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in all classic books there is trait of you my friend

So kind of you to say so, dear Ina - I'm delighted to see you wish to read Oblomov, I was deeply moved by it. And quoting a Russian GR friend "I think this work captures every aspect of the Russian attitude, intellect, emotion, soul, and lifestyle from the most superficial level to the very deep."

Yeah, in our reverie.

This book came up in my other readings today. I hope to get to it soon and this very gray afternoon in Madrid seems a perfect setting to emulate Oblomov.

These Russian classics, they always seem to deliver. A fine endorsement Ilse. Another one to add to the pile!

You capture this very well, Ilse. I was too indolent to write a review and kept procrastinating.

I was just thinking how recognizable Oblomov is and then you said it. This reminds me a bit of Hanta in Too Loud a Solitude. Wonderfully written, Ilse.

Graziano wrote: "Yeah, in our reverie."
I was reading 'The kiss' by Chekhov, on an officer succumbing to day-dreaming, and when a friend posted a quote from 'Oblomov' I thought of this novel again, how sweet day-dreaming can be, forgetting for a while deadlines and rushing, Graziano :-).

This novel has waited so patiently in the well of my bedside table--over five years, at least. It's inching into the 2020 picture, thanks to your encouragement!

Kalliope wrote: "This book came up in my other readings today. I hope to get to it soon and this very gray afternoon in Madrid seems a perfect setting to emulate Oblomov."
It is a classic all worth it, Kalliope, the kind of book that makes one day-dream of snuggling close to the fire with a blanket (but maybe that is just me being flu-ish at the moment ;-)) - the protagonist is quite unforgettable, I'd like to read some more on the influence of the character on later Russian fiction (maybe I could find some more on that in the book you recommended and which meanwhile has arrived here too :-)).

Had this book for quite a while in my TBR pile now but I better put this up my priority list. Your review is quite infectious Ilse, more so amusingly reflective and concise. In days when life feels too mundane, I would have loved to live in daydreams in bed myself!

What a lovely review, Ilse! You’ve just sold it to a Russian who only read Oblomov years ago at school (one of the least favourite Russian classics of mine which I thought I’d one day try to reconsider) :)

Steven wrote: "These Russian classics, they always seem to deliver. A fine endorsement Ilse. Another one to add to the pile!"
So often they are indeed rewarding and enjoyable, Steven, thank you. This one asks to be read in a horizontal position :-).

TBV wrote: "You capture this very well, Ilse. I was too indolent to write a review and kept procrastinating."
Good one, TBV :-D. If it hadn't been for my son who reminded me of Oblomov when he expressed his wish for the school year to be over so he could simply stay in bed for two months, I wouldn't have recycled these old lines by machine-translating them ;-).

Cheryl wrote: "I was just thinking how recognizable Oblomov is and then you said it. This reminds me a bit of Hanta in Too Loud a Solitude. Wonderfully written, Ilse."
Thank you very much, Cheryl - having slept big chunks of the day away warmly wrapped up in a blanket on the sofa, Oblomov's day-dreaming and impossibility to get himself to act resemble some moments in real life :-). You make an interesting point on Hanta. In the tone, the day-dreaming and the humour of both Oblomov and Hrabal's book are certainly similarities, the latter however being tragic rather than comical in the end, Hanta being more like Don Quichote than Oblomov...

Nice review! Makes me think how many Russian works are still out there for me to discover!

Ken wrote: "This novel has waited so patiently in the well of my bedside table--over five years, at least. It's inching into the 2020 picture, thanks to your encouragement!"
If there is any novel which is patient like its protagonist, it would be this one, Ken. If this post would have been helpful in tickling you to get to the novel, I am glad having recycled it. Not something I would recommend to read when you are tense mood or are in a hurry however, you might loose patience with dear Oblomov :-).

No worries, Ilse. I like "nothing much happens" books as long as they contain great characterization or great description or great figurative language.

Oh. Or great je ne sais quoi which, by definition, is hard to describe.

I originally bought the book because of an essay about I read (not this link, which simply explains it). Apparently Oblomov the Man is a perfect example of non-action in action, if you'll forgive the pun.

