My goodness, thank you for this review! I’m an avid reader. I read some challenging stuff. But I agree with your critiques! There are some incredibly beautiful passages and that’s what got me through 1/3 of the book. But I simply couldn’t go on. Read books that challenge you but ones you also enjoy. Life is too short to slog through books you can’t stomach.
I have since wondered if I had read a different translation, maybe I would have enjoyed the book more? Definitely if I knew more about Russian history that could have changed the experience as you can see from some of the other comments. But this was my experience and I stand by it. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with me! I appreciate your thoughts and time. I hope to hear from you again! 💛
Hi there! Thanks for the review, it was interesting to hear somebody else’s opinion on this book. I am Russian and I recently read this book, obviously, in Russian. I think this is the case when a movie didn’t do any good to a book. People often think that this is a love story. I disagree. And if it is a love story then a terrible one. In my opinion the relationships just reflect the complexity of the situation the main character finds himself in. And by that I mean a turmoil of the First World War, Russian Revolution and the Civil War afterwards. Unfortunately for an unprepared reader this book doesn’t give a historical overview, although these events play crucial role in Zhivago’s life. And this is where the problem begins. Again, it’s just my opinion but knowing how difficult the time was, knowing how many people perished due to famine and terror, I was so surprised to see what Zhivago does. Basically he does nothing. It made me think that it was Pasternak’s idea to show a disagreeable with the current politics human being, who says one thing but acts differently. He is opposed to revolution and big changes but at the same time doesn’t resist those circumstances. Maybe Pasternak wanted to show the state of giving up and letting oneself freely swim in the dark waters of history. Maybe. I agree the main female characters are basically non-existent. When I closed the book I was furious at the author. Why would he put all the women in such horrifying situation without even showing the strength of their spirit and an independence of their opinions?? Later I started to think that it was simply not Pasternak’s goal. Despite of it all, I do really like a couple of things in this novel. First of all, different Russian dialects. I can’t imagine how exactly it was conveyed in the translation but I hope they’ve done a good job. Secondly, I enjoyed the ending of the book. It transmits the inevitable consequences of the revolution: a complete disconnection with the posteriority. His daughter is not anything like him and we are left to think out what happened to his other kids. The problem of waifs and orphans had a huge impact on the whole society of Soviet Union. There is this famous novel The Republic of ShKID, which addresses this issue particularly. So the last pages of Doctor Zhivago just made me think of it. I am really sorry if this is the beginning of your acquaintance with Russian literature. It is a tough one. But as people noted here already, Russian classics have plenty of other masterpieces :) Thanks again for sharing your thoughts!
Yulya, hello! Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts about this book. We don’t always get to hear from people where the novel takes place who see the turn of history from a completely different perspective. I definitely am not giving up on Russian literature, but my lack of historical knowledge definitely played into my experience of reading the book. Again, I am so glad you left this extremely thoughtful comment. I have read Anna Karenina. Do you have a recommendation for what I should try next?
@@booksimnotreading you are welcome :) if you want more romance in your life then I think The Garnet Bracelet by Kuprin, or Eugen Onegin by Pushkin, or First Love by Turgenev are a way to go. I haven’t read much of Tolstoy but I am planning to read Anna Karenina, then War and Pease, and then his notes on religion, art, and history. So I am going to read them both more from the perspective of the historical philosophy/philosophy of art. But I am sure one can find thousand meanings and come up with hundreds of interpretations of his works. I think somebody already mentioned Chekhov so I assume you already know about his oeuvre. All his short stories are a good introduction to Russian literature. My personal favorite is a play Woe from Wit by Griboyedov. We studied it at school and it is one of the things that I actually was capable to appreciate at that time :D I will repeat one name I already mentioned since we literally grow up on his works. I am talking about Pushkin of course. We read his fairytales in kindergarten, then memorize his poems in the middle school and then analyze his prose in high school. So he is aways around :) I personally like his short story The Queen of Spades, which Tchaikovsky later adopted to the eponymous opera. The opera is also really good. I hope that will help you! :)
Thank you so much for this great comment English is my second language and i was very confuse with this book I appreciate your imput Now, what do you think about Ukraine conflict?
@@magogilson1 you are welcome. I think it’s a mistake and a great tragedy and it shouldn’t have happened 😔 I hope one day we as a nation realize all the mistakes of our past and find atonement. At least on the political level, like Willy Brandt in Western Germany, for example.
I remember loving descriptions of the scenery and the atmosphere of political unrest. But I didn’t really like Yuri and he totally disgusted me when he leaves his pregnant wife basically because he’s bored and goes off to Lara. I was like: Screw you, Yuri! I think I read it when I was about 8 months pregnant with my second child (28 years ago). I never got over being angry at him.. LOL.
