Doctor Zhivago

I liked it although I wouldn't place it in the greatest of the Russian realist tradition but it is very good, watching the movie afterward made me appreciate the novel more although I would hesitantly put the movie higher.

>>9570902
I've been meaning to read it, but have a lot of books further up on the list

I bought a copy a month ago but then I read a comment by Nabokov who said it sucked and I got put off from reading it.

i haven't read it, but i denounce it.

>>9570902
currently reading it now, almost to book 2. i've seen the film as well.

it's been a bit frustrating that the novel is so disjointed. the reading is going slowly for me, been working at this since end of april. i really like reading the parts with lara, but the parts with yuri seem flat and boring. i know that the novel isn't supposed to function as an analogy, but really struggling to see why pasternak and this novel are so famous (inb4 cia cold war plot). all that said, i'll stick it out to the end, maybe the 2nd half when things move to the urals and the poetry at the end will make me revise my opinion. i think i'll be glad to have read it, but won't ever read it again

>>9571880
nabokov said a lot of snarky things about other russian authors. i love me some nabokov, but i'm also pretty convinced that he was just a shitty person who liked to shit on others when he wanted to look good. like his opinions on william faulkner, henry james, albert camus, and fyodor dostoevsky, and his relationship with edmund wilson. i'm in the process of reading DZ now, while not having my mind blown, i can't say i agree with his criticism of it enough to not want to experience it for myself or urge others not to read it

It's dreck, is ignoring Pasternak's poetry while reading this schlock an exclusively burger phenomenon?

>>9570902
>The way he describes and writes women gives me a boner

>>9571921
What else did he say about Faulkner other than the corncob stuff?

I'll fucking shit on his grave.

>>9571924
its good, but yes it is a buger thing. the CIA funded publication of this book as part of the cold war propaganda machine. there are extensive articles discussing this.

>>9571924
His best poetry is a russian translation of shakespeares sonnets cant exactly read that in english can you

>>9571924
Фeвpaль. Дocтaть чepнил и плaкaть!
Пиcaть o фeвpaлe нaвзpыд,
Пoкa гpoхoчyщaя cлякoть
Becнoю чepнoю гopит.

Дocтaть пpoлeткy. Зa шecть гpивeн,
Чpeз блaгoвecт, чpeз клик кoлec,
Пepeнecтиcь тyдa, гдe ливeнь
Eщe шyмнeй чepнил и cлeз.

Гдe, кaк oбyглeнныe гpyши,
C дepeвьeв тыcячи гpaчeй
Copвyтcя в лyжи и oбpyшaт
Cyхyю гpycть нa днo oчeй.

Пoд нeй пpoтaлины чepнeют,
И вeтep кpикaми изpыт,
И чeм cлyчaйнeй, тeм вepнee
Cлaгaютcя cтихи нaвзpыд.

It's okay, but nothing mindblowing. His poetry is absolutely top tier, though. Shame no English translation does it justice. Hopefully someone skilled will fix it.

>>9571921
nabokov was full of it

he ripped on dostoevsky ruthlessly and loved bely's "petersburg." But Petersburg is so full of Dostoevsky, every time it sneezes a little bit of Demons or Crime and Punishment comes out. there's either a lack of insight or honesty there.