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Synopsis
Excerpt from Futility: A Novel on Russian Themes
There are few novelists nowadays, I suppose, who will not readily acknowledge that, in certain most intrinsic qualities of the art, the great Russians are what Henry James once called Balzac: the masters of us all.
To many readers of the western world, however, there was - there still is, despite the blinding glare which the Russian disaster has shed on the national character - a recurring sense of bewilderment in trying to trace the motives of the strange, seductive and incoherent people who live in the pages of Dostoevsky, Tolstoi, and their mighty group. In Balzac, at all times, the western mind feels at home: even when the presentment is obviously a caricature, one knows what is being caricatured. But there are moments - to me at least - in the greatest of Russian novels, and just as I feel the directing pressure of the novelist most strongly on my shoulder, when somehow I stumble, the path fades to a trail, the trail to a sand-heap, and hopelessly I perceive that the clue is gone, and that I no longer know which way the master is seeking to propel me, because his people are behaving as I never knew people to behave.
"Oh, no; we know they're like that, because he says so - but they're too different!" one groans.
And then, perhaps, for enlightenment, one turns to the western novelist, French or English or other, the avowed "authority" who, especially since the war, has undertaken to translate the Russian soul in terms of our vernacular.
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About the Author
William Alexander Gerhardie was born in St Petersburg, Russia, in 1895. As a young man he went to London and, when the First World War broke out, joined the army. He was first sent to Russia and later travelled the world before beginning to write. Futility (1922), his first novel, was sponsored by Katherine Mansfield, and other notable works of his include The Polyglots (1925) and Of Mortal Love (1936). Gerhardie's writing was acclaimed as an influence on many of his peers, including Anthony Powell, H. G. Wells, Evelyn Waugh, Graham Greene and Olivia Manning. He died in London in 1977.
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- PublisherForgotten Books
- Publication date2018
- ISBN 10 1330901231
- ISBN 13 9781330901236
- BindingPaperback
- Number of pages260
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Futility: A Novel on Russian Themes (Classic Reprint)
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Paperback. Condition: New. Print on Demand. Step into the tumultuous world of pre-revolutionary Russia and experience the lives of the Bursanov family, a seemingly happy and carefree household harboring complex secrets and simmering tensions. Through the eyes of a close family friend, we witness the unraveling of their intricate web of relationships, fueled by infidelity, financial woes, and the ever-present shadow of societal expectations. The author masterfully weaves a narrative reminiscent of Chekhov's poignant dramas, exploring themes of disillusionment, unfulfilled desires, and the paralyzing weight of inertia. As the family grapples with their individual struggles and the impending societal upheaval, their lives become a microcosm of a nation teetering on the brink of chaos. This captivating tale delves into the depths of human emotions, exposing the fragility of love, the complexities of family dynamics, and the desperate search for meaning in a rapidly changing world. Ultimately, it leaves us pondering the enduring power of resilience and the bittersweet beauty of finding solace amidst the ruins of shattered dreams. Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works. The digital edition of all books may be viewed on our website before purchase. print-on-demand item. Seller Inventory # 9781330901236_0
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