Hey, just for the record. Yuri tries to break off the affair. He tells Lara this and she weeps but understands: and very dramatically you will recall that that afternoon en route home to Tonya and his family for good : Yuri is kidnapped by the White army for eighteen months. He disappears - and Lara just thinks he's gone home, and his family just do not know. During this time he thinks of his family all the time. He never leaves Tonya because he is bored - his situation is not boring, he is in love with Lara, or at least a long standing image of her as 'the one' and has guilt and anxiety about it all the time - especially because she is pregnant - which he mentions all the time. He is at fault for his affair, but he never leaves Tonya. When he returns he has to go to Lara first because she is en route and in a city, and Tonya last lived in an isolated quarter of Varkino which was sacked by the white army. Tonya went to Moscow and was banished - to where no one is sure. So, he stays with Lara and her daughter. In Yuri's defence, he never walks out on his wife .
The book had no editor and it shows, regardless, it depicts a turbulent series of revolution, ww1, revolution again, civil war and subsequent corruption of a society. Yuri was a metaphor for the russian people being cast about during this time, and his hope was the power of Love needed to continue living. How it won a Nobel prize made sense if you consider operation AEdinosaur which the CIA used this novel as a tool in the cold war, disseminating this piece back to Russia as a critique on its history. Using literature to change the world.
Thank you for your honest review! I've only read one Russian Classic so far which is Anna Karenina. I tried to start reading The Master and the Margarita and I found it pretty confusing. I plan to go back to it one day once I have more of an understanding of Russia.
Hello! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. I was supposed to read The Master and the Margarita for a book club long ago, but I didn't even attempt it. There's just something so intimidating (to me) about Russian literature. Do you agree?
@@booksimnotreading There's definitely a higher barrier to entry than other books. I find myself reading a bit more background information online while I am reading, but I feel like a bucket list thing to do would be to take a class in Russian Lit one day haha :)
Thank you for an honest, candid review. Russian literature has substantial barriers to entry and ‘Zhivago’ is a particularly bad place to start, particularly when you’re not familiar with the relevant historical background. Moreover, the author writes in the tradition of the ‘Tolstoyian’ epic which can be confounding for the uninitiated. Naturally, none of this is your fault. This is clearly the wrong book for you at this particular moment of your life. We’ve all been there! One of the great joys of reading is the rediscovery and reinterpretation of a book. If you feel it’s worthwhile, perhaps give it time and eventually try to connect through a different translation. ( I enjoyed the P&V translation). In the meantime, I’ve always thought that Chekov is an ideal introduction to Russian literature. It’s been a long time since I watched the film, although I fondly remember the vistas, the score and a few beautiful moments. You’ve inspired me to rewatch it! Hope you’re having a great day. Happy reading!
@@booksimnotreading Well, I’m delighted to hear from you too! 😁 RandomHouse published a wonderful selection translated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky : “Selected Stories of Anton Chekhov”, my favourite short story is “ Ward No 6”. I hope you enjoy it. As a very broad recommendation, I’ve always enjoyed any Russian work translated by Pevear and Volokhonsky, they really seem to be the best team working in the area at present. If you enjoyed “Anna Karenina”, check out Tolstoy’s short fiction such as “ The Cossacks” and “Master & Man”. In general, I’m more comfortable recommending Russian short fiction as its more time-friendly while retaining an emotional punch. In contrast, something requiring the commitment of “War and Peace” would be an ordeal if approached at the wrong moment of someone’s life. Finally, many authors of the 19th century tended to write under the presumption of historical knowledge in their audience. Modern readers, understandably, struggle in this area. A good biography of Napoleon ( like the one by Andrew Roberts) is very useful, ( Napoleon pops up in “War and Peace”, “Les Miserables”, “Monte Christo”.......), as is the work of Robert Massie. Wikipedia also helps a lot. Forgive the essay- length comment! Enjoy the rest of your weekend. I look forward to your next video.
Hi Kelly! Thanks for your review! I have not tackled "Doctor Zhivago" (yet!), though I did see the David Lean movie. Pasternak initially studied music, then switched to philosophy, then wrote poetry. I've only read one thing by him, a book of epic poetry called "Lieutenant Schmidt"...but it was not for me and I would think probably not the best place to start for his work. I was curious, did you like "Anna Karenina" by Tolstoy (I think you said somewhere in these comments that you read it)? That is one of my all-time favorites. I think Tolstoy had a brilliant eye (Chekhov did too) for what human beings experience internally, in all their messiness, contradictions, pettiness... Despite everything that's going on in the news today, I have an interest in and great admiration for the Russian cultural contributions to the arts. If you ever delve back into reading Russian works again, here are some of my favorites (apart from the usual suspects, "War and Peace," "Crime and Punishment," "Master and Margarita" etc.--though those are all worthwhile titles as well!): - The following books are all translations by Pevear and Volokhonsky (they are a husband-wife team who have popularized a lot of the Russian classics...I am sure they probably have their critics like everything else, but as a non-Russian speaker I have enjoyed their translations): "The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Other Stories"- Tolstoy...Essential (in my opinion)...the title story, "The Kreutzer Sonata," "The Devil," "Master and Man" are all great stories "The Collected Tales of Nikolai Gogol"- Gogol is pretty fantastic and enjoyable, there was no one quite like him. "Diary of a Madman," "The Overcoat," "The Nose," etc. are all classic tales. "The Complete Short Novels of Anton Chekhov" - "Verses and Versions: Three Centuries of Russian Poetry" and "Lectures on Russian Literature"- both by Vladimir Nabokov--worthwhile commentaries and very educational...from someone passionate about the subject matter. (Interestingly, he generally disdains Dostoevsky). - "Hope Against Hope" by Nadezhda Mandelstam ('Nadezhda' means 'hope' in Russian)- Non-fiction, probably the most powerful Russian work I've read in the past couple of years. Nadezhda's husband was Osip Mandelstam, one of the great Russian modernist poets. This tells the story of their persecution during Stalin's regime leading up to the Great Purge. Osip famously wrote a poem lambasting Stalin (the 'Stalin Epigram') which he read it at a private party, and his confidence was betrayed. Pasternak tried to intervene for them, and at one point in the story, Stalin actually called Pasternak to ask about Mandelstam. - "Milestones" (poetry) by Marina Tsvetaeva- she was another one of the great poets from that time period in Russia. It's been a while, but I remember really liking this collection of poems.
