Product Description

Turgenev's masterpiece about the conflict between generations is as fresh, outspoken, and exciting today as it was in when it was first published in 1862. The controversial portrait of Bazarov, the energetic, cynical, and self-assured `nihilist' who repudiates the romanticism of his elders, shook Russian society. Indeed the image of humanity liberated by science from age-old conformities and prejudices is one that can threaten establishments of any political or religious persuasion, and is especially potent in the modern era. This new translation, specially commissioned for the World's Classics, is the first to draw on Turgenev's working manuscript, which only came to light in 1988.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #135439 in Books
• Published on: 1998-03-05
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 296 pages

Customer Reviews

19th Century Russian Classic
'Fathers and Sons' is arguably Turgenev's greatest work. It is very accessible to the reader, and excellently written. Turgenev is renowned for his masterful ability to construct realistic dialogues and this novel does not disappoint in this respect. But 'Fathers and Sons' is also a novel of ideas and Turgenev analyses some of the ideas and sentiments which were later to have such an important influence on Russian society.

This novel follows Bazarov, a self-proclaimed nihilist, and his friend and pupil Arkady Nikolayevich Kirsanov as they return from their studies in Petersburg to the province in which their fathers reside. The tale is tangled with arguments and discussions about politics and philosophy, and of course it is also complicated by a heavy dose of love. As another reviewer has mentioned, the author's treatment of nihilism as a philosophy is particularly interesting and enlightening.

Turgenev is adept, as other reviewers have noted, at accurately describing different emotions and even at evoking those emotions in his readers; something of which precious few writers are capable. The subject of love, both romantic and mat/paternal, is dealt with extremely skilfully by the author and betrays the understanding of someone who has undoubtedly been exposed to those feelings himself.

'Fathers and Sons' then, leaves the reader with the sense that he/she has participated as a quiet observer in Bazarov and Arkady's journeys, and that Turgenev has enabled one to better appreciate love and the relationship between father and son, amongst other things. This is a book that deserves to be read, appreciated, and pondered over long after it has been closed. It's core relevance has not been diminished by the century-and-a-half since it was written.

Nihilism dissected
FATHERS AND SONS treats Nihilism far more succinctly than any book I can think of and brought the idea to the ordinary mind through true to life characters that we can relate to. It is important because the ideas and methods of the most notorious Nihilists-Nechayev is considered to be very important by Al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations.

Bazarov who is the hero of the novel, is skeptical of people, institutions, ideas, and all the other trappings of civilization and does not hide his willingness to go about bringing down what he rejects.

Friedrich Nietzsche put forward an argument that the corrosive effects of Nihilism would eventually destroy all moral, religious, and metaphysical convictions and precipitate the greatest crisis in human history. Nihilistic themes such as epistemological failure, value destruction, and cosmic purposelessness--have preoccupied artists, social critics, and philosophers in the 20th century.

The fact that patterns of nihilism were indeed a conspicuous feature of collapsing civilizations, means it should be taken seriously. Its resurgence had an effect in the collapse of states, especially in Eastern Europe. Overall, this poetically written and entertaining classical novel deserves the highest of respects. In addition to UNION MOUJIK, classic Russian Stories like CRIME AND PUNISHMENT, DEAD SOULS,A HERO OF THE TIME are recommended reads that not only expose the depths of ideas, but also the effects they have on political minds.

surprisingly easy-to-read
This book was a set text on my comparative fiction course at university - it took barely a day to complete. What gives it a modern feel is its emphasis on dialogue rather than the weighty descriptive pieces which tend to characterise Victorian prose. Any polyglot will tell you that much is subtly lost in all translations. My translation was particularly sloppy at times - but the central themes were nevertheless conveyed to me, teaching me a little about the Nihilist movement abounding circa 1860 although not too much about Russian society. Indeed, the novel has a certain cosmopolitan feel to it. Bazarov's dogged, dry contempt towards Romantic 'rubbish' is striking and often amusing, while Madam Odintsov provides an interesting female counterpart, who may or may not be harbouring 'Romantic' sentiments herself, beneath her Russian ice queen facade. The only moments to leave at least a short-term impression on the reader include the voiced philosophical musings of these two characters, for whom happiness always seems to be 'existent elsewhere'.