Joshie wrote: "Had this book for quite a while in my TBR pile now but I better put this up my priority list. Your review is quite infectious Ilse, more so amusingly reflective and concise. In days when life feels too mundane, I would have loved to live in daydreams in bed myself! "
Thank you very much for your kind comment, Joshie �� I have such fond memories of this book, it made me laugh many times. You have to be a bit in the mood for slowness to enjoy it fully, but at the time I read it I could imagine very well dreaming one’s day away and not wanting to let expectations of others force you into paths you’d rather not go :-). Your thoughts about such all too mundane days remind me of my daughter who delights in holding a ‘pyjama’s day�� now and then, letting her pyjamas talk on such days, having a print on it with a sleeping kitten asking ‘can I stay in bed today��?

Netta wrote: "What a lovely review, Ilse! You’ve just sold it to a Russian who only read Oblomov years ago at school (one of the least favourite Russian classics of mine which I thought I’d one day try to reconsider :-)."

Thank you very much, Netta, you made my day :-D! You make me curious why Oblomov resonated less with you when you read it at school than other Russian classics (the characters, the slowness , the insolence)? A GR friend is posting quotes of the book at the moment, and they often make me laugh, also because Oblomov reminds me a little of my son who needed a whole Saturday to read half a page (and who sadly thinks this novel too big an effort to read :-)).

Vicky wrote: "Nice review! Makes me think how many Russian works are still out there for me to discover!"
Thank you very much, Vicky! It's the same here, in a way I like that there seems ever more to discover :-). I have borrowedThe Petty Demon three times from the library since october, and silly enough I haven't managed yet to read just one page in it ;-).

Ilse wrote: "Thank you very much, Netta, you made my day :-D! You make me curious why Oblomov resonated less with you when you read it at school than other Russian classics (the characters, the slowness , the insolence)? A GR friend is posting quotes of the book at the moment, and they often make me laugh, also because Oblomov reminds me a little of my son who needed a whole Saturday to read half a page (and who sadly thinks this novel too big an effort to read :-))."
I've been thinking about that recently, because apparently I missed the charm of many classical books :) First and foremost, our teacher loved to explain us what we should feel and think about every book we read so much, that in the end it was impossible to actually feel something for the book. Second, characters like Oblomov irked me at school. I remember hating nearly everything about him, because a) we are (were?) too different to resonate b) he was written so brilliantly that he felt like a real impetuous person.
I think, the main problem of reading and enjoying such novels at school is that being a teenager, you normally don't look for exquisite slow-paced narrative, you look for events, characters and plot twists that make you feel things in the same way as books like Lord of the Rings do. Unfortunately, classics rarely offers that to teenagers (and teachers rarely use their opportunity to help, at least mine didn't grab it at all).

Het halve boek in bed doorbrengen ? Herman Brusselmans' gebruik van deze roman voor een pagina in 'uitgeverij Guggenheimer' was dan toch een beetje geïnspireerd "ik had het hoofdpersonage liggend op een chaise lounge afgebeeld, maar uw drukker heeft het kaftonwerp zodanig verknoeid..." "ik dacht al, geen enkele Rus schreef ooit over een neger op een mesthoop geschreven" (dialoog genoteerd uit het hoofd)

Ken wrote: "No worries, Ilse. I like "nothing much happens" books as long as they contain great characterization or great description or great figurative language.
A good pun : -) Thank you for the article explaining wu wei, Ken �� I am not sure Oblomov the Man has reached or will ever reach that stage, it is too long ago I’ve read the book but I’d love to hear your thoughts on him from that perspective too if you would get to read the book : -). ‘Nothing much happens�� would be a perfect short review for quite a few books I have loved reading :p

Netta wrote: I've been thinking about that recently, because apparently I missed the charm of many classical books :) First and foremost, our teacher loved to explain us what we should feel and think about every book we read so much, that in the end it was impossible to actually feel something for the book.
I think it is clever to think about such things, Netta - and for Oblomov you point at a few that make entirely sense to me. (sometimes the reasons can be pretty mundane, reading with flu for instance ;p). What you describe your teacher did was one of the reasons I didn’t venture into studying languages/literature at university �� I was afraid it would kill all pleasure in reading �� our teachers had the habit of analysing some books line for line for weeks with the whole class which I experienced as pure dread (with some odd exceptions, like ‘Lucifer�� by Vondel). So I can relate to your experience, many books I had to read for school I didn’t manage to enjoy �� the mandatory reading was rather off-putting, and as this was often Flemish literature for me the incidental discovery of some Russian classics was pretty exciting (very few of those Flemish books are translated, in case one is I sometimes am astonished finding an enthusiast review of a friend here on that old school stuff…a schoolish context isn’t always stimulating). Oblomov’s temperament I think would speak to few teenagers��: -) (though I recognize him in my 17 year old son, I don’t think he would). I think finding books which speak to a whole class of so different teenagers is an almost impossible task for a teacher: some read much, some a book a year, some like fantasy, adventure, detective, others not at all �� I recall as a teenager I hated books/films written from the perspective of a child �� (maybe I am still not so fond of that perspective : - ( - as I was curious for the adult world and not for one we were leaving behind us! And that child perspective seemed exactly the one that teachers liked us to read…maybe thinking it would make it easier for us to empathise?