What I liked about the movie, mainly, was Lara-Julie Christie bore a striking resemblance to a girlfriend I had at the time, so that’s all I focused on!
I couldn’t get this novel either I’ve tried to read a few times and never made it to the end. The love story didn’t grab me. I’m not against a love story but I have to empathise with them and I just didn’t
I finished book and count 94 characters and I wasn't including all of them. I have question. Do you remember Vdovichenko and Kamennodvorsky, are they the same person?. Vdovichenko could be Kostoied-Amursky but he had already been Lidochka,. I'm glad that you find this book hard to read. I was thinking I have some problems with concentration but the book is dull and I only read it because I think "oh look it's funny name it has to be interesting".
I think I read the number of characters online. We must have read different translations because some of the characters you mention ... well, they must be spelled differently. Thank you for commenting.
I've read a collection of selected poems by Boris Pasternak. The collection had some of the Zhivago poems. I haven't read Doctor Zhivago but intend to one day. I really loved his poems when I read them and when I reread them last year.
@@booksimnotreading I don't know if I would say I'm a big poetry reader, but I do really enjoy reading it and try to find new things. I also forgot to say before that I have seen the Doctor Zhivago movie. The first time I watched it though my mom put in the second tape first and I was so confused. Have you seen Must Love Dogs? One of the characters in that movie is always watching Doctor Zhivago.
I found your. struggle with this a bit surprising. Yes, the first one hundred pages is a bit character heavy, but it is not impossible to understand. After that it is an easy read you can whizz through as the main plot is just about Dr Z, Tonya, Lara and his kidnap, separation from Tonya, and reunion with Lara - and that's it ; and poetry is only an issue if you dislike the genre - the. poetry isn't hard to read. I think the challenge of the first one hundred pages put you off, but I would recommend people read a synopsis and then perhaps read from one hundred pages in....also, watch the film first: most people have as it has been around for about sixty years now, and it gives you a sense of characterisation. And, how they look - I mean when I read it: Dr Z is Omar, and Lara is Julie C.People should not worry about the other characters really - although some are great: like the cow whispering woman - she was my fav!
That’s Jason’s poster ... I tried to get him to move it, but no. Did I say people were allowed or weren’t allowed their own opinion of Doctor Zhivago?!?!
This is sad. It seems as if having read the book so recently shaded your experience of seeing the remarkable film. Jason’s observation is so true. David Lean does use trains in many of his films.
Great review!! Thanks for doing the hard work freda 😎💨 lol. I just watched the EPIC MASTERPIECE for the second time and it's just SO touching to me as an musician who tries to write music that strikes nerves and makes people FEEL like I FEEL. Or an empathetic connection. Omar's acting is AMAZING! That part when his heart absolutely breaks when Lara leaves him after they were working together is one of the best scenes ever imo. His acting is perfect as far as physically conveying the feeling of a man's heart absolutely breaking that he can't be with her... It's happened to me and it hurts
I wouldn't say I love this one, but I do recall being absolutely immersed in the story when I read it about 6 or 7 years ago. Enjoyed hearing your thoughts! If you think there are too many characters in this one, Russian lit may not be for you haha
Ok, that was very good and I'm definitely gonna read it soon. I've always enjoyed the atmosphere of the movie but could feel that huge chunks must be missing somewhere. And I like long books and Tolstoy so I'm ready to tackle another Russian novel XD Question: which translation did you read? I'm planning to go for Hayward/Harari:)
Hello! Thanks so much for commenting! I hope you will tell me what you think when you read it. I don’t think I read the Hayward/Harari translation … maybe that would have made all the difference!
Too many and confusing characters? Try War and Peace-it’s characters each have long long names, but worse: Characters refer to one another by various nicknames-you’ll never be able to keep them straight without a detailed list!
Was this his only ‘masterpiece?’ Was he a poet. I suspect he had some inspiration via, say, bipolar! Only guessing. The first film, I suspect, didn’t follow the narrative as does the 2002 version (I had no idea there was another version). It is a tv movie, 4 1/2 hours, and isn’t as sensationally opulent as the first, but is graphically more gruesome. They do not bear any resemblance to oneanother, which follows the book’s story most of all? The end of the second I found totally upsetting, poor little lad being abandoned, running along the streets in Warsaw …. the reader making up their own ending for the little sweetie…..the maternal instinct kicks in and plays havoc with the emotions…..
