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flipshod's avatar

I put Tolstoy and Chekhov above the rest and Turgenev right there at the top of the second tier along with Dostoevsky.

But yes. Somehow Russian lit stands apart.

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The Elder of Vicksburg's avatar

I have a theory, probably wrong, that much is due to Orthodoxy, which advocates constant self examination. That translates into a vivid understanding of human psychology. Again, just a theory and probably a dumb one.

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flipshod's avatar

There's that, but it is also the case that the Russian nobility were hyper-educated. Nabokov, for example, always had at least three adults dedicated full time to his polyglot education.

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The Elder of Vicksburg's avatar

Yes, agree - good point. Have you read Laurus by Vodolazkin? Firmly within the greater Russian tradition. Ditto any number of Soviet-era books; I'm thinking of one called "Three Minutes of Silence" about life on a fishing vessel. Relatedly, today is the Feast of All Saints of Russia in the Orthodox Church. Later I'm gonna poke around your substack. Nice meeting you!

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