Dimitri wrote: "Het halve boek in bed doorbrengen ? Herman Brusselmans' gebruik van deze roman voor een pagina in 'uitgeverij Guggenheimer' was dan toch een beetje geïnspireerd "ik had het hoofdpersonage liggend op een chaise lounge afgebeeld, maar uw drukker heeft het kaftonwerp zodanig verknoeid..."
Dimitri, wat een fenomenaal geheugen heb jij! Ik botste op volgende passage in Guggenheim die er inderdaad op wijst dat Brusselmans het wel degelijk over dit boek had. (ik stop het maar even achter spoilers)
(view spoiler)[Moet u namelijk zien wat Crommenie van m’n kaftontwerp heeft gemaakt. Hij rukte een boek van Debbies bureau, en gaf het aan Guggenheimer.
’O����������Ǵ���.�� las Guggenheimer, ‘Gotsarov. Dat moet dus Oblomov ���������
‘en Gontsjarow,�� zei Debbie.
‘Ja, ja…Voor de rest is het niet lelijk��.Leuke neger hier op die mesthoop…��
‘Dat is het net, meneer Guggenheimer�� riep De Meeuw, ‘het is helemaal geen neger op een mesthoop! Ik had het hoofdpersonage Oblomov getekend op een chaise longue maar Crommenie heeft m’n ontwerp zodanig verkeerd afgedrukt en m’n inkleuring op zo’n manier naar de kloten geholpen dat er van mijn idee niks meer overblijft.��
‘Ik dacht al, waarom zou een Rus ooit over een neger op een mesthoop schrijven. Let op, de Russen zijn rare gasten, maar een Rus die over een neger op een mesthoop schrijft in kerstkaartenletters, nee, die moet nog uitgevonden worden��. (hide spoiler)]

Als het me zou lukken om te lezen in bed, zou ik er waarschijnlijk ook meer tijd in doorbrengen : -).



Wat vind je van Brusselmans als schrijver?

Ilse wrote: "What you describe your teacher did was one of the reasons I didn’t venture into studying languages/literature at university �� I was afraid it would kill all pleasure in reading �� our teachers had the habit of analysing some books line for line for weeks with the whole class which I experienced as pure dread (with some odd exceptions, like ‘Lucifer�� by Vondel)."
Mine had that habit too! And it definitely kills the joy of reading (in fact I know some people who refused to read classics at all after those lectures, which, I presume, not what was intended).

A couple of days ago I found an old copy of Oblomov in my home library, and I ought to tell you, it's fascinating the second time around (not sure, though, if Oblomov would be irritating this time or not).

One would think one of the purposes of teaching the classcis is enthusing pupils to go on reading them instead of putting them off :-).

Delighted to hear the novel this time seems to speak so much more to you, Netta, thank you very much for returning here to tell me! I'd love to hear if your thoughts and feelings on Monsieur Oblomov have changed....

Ilse wrote: "Wat vind je van Brusselmans als schrijver? "
Hij doet zichzelf tekort! Hij is een taalvaardig Germanist vb. Helmut Lotti als "ouwelijke jongen" is de beste zie-het-voor-je omschrijving in 2 woorden ooit. Zijn Guggenheimers en Ex-Drummer bewijzen dat hij een conventioneel plot kan uitwerken dat niet autobiografisch is (vgl. de man die werk vond) dus hij kan beter dan oeverloos sociaal commentaar en BV's afbreken.

Wel de Vlaamsche Salinger als je hem ontdekt als vroege tiener :
ik ben geobsedeerd & haat alles & iedereen !

'Ouwelijke jongen', puntgave typering :-).

Ik las maar één boek van hem en sommige stukjes in de Humo (lang geleden, toen hij nog over Ann Demeulemeester schreef) - (wellicht ging ik er wat te snel van uit dat al zijn boeken wel hetzelfde zullen zijn omdat hij er zo compulsief veel bleef produceren - ik volg je wat betreft zijn benijdenswaardige taalvaardigheid).