Enjoyed hearing your thoughts Kelly, I think this is one where I might just watch the film and skip the book, too many other great Russian books to read!
I think David Lean was a romantic and Boris Pasternak was not. So, for Lean the essence of the film was Love. But Pasternak's book is something completely different. First and foremost, as with all Russian literature, you can't approach it with a western mindset. When you pick up this book you must leave that all behind you. This is a different world to that which you know. Pasternak shows us what it is to be Russian. The mindset of a people who have faced great hardships, be it through war, revolution, or the brutal winter itself. Pasternak's Russians survive, not by being tough, not by running away. But by becoming stoic, numb. They do love, yes. But their love is not superficial. Its beauty is not something you can dictate to. Its truth is something deep and resonant. In a sense Dr Zhivago is a tragedy, because of his inability to understand that. And by the time he does. It's too late.
Steve, thank you so much for your very insightful comment! I really appreciate what you had to say and it is making me think both about the book and the film in a different way. Thank you so much for watching and commenting.
It took me 4 months to read this book, as I kept putting it off as it felt like such a taxing read. I loved reading about the political unrest and things like that, but yuri's attitude towards the women in his life annoys me so much
@@booksimnotreading Yes. (I watched the film years back) It was so tragically painful, that it was impossible. But i've seen a lot of tragedy in life now so im a believer now. I appreciate that the book doesn't focus on the love story as much as the movie does.
this is all very valid critique. but I must say I adore this book. I agree that the true poetry is within the novel, and specifically I love how pasternak compares sublime nature and vast russian landscapes to little domestic scenes. my issue with Lara is not so much the lack of development of the relationship, but the way Yuri perceives Lara as this perfect effortless moral feminine ideal. it reminded me of Dante's Beatrice, and not in a good way. nonetheless I did find myself compelled by their love, despite it coming (like you said) too quickly, and then also being cut off without much closure.
Can I say something totally off topic? You look MUCH younger than the age you suggested last Wednesday. I still don't really believe it. It was really great to see your FACE though! You are lovely!
@@booksimnotreading Oh stop,😊 I spent 15 years working in Darkrooms that’s my secret, I didn’t see the sun from 1985-2000 😂 also, I’m overweight, fat people look younger (documented fact) pass the Cadbury eggs please.
@@Moonpome I would love to pass you the Cadbury eggs, but really I speak the truth. When you said you had two millennials, I was whispering to Jason that YOU looked like a millennial! Either way, it was great to “meet” another lovely person on Booktube and I hope I will see you again.
Some really spectacular moments in the film, for sure. And yes, it seemed to me everyone had it rough! I appreciate your comment and glad you enjoyed it.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I've got this impressions sometimes that youtubers avoid critics as much as they can. But why? We're not forced to love everything. Thank you for being honest in your video :)
Well, thank you so much for watching! I actually think negative videos get more attention - some people like a good rant! But other times it's more difficult. I just really appreciate your comment and the time you spent watching the video. I hope I'll "hear" from you again!
I don't agree with your review, How would you say that we won't like the novel. you don't have a capacity to understand doctor Zhivago. I am also living in this modern world and doing python programming.
My goodness, thank you for this review! I’m an avid reader. I read some challenging stuff. But I agree with your critiques! There are some incredibly beautiful passages and that’s what got me through 1/3 of the book. But I simply couldn’t go on. Read books that challenge you but ones you also enjoy. Life is too short to slog through books you can’t stomach.
I have since wondered if I had read a different translation, maybe I would have enjoyed the book more? Definitely if I knew more about Russian history that could have changed the experience as you can see from some of the other comments. But this was my experience and I stand by it. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with me! I appreciate your thoughts and time. I hope to hear from you again! 💛
Hi there! Thanks for the review, it was interesting to hear somebody else’s opinion on this book. I am Russian and I recently read this book, obviously, in Russian. I think this is the case when a movie didn’t do any good to a book. People often think that this is a love story. I disagree. And if it is a love story then a terrible one. In my opinion the relationships just reflect the complexity of the situation the main character finds himself in. And by that I mean a turmoil of the First World War, Russian Revolution and the Civil War afterwards. Unfortunately for an unprepared reader this book doesn’t give a historical overview, although these events play crucial role in Zhivago’s life.
And this is where the problem begins. Again, it’s just my opinion but knowing how difficult the time was, knowing how many people perished due to famine and terror, I was so surprised to see what Zhivago does. Basically he does nothing. It made me think that it was Pasternak’s idea to show a disagreeable with the current politics human being, who says one thing but acts differently. He is opposed to revolution and big changes but at the same time doesn’t resist those circumstances. Maybe Pasternak wanted to show the state of giving up and letting oneself freely swim in the dark waters of history. Maybe.
I agree the main female characters are basically non-existent. When I closed the book I was furious at the author. Why would he put all the women in such horrifying situation without even showing the strength of their spirit and an independence of their opinions?? Later I started to think that it was simply not Pasternak’s goal.
Despite of it all, I do really like a couple of things in this novel. First of all, different Russian dialects. I can’t imagine how exactly it was conveyed in the translation but I hope they’ve done a good job.
