dead souls does he even write something else kek. I am kinda interested how russian names wordplay were translated to english

>>7693604

Start with short stories. 'The Overcoat' and 'The Nose' are essential, Gogol or otherwise. Then Dead Souls.

>>7693608
Pleb. His short stories is where his true mastery is shown. Genre and thematically the most diverse author I know of.
You go throughout a massive range of emotions and impressions through the collection. You will read something akin to Borges, something comfy and then depressive, than tragic, sad, joyful.

>>7693604
Honestly, you could start anywhere. It's not like his body of work is massive.

>>7693616
his short stories are genre trash

>>7693634
Yeah, I was mostly thinking should I read some of his shorter works before diving into Dead Souls.

>>7693604

I read his Ukrainian short stories, which were fun, and I just got done with Nevsky Prospect.

I dunno, just grab his collected tales (should have The Overcoat, The Nose, Diary of a Madman etc in it) and start there.

>>7693604
fuck dead souls. read the overcoat, the nose, diary of a madman, and the portrait. dead souls was unfinished, and unbalanced. it lacked the polish of his other shorter works because he lacked direction. if you really like his short stories, then I would suggest instead of continuing to dead souls and most likely being disappointed at an incomplete and inferior work, then go on to pushkin, and check out Bely.

>>7693604
you read the mantle first and (hopefully) will be struck by his mastery which will compel you to devour the rest of his works

>>7693604
You don't. You read Chekhov instead.

>>7693648

Hill, Larry S.

>>7693604
Gogol was a meme author, and had no discernible talent. He was shitposting, and is literally genre tier fiction. clearly a juvenile author.

>>7693654
then do that. why do you need /lit/'s approval for such a menial decision. why not make a thread when you've actually read something and want to discuss it.

>>7693791

Outstanding, anon, get it out of your system so you can move on to better things.

Petersburg Tales (Overcoat, The Nose, Madman's Diary, Nevsky Prospekt) or some other collection of short stories.

>>7693791
Ebin :DDD

>>7693604
i read Taras Bulba and it was pretty nice