: "As it is, every one seems harsher than he really is, as though all were afraid of doing injustice to their feelings, by being too quick to express them." ...more
What a poignant book! Ishiguro writes with such tightness that the reader only gets to know as much as they should to crave for more, but are left entWhat a poignant book! Ishiguro writes with such tightness that the reader only gets to know as much as they should to crave for more, but are left entirely at the mercy of the narrator. The narration of Mr. Stevens is precise to the extent that one may be forgiven to think of him as a person who existed in flesh and blood, and who went at great lengths to not betray his emotions by writing in an extremely formal English, but nevertheless gave away just the tiniest bits and pieces to make the reader empathize with him at a deep level. This is storytelling at its best....more
With a vast erudition and a complex mind, Borges had an uncanny ability to construct fantastic worlds in his stories, essays, and poetry. His obsessioWith a vast erudition and a complex mind, Borges had an uncanny ability to construct fantastic worlds in his stories, essays, and poetry. His obsession with time, memories, books, theology, obscure mythologies, dreams, labyrinths and crime ooze out of the works selected in this anthology. In one essay he offers a "refutation of time", and in a subsequent story he mocks a fictional writer for offering a refutation of time. His characters are cursed by memories - some can remember literally everything while others are reminded of a long lost, often painful memory, due to a new chance occurrence. The theology and mysticism of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism, all find a reverent and curios reader, and a diligent writer, in Borges. Time, reality, and space take highly imaginative twists in his crime dramas.
While he was renowned for prose, it is said that he was personally more interested in poetry. This collection comprises some of his most beautiful poems - Limits, The Other Tiger, The Moon, and The Art of Poetry. The first four lines of The Art of Poetry have enchanted me ever since I first read them on a print-out pasted in the lab-office of dear friend, chemical engineer, and poet. To gaze at a river made of time and water and remember Time is another river. To know we stray like a river and our faces vanish like water.
I first read Borges about seven years ago, and have kept returning to his works, rereading some of the stories and poems several times. I have always felt a dizziness as his world of fluid time, dreams, labyrinths, and obscure books and prophecies has encircled me. Every time I have gone back to reading Borges, I have felt afraid that perhaps the magic will disappear. Not yet!...more
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