Secondly, I enjoyed the ending of the book. It transmits the inevitable consequences of the revolution: a complete disconnection with the posteriority. His daughter is not anything like him and we are left to think out what happened to his other kids. The problem of waifs and orphans had a huge impact on the whole society of Soviet Union. There is this famous novel The Republic of ShKID, which addresses this issue particularly. So the last pages of Doctor Zhivago just made me think of it.
I am really sorry if this is the beginning of your acquaintance with Russian literature. It is a tough one. But as people noted here already, Russian classics have plenty of other masterpieces :) Thanks again for sharing your thoughts!
Yulya, hello! Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts about this book. We don’t always get to hear from people where the novel takes place who see the turn of history from a completely different perspective. I definitely am not giving up on Russian literature, but my lack of historical knowledge definitely played into my experience of reading the book. Again, I am so glad you left this extremely thoughtful comment. I have read Anna Karenina. Do you have a recommendation for what I should try next?
@@booksimnotreading you are welcome :) if you want more romance in your life then I think The Garnet Bracelet by Kuprin, or Eugen Onegin by Pushkin, or First Love by Turgenev are a way to go.
I haven’t read much of Tolstoy but I am planning to read Anna Karenina, then War and Pease, and then his notes on religion, art, and history. So I am going to read them both more from the perspective of the historical philosophy/philosophy of art. But I am sure one can find thousand meanings and come up with hundreds of interpretations of his works.
I think somebody already mentioned Chekhov so I assume you already know about his oeuvre. All his short stories are a good introduction to Russian literature.
My personal favorite is a play Woe from Wit by Griboyedov. We studied it at school and it is one of the things that I actually was capable to appreciate at that time :D
I will repeat one name I already mentioned since we literally grow up on his works. I am talking about Pushkin of course. We read his fairytales in kindergarten, then memorize his poems in the middle school and then analyze his prose in high school. So he is aways around :) I personally like his short story The Queen of Spades, which Tchaikovsky later adopted to the eponymous opera. The opera is also really good.
I hope that will help you! :)
Thank you so much for this great comment
English is my second language and i was very confuse with this book
I appreciate your imput
Now, what do you think about Ukraine conflict?
@@magogilson1 you are welcome. I think it’s a mistake and a great tragedy and it shouldn’t have happened 😔 I hope one day we as a nation realize all the mistakes of our past and find atonement. At least on the political level, like Willy Brandt in Western Germany, for example.
I remember loving descriptions of the scenery and the atmosphere of political unrest. But I didn’t really like Yuri and he totally disgusted me when he leaves his pregnant wife basically because he’s bored and goes off to Lara. I was like: Screw you, Yuri! I think I read it when I was about 8 months pregnant with my second child (28 years ago). I never got over being angry at him.. LOL.
I really never thought “Screw you, Yuri!” would come from you, but I absolutely love it! Thanks for sharing!
Agreed! I said several times to Kelly while we were reading this, "He's a selfish ass!" 😂
Hey, just for the record. Yuri tries to break off the affair. He tells Lara this and she weeps but understands: and very dramatically you will recall that that afternoon en route home to Tonya and his family for good : Yuri is kidnapped by the White army for eighteen months. He disappears - and Lara just thinks he's gone home, and his family just do not know. During this time he thinks of his family all the time. He never leaves Tonya because he is bored - his situation is not boring, he is in love with Lara, or at least a long standing image of her as 'the one' and has guilt and anxiety about it all the time - especially because she is pregnant - which he mentions all the time. He is at fault for his affair, but he never leaves Tonya. When he returns he has to go to Lara first because she is en route and in a city, and Tonya last lived in an isolated quarter of Varkino which was sacked by the white army. Tonya went to Moscow and was banished - to where no one is sure. So, he stays with Lara and her daughter. In Yuri's defence, he never walks out on his wife .
Agreed!!!
@@a.aron7008 inthe movie..nothing inthe book about breaking off the affair
The book had no editor and it shows, regardless, it depicts a turbulent series of revolution, ww1, revolution again, civil war and subsequent corruption of a society. Yuri was a metaphor for the russian people being cast about during this time, and his hope was the power of Love needed to continue living.
How it won a Nobel prize made sense if you consider operation AEdinosaur which the CIA used this novel as a tool in the cold war, disseminating this piece back to Russia as a critique on its history. Using literature to change the world.
@@123raccoon1 Thank you for sharing your thoughts! 💛
Thank you for your honest review! I've only read one Russian Classic so far which is Anna Karenina. I tried to start reading The Master and the Margarita and I found it pretty confusing. I plan to go back to it one day once I have more of an understanding of Russia.
Hello! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. I was supposed to read The Master and the Margarita for a book club long ago, but I didn't even attempt it. There's just something so intimidating (to me) about Russian literature. Do you agree?
@@booksimnotreading There's definitely a higher barrier to entry than other books. I find myself reading a bit more background information online while I am reading, but I feel like a bucket list thing to do would be to take a class in Russian Lit one day haha :)
@@MishelleLexi If I only I could just audit a Russian literature class, Shakespeare, on and on and on.
