Sources on Russian (popular?) culture 1880-1910s

[jeff brooks]

On popular fiction, your student might take a look at my When Russia Learned
to Read available in a paperback edition from Northwestern in the series
Studies in Russian Literature and Theory. In it I explore the popular
literature of this period (lubochnaia literatura), which was widely read by
ordinary people, commented upon by Dostoevsky and others, and rivaled by
Tolstoy and his publishing house Posrednik. I also discuss the popular
literature in the early 20th century including detective stories, adventure
novels, and Verbitskaia and women's literature, which appealed to a more
diverse public. In the book I describe the authors, publishers, and readers
of the popular fiction, including their experience with education and
literacy. I also analyze the major themes of the popular fiction and Russian
culture including rebellion and freedom, success and social mobility,
science and the occult, and nationalism, empire, and the Russian
identity. Of course, these themes interested the interests of the great
writers of the era from Dostoevsky and Tolstoy to Chekhov and Gorky.

Cheers,

Jeffrey Brooks
Professor of Russian History
The Johns Hopkins University


.On Sat, Apr 5, 2008 at 12:41 PM, Francoise Rosset <frosset at wheatonma.edu>
wrote:

> Dear SEELangers:
>
> I'm looking for suggestions for an (undergraduate) non-Russian major
> student asking about _general_ sources discussing "cultural norms,"
> "attitudes toward gender, religion, education, the family" around Chekhov's
> time.
>
> The library has suggested books like _Natasha's Dance_ and _Cultural
> Mythologies_. All my material on Chekhov is about stage history or
> literature (including *Anton Chekhov and His Times*, which consists of
> correspondence). I could also suggest various specific things on the "Woman
> Question," Sofia Kovalevskaia, The Kreutzer Sonata, Kollontai etc. But I
> don't have anything general to suggest and very little on religion,
> education. Perhaps a few articles?
>
> Thank you,
> -FR
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Francoise Rosset, Associate Professor
> Chair, Russian and Russian Studies
> Coordinator, German and Russian
> Wheaton College
> Norton, Massachusetts 02766
> Office: (508) 285-3696
> FAX:   (508) 286-3640
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
>  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
>                   http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
                    http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------