Russian Culture - Classical and Contemporary

Russian Literature - Русская литература

Alexander Pushkin, 1799-1837

Russia's greatest poet and the founder of Russian literature, author of lyrics, narrative poems, stories and a novel in verse

Here is a translation of his historical tale, "The Captain's Daughter" (click here, where the title is translated as "Daughter of the Commandant" )

Leo Tolstoy, 1828-1910

Russia's greatest novelist, Tolstoy wrote short stories, novellas, and two of the world's geatest realistic novels, "War and Peace" and "Anna Karenina." In later life Tolstoy was better known for his influential philosophical tracts and religious writings.

Here is a translation of his historical novel about Russian life and Napoleon's invasion of Russia, "War and Peace." (click here)

Anton Chekhov, 1860-1904

Best known in English as a playwright, Chekhov wrote mostly short stories. Trained as a physician, he devoted most of his energies to literature: medicine, he said, was his wife, but literature was his mistress.

Here is a translation of one of his better known plays, "The Seagull" (click here).

Marina Tsvetaeva , 1892-1941

Russia's greatest woman poet and considered one of the best of all modern Russian poets of the twentieth century.

Here is a collection - click here - of some of Tsvetaeva's poems as well as lyrics by the other great twentieth-century woman poet Anna Akhmatova and the poet Boris Pasternak, better known in English for his novel "Doctor Zhivago."

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