You’ll love Fyodor Dostoevsky
I'm just going to link to your review when I do my wrap-up of this book. 🙂 I think you have said almost everything I would want to discuss.
I wish I had included more of your hilarious Voxer comments in my review!
@@booksimnotreading Then the review probably would have gotten flagged for language 🤣
Thank you for an honest, candid review.
Russian literature has substantial barriers to entry and ‘Zhivago’ is a particularly bad place to start, particularly when you’re not familiar with the relevant historical background.
Moreover, the author writes in the tradition of the ‘Tolstoyian’ epic which can be confounding for the uninitiated.
Naturally, none of this is your fault. This is clearly the wrong book for you at this particular moment of your life. We’ve all been there!
One of the great joys of reading is the rediscovery and reinterpretation of a book. If you feel it’s worthwhile, perhaps give it time and eventually try to connect through a different translation. ( I enjoyed the P&V translation).
In the meantime, I’ve always thought that Chekov is an ideal introduction to Russian literature.
It’s been a long time since I watched the film, although I fondly remember the vistas, the score and a few beautiful moments. You’ve inspired me to rewatch it!
Hope you’re having a great day.
Happy reading!
I have read Anna Karenina, but I will definitely consider Chekhov. Do you have any recommended title of his? Great to hear from you, Jack!
@@booksimnotreading
Well, I’m delighted to hear from you too! 😁
RandomHouse published a wonderful selection translated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky : “Selected Stories of Anton Chekhov”, my favourite short story is “ Ward No 6”. I hope you enjoy it.
As a very broad recommendation, I’ve always enjoyed any Russian work translated by Pevear and Volokhonsky, they really seem to be the best team working in the area at present.
If you enjoyed “Anna Karenina”, check out Tolstoy’s short fiction such as “ The Cossacks” and “Master & Man”.
In general, I’m more comfortable recommending Russian short fiction as its more time-friendly while retaining an emotional punch. In contrast, something requiring the commitment of “War and Peace” would be an ordeal if approached at the wrong moment of someone’s life.
Finally, many authors of the 19th century tended to write under the presumption of historical knowledge in their audience. Modern readers, understandably, struggle in this area. A good biography of Napoleon ( like the one by Andrew Roberts) is very useful, ( Napoleon pops up in “War and Peace”, “Les Miserables”, “Monte Christo”.......), as is the work of Robert Massie. Wikipedia also helps a lot.
Forgive the essay- length comment!
Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
I look forward to your next video.
@@jackreillygillic Thank you so much for these recommendations!!! I appreciate it!
Hi Kelly! Thanks for your review! I have not tackled "Doctor Zhivago" (yet!), though I did see the David Lean movie. Pasternak initially studied music, then switched to philosophy, then wrote poetry. I've only read one thing by him, a book of epic poetry called "Lieutenant Schmidt"...but it was not for me and I would think probably not the best place to start for his work.
I was curious, did you like "Anna Karenina" by Tolstoy (I think you said somewhere in these comments that you read it)? That is one of my all-time favorites. I think Tolstoy had a brilliant eye (Chekhov did too) for what human beings experience internally, in all their messiness, contradictions, pettiness... Despite everything that's going on in the news today, I have an interest in and great admiration for the Russian cultural contributions to the arts.
If you ever delve back into reading Russian works again, here are some of my favorites (apart from the usual suspects, "War and Peace," "Crime and Punishment," "Master and Margarita" etc.--though those are all worthwhile titles as well!):
- The following books are all translations by Pevear and Volokhonsky (they are a husband-wife team who have popularized a lot of the Russian classics...I am sure they probably have their critics like everything else, but as a non-Russian speaker I have enjoyed their translations):
"The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Other Stories"- Tolstoy...Essential (in my opinion)...the title story, "The Kreutzer Sonata," "The Devil," "Master and Man" are all great stories
"The Collected Tales of Nikolai Gogol"- Gogol is pretty fantastic and enjoyable, there was no one quite like him. "Diary of a Madman," "The Overcoat," "The Nose," etc. are all classic tales.
"The Complete Short Novels of Anton Chekhov"
- "Verses and Versions: Three Centuries of Russian Poetry" and "Lectures on Russian Literature"- both by Vladimir Nabokov--worthwhile commentaries and very educational...from someone passionate about the subject matter. (Interestingly, he generally disdains Dostoevsky).
- "Hope Against Hope" by Nadezhda Mandelstam ('Nadezhda' means 'hope' in Russian)- Non-fiction, probably the most powerful Russian work I've read in the past couple of years. Nadezhda's husband was Osip Mandelstam, one of the great Russian modernist poets. This tells the story of their persecution during Stalin's regime leading up to the Great Purge. Osip famously wrote a poem lambasting Stalin (the 'Stalin Epigram') which he read it at a private party, and his confidence was betrayed. Pasternak tried to intervene for them, and at one point in the story, Stalin actually called Pasternak to ask about Mandelstam.
- "Milestones" (poetry) by Marina Tsvetaeva- she was another one of the great poets from that time period in Russia. It's been a while, but I remember really liking this collection of poems.
