Is dead souls any good?
why don't you read it and find out?
>>7323749
Yeh but Petersburg tales is better
>>7323749
It's among my favourites of all time. It is funny, insightful and a scalding satire. The depiction of the many manifestations of poshlost are still relevant today. It is a great shame that it was left unfinished, but it is highly enjoyable in the form it was left in.
Overall though, I have to agree with >>7323767. Short stories are where Gogol really shines, and Petersburg Tales are his best work. I'm not sure whether the Squabble/Ivan Ivanovich is part of the Petersburg Tales. If it isn't, that one is definitely worth checking out too.
My advice would be check out some of his short stories first, to see if you dig his style and humour. The Overcoat, The Nose, Diary of a Madman and The Squabble are all excellent.
It better be! I am taking a Russian lit class and this is on the syllabus. My teacher first day though said that it was not as translatable as Dustin Evski and Leo Tolstoy
>>7323749
Read it in Russian or don't read it at all.
>>7323803
le patrician face xd
>>7323775
I've read the nose and the overcoat, liked them, going to read the two ivans squabble story tomorrow probably. I mean, I've really liked his short fiction, I was just curious as to whether he could write a decent novel. Thanks fa.m
You definitely should still read Dead Souls even if Gogol's short stories are generally agreed to be better. It's an immensely influential work of Russian literature.
Keep in mind that Dead Souls was incomplete/the ending was lost, so the second half ends quite abruptly. The bulk of the story/fate of the characters are addressed though so the overall sense should be preserved.
I recommend reading (or re-reading/going over) Inferno before starting Dead Souls. The first half is structured around the Inferno and Gogol indicated he would've liked to work the second half to correspond to Purgatorio/Paradiso.
Dead Souls is really good
>>7323749
Yes its absolutely hilarious. But beautiful at the same time.
Best translation?
I really want to start reading it
>>7323749
Demon Souls > Dead Souls > Dark Souls
>>7324864
Dark Souls > Dead Souls > Demon Souls
>>7323749
Read it,even if the 2nd part is in fragments and 3rd isnt even there,its excellent read...
>>7323749
Which translation of Crime & Punishment is best? I like the cover of Penguin's McDuff but there might better translations. pls suggest.
