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

[Andrew Jameson]

It's curious that there are so few books which contain the most obvious
information about Russian society before or after the Revolution. The
obvious everyday things were considered to be so obvious (in East and West)
that they did not need to be said.
The closest thing at undergraduate level to what you are seeking is probably
Ronald Hingley, RUSSIAN WRITERS AND SOCIETY IN THE 19th CENTURY London,
Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1977, Second Edition. (ISBN: 0297773755) 196pp. It
is a general description of the social background to Russian literature
under a clear set of headings. There's very likely to be an American
edition.
Another interesting title is Ronald Hingley. THE RUSSIAN MIND New York,
Scribner 1977, First Edition. (bookseller's blurb..) Hingley is the author
of more than 20 books on Russian literature, language, history and politics.
In this book he applies his broad knowledge of, and experience with Russians
in many different situations, exploring the phenomena of campus revolts,
women's lib, female political assassins, alcoholism, the cult of youth, and
more, during the Brezhnev era, before glasnost and perestroika. Included are
Reference Notes, Index to Reference Notes, and a general Index. viii, 307
pp.
Two other works contain background information to Russian studies, both by
Genevra Gerhart THE RUSSIAN'S WORLD. LIFE AND LANGUAGE (Slavica) and (with
Eloise M Boyle) THE RUSSIAN CONTEXT. THE CULTURE BEHIND THE LANGUAGE
(Slavica).

Andrew Jameson
Malvern UK


-----Original Message-----
From: SEELANGS: Slavic & East European Languages and Literatures list
[mailto:SEELANGS at BAMA.UA.EDU] On Behalf Of Francoise Rosset
Sent: Saturday, April 05, 2008 4:42 PM
To: SEELANGS at BAMA.UA.EDU
Subject: [SEELANGS] Sources on Russian (popular?) culture 1880-1910s

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

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