Wow! Thank you so much for the list! I really appreciate it! 💛
What I liked about the movie, mainly, was Lara-Julie Christie bore a striking resemblance to a girlfriend I had at the time, so that’s all I focused on!
Wow! You had a girlfriend who looked like Julie Christie?!?! That would definitely be distracting. Thanks so much for watching and commenting!
I couldn’t get this novel either I’ve tried to read a few times and never made it to the end. The love story didn’t grab me. I’m not against a love story but I have to empathise with them and I just didn’t
It’s just so dense. I am amazed I finished it.
I think the best thing of this movie is the theme song
I finished book and count 94 characters and I wasn't including all of them. I have question. Do you remember Vdovichenko and Kamennodvorsky, are they the same person?. Vdovichenko could be Kostoied-Amursky but he had already been Lidochka,. I'm glad that you find this book hard to read. I was thinking I have some problems with concentration but the book is dull and I only read it because I think "oh look it's funny name it has to be interesting".
I think I read the number of characters online. We must have read different translations because some of the characters you mention ... well, they must be spelled differently. Thank you for commenting.
I've read a collection of selected poems by Boris Pasternak. The collection had some of the Zhivago poems. I haven't read Doctor Zhivago but intend to one day. I really loved his poems when I read them and when I reread them last year.
That’s fantastic. Please help me understand what I am missing when you read the novel! Are you a big poetry reader?
@@booksimnotreading I don't know if I would say I'm a big poetry reader, but I do really enjoy reading it and try to find new things. I also forgot to say before that I have seen the Doctor Zhivago movie. The first time I watched it though my mom put in the second tape first and I was so confused. Have you seen Must Love Dogs? One of the characters in that movie is always watching Doctor Zhivago.
3:28 three quarters of them should go!
Well, I’m glad I am not alone in that feeling! Thanks for watching and commenting!
I found your. struggle with this a bit surprising. Yes, the first one hundred pages is a bit character heavy, but it is not impossible to understand. After that it is an easy read you can whizz through as the main plot is just about Dr Z, Tonya, Lara and his kidnap, separation from Tonya, and reunion with Lara - and that's it ; and poetry is only an issue if you dislike the genre - the. poetry isn't hard to read. I think the challenge of the first one hundred pages put you off, but I would recommend people read a synopsis and then perhaps read from one hundred pages in....also, watch the film first: most people have as it has been around for about sixty years now, and it gives you a sense of characterisation. And, how they look - I mean when I read it: Dr Z is Omar, and Lara is Julie C.People should not worry about the other characters really - although some are great: like the cow whispering woman - she was my fav!
I am so glad to hear this was a positive reading experience for you! Thank you for your feedback!
That framed picture behind you is making me want to orchestrate an ENORMOUS Lord of the Rings read-along...
also: Surely people aren't ALLOWED to dislike "Doctor Zhivago"???
That’s Jason’s poster ... I tried to get him to move it, but no. Did I say people were allowed or weren’t allowed their own opinion of Doctor Zhivago?!?!
@@saintdonoghue AND you have yet to tell me why it’s great???
This is sad. It seems as if having read the book so recently shaded your experience of seeing the remarkable film. Jason’s observation is so true. David Lean does use trains in many of his films.
It’s ok Mary. Give me time to forget the book. I do still LOVE Lawrence of Arabia!
😄👍
Great review!! Thanks for doing the hard work freda 😎💨 lol. I just watched the EPIC MASTERPIECE for the second time and it's just SO touching to me as an musician who tries to write music that strikes nerves and makes people FEEL like I FEEL. Or an empathetic connection. Omar's acting is AMAZING! That part when his heart absolutely breaks when Lara leaves him after they were working together is one of the best scenes ever imo. His acting is perfect as far as physically conveying the feeling of a man's heart absolutely breaking that he can't be with her... It's happened to me and it hurts
The movie is good - not as good as Lawrence of Arabia, but still good.
I wouldn't say I love this one, but I do recall being absolutely immersed in the story when I read it about 6 or 7 years ago. Enjoyed hearing your thoughts! If you think there are too many characters in this one, Russian lit may not be for you haha
There’s 200 plus characters! I could see that in War and Peace, but this was wild. I am really glad to hear from another person who enjoyed the book.
@@booksimnotreading War and Peace has defeated me twice 😳
@@Amysdustybookshelf 😬😬😬
Ok, that was very good and I'm definitely gonna read it soon. I've always enjoyed the atmosphere of the movie but could feel that huge chunks must be missing somewhere. And I like long books and Tolstoy so I'm ready to tackle another Russian novel XD
Question: which translation did you read? I'm planning to go for Hayward/Harari:)
Hello! Thanks so much for commenting! I hope you will tell me what you think when you read it. I don’t think I read the Hayward/Harari translation … maybe that would have made all the difference!
@@booksimnotreading I definitely will let you know! I'm gonna find a copy tomorrow hopefully☺
The differences between the book and film are so interesting. Really enjoyed your thoughts. I'm going to skip the book 😅, but I did enjoy the film
Thank you Katja!
Too many and confusing characters? Try War and Peace-it’s characters each have long long names, but worse: Characters refer to one another by various nicknames-you’ll never be able to keep them straight without a detailed list!