'Ik haat alles en iedereen', misschien moet ik hem op mijn oude dag dan toch maar eens gaan lezen, Dimitri, al is het enkel om toch een beetje die moppersmurf van een tienerzoon te begrijpen :-) (of hem er misschien mee aan het lezen te krijgen, kijk nu ben ik alweer aan het dagdromen :-)!

That's quite sure. We all have something from Oblomov, as we have some from Porphyry Petrovitch, for ex, in certain periods of our life.

You transport me back in times, Theodor, it would only be right to return to Crime and Punishment after having spent 3/5 of my life in law.

Gently encouraging our fellow humans to do the right thing without forcing them like PP, overcoming our inner Oblomov, isn't that a worthy purpose in life?

A beautiful utopia, indeed. Until then, we are nothing more than an amalgam of both...

It might be not a bad thing to be an amalgam of both, and do a few good things instead of just dreaming all the time, but the latter now and then doesn't harm either, we cannot be heroes all the time (I admit I might be just looking for an excuse to continue not doing what I should do, Theodor :-))

You see, Ilse, everything starts from here.
This " we should be" - blocks our reason for being ourselves, in many cases resulting the reverse of one's own will. Of course, it's not universally applicable.. It's just an option .

Terrific review, Ilse!

Théodore wrote: "You see, Ilse, everything starts from here.
This " we should be" - blocks our reason for being ourselves, in many cases resulting the reverse of one's own will."
Wise words, Théodore, thank you! It was only when a very dear friend told me how many times I spoke in 'I should' terms that I realised how much extra tension and pressure I am loading on myself that way! It was truly helpful in teaching me how to let go :-).

Henning wrote: "Terrific review, Ilse!"
Thank you so much, Henning! I really hope you are enjoying the book and look forward to your thoughts!

I didn't know this novel is funny. You've just sold it to me 😀

Love this book!

Elena wrote: "I didn't know this novel is funny. You've just sold it to me 😀"
I think you won't be sorry reading this, Elena, the main character is simply unforgettable. I have such fond memories of reading this book, smiling again thinking about it :-). I hope to read your thoughts on it sooner or later!

Andrew wrote: "Love this book!"
Lovely to hear that, Andrew, I love it too!

Of course, @Ilse. Oblomovs are around us and within us and Oblomovism is a pan-global phenomenon. It doesn’t take much to sense some of those soporific meetings where there’s a lot of bluster and blather, as Oblomovs cry plaintively on the job not done, while the Zahars may be grumbling about the fact that the Oblomov may need to step aside for a day for him and his comrade to do the clean-up work. Hilariously poignant novel. What a masterpiece from Goncharov! His metier is in his Argus-eyedness for details, while wrapping it in poker-faced comic narrative style. Hilariously moving! 🤣🙏

Loved how you applied Oblomovism to meetings, Rex - I've just cleared out old boxes with reports from staff meetings at work, quite fun to see the 'to do' list repeated month after month and the excuses why things couldn't be done returning :). On the novel, how well you captured his hilarious style! I am looking forward to your review.

Ilse wrote: "Loved how you applied Oblomovism to meetings, Rex - On the novel, how well you captured his hilarious style! I am looking forward to your review"

Thanks, Ilse. 😄 Reading this classic epic is a cerebral exercise to recollect many Oblomovs in our daily-lives.

Sure thing, will review as soon as I am done with this David Magarshack's translation am currently enjoying. Thank you. 👍

moment of solemn stillness in nature, when the creative mind works more actively perhaps this is what I've been missing

Rex wrote: 😄 Reading this classic epic is a cerebral exercise to recollect many Oblomovs in our daily-lives.

You make me wonder if I ever met anyone who seems actually as much affected by Oblomovism as me, Rex - but it is a fascinating exercise for sure (pondering, some friends are effectively popping up in my foggy mind...:)).

Sure thing, will review as soon as I am done with this David Magarshack's translation am currently enjoying.

Excellent, I look forward to your thoughts!

Very nice review, IIse. And yes, there is a little of Oblomov in all of us. Great taste.

I know we had to read this in school but I can't remember reading it. perhaps I should now? oh these russians with their huge books.

Joseph wrote: "Very nice review, IIse. And yes, there is a little of Oblomov in all of us. Great taste."
Thank you so much for stopping by and leaving such a kind comment, Joseph! Sleeping, dreaming, life can be sweet :).