This is exactly why I have never tried to read War and Peace.
Was this his only ‘masterpiece?’ Was he a poet. I suspect he had some inspiration via, say, bipolar! Only guessing.
The first film, I suspect, didn’t follow the narrative as does the 2002 version (I had no idea there was another version).
It is a tv movie, 4 1/2 hours, and isn’t as sensationally opulent as the first, but is graphically more gruesome.
They do not bear any resemblance to oneanother, which follows the book’s story most of all?
The end of the second I found totally upsetting, poor little lad being abandoned, running along the streets in Warsaw ….
the reader making up their own ending for the little sweetie…..the maternal instinct kicks in and plays havoc with the emotions…..
Thanks so much for watching and commenting! 💛
Enjoyed hearing your thoughts Kelly, I think this is one where I might just watch the film and skip the book, too many other great Russian books to read!
The film is very good - not Lawerence of Arabia good - but I would definitely recommend it over the book!
Wait it’s a book????
Um, if you’re referring to Doctor Zhivago, then YES!
Give me War and Peace any day.
I haven’t read it, but good to know!
I think David Lean was a romantic and Boris Pasternak was not. So, for Lean the essence of the film was Love. But Pasternak's book is something completely different. First and foremost, as with all Russian literature, you can't approach it with a western mindset. When you pick up this book you must leave that all behind you. This is a different world to that which you know. Pasternak shows us what it is to be Russian. The mindset of a people who have faced great hardships, be it through war, revolution, or the brutal winter itself. Pasternak's Russians survive, not by being tough, not by running away. But by becoming stoic, numb. They do love, yes. But their love is not superficial. Its beauty is not something you can dictate to. Its truth is something deep and resonant. In a sense Dr Zhivago is a tragedy, because of his inability to understand that. And by the time he does. It's too late.
Steve, thank you so much for your very insightful comment! I really appreciate what you had to say and it is making me think both about the book and the film in a different way. Thank you so much for watching and commenting.
So basically it sounds like this is a Lukas book. 🤣🤣🤣
Do you need a copy? You can have our copy if you want. 😃 Just let me know.
But you read the whole book AND reviewed it, so, hurrah!!! 😁😉
Hurrah indeed!
It took me 4 months to read this book, as I kept putting it off as it felt like such a taxing read.
I loved reading about the political unrest and things like that, but yuri's attitude towards the women in his life annoys me so much
Hello May! Thanks so much for commenting! It felt like a taxing read because it was!!!!
@@booksimnotreading 😅 yeh, definitely not one I'll be re-reading
I hated the story because the tragic, perpetual twists in the love story are savagely real .
So you didn't like it because it felt too real?
@@booksimnotreading Yes. (I watched the film years back) It was so tragically painful, that it was impossible. But i've seen a lot of tragedy in life now so im a believer now. I appreciate that the book doesn't focus on the love story as much as the movie does.
this is all very valid critique. but I must say I adore this book. I agree that the true poetry is within the novel, and specifically I love how pasternak compares sublime nature and vast russian landscapes to little domestic scenes. my issue with Lara is not so much the lack of development of the relationship, but the way Yuri perceives Lara as this perfect effortless moral feminine ideal. it reminded me of Dante's Beatrice, and not in a good way. nonetheless I did find myself compelled by their love, despite it coming (like you said) too quickly, and then also being cut off without much closure.
Hello Emilia! Thanks so much for commenting! I love hearing everyone’s different perspectives, and I am so glad you shared yours here.
Pasternak 🤦🏻♀️
Can I say something totally off topic? You look MUCH younger than the age you suggested last Wednesday. I still don't really believe it. It was really great to see your FACE though! You are lovely!
@@booksimnotreading Oh stop,😊 I spent 15 years working in Darkrooms that’s my secret, I didn’t see the sun from 1985-2000 😂 also, I’m overweight, fat people look younger (documented fact) pass the Cadbury eggs please.
@@Moonpome I would love to pass you the Cadbury eggs, but really I speak the truth. When you said you had two millennials, I was whispering to Jason that YOU looked like a millennial! Either way, it was great to “meet” another lovely person on Booktube and I hope I will see you again.
Yuri had it rough having to deal with two women what with the war on and all. Still a great classic and worth watching the movie.
Some really spectacular moments in the film, for sure. And yes, it seemed to me everyone had it rough! I appreciate your comment and glad you enjoyed it.
@@booksimnotreading I was being a tad facecious lol
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I've got this impressions sometimes that youtubers avoid critics as much as they can. But why? We're not forced to love everything. Thank you for being honest in your video :)
Well, thank you so much for watching! I actually think negative videos get more attention - some people like a good rant! But other times it's more difficult. I just really appreciate your comment and the time you spent watching the video. I hope I'll "hear" from you again!
I don't agree with your review, How would you say that we won't like the novel. you don't have a
capacity to understand doctor Zhivago. I am also living in this modern world and doing python programming.
Shiva, thank you for your feedback. I appreciate it.
@@SmithWhitey yes Joseph if you read doctor Zhivago, it takes me back to the past. It comforts my soul. Great russian Novel.