Reading Russian Texts

[Andrew Jameson]

For those teaching adults or scientists to read Russian, I used to use
READING MODERN RUSSIAN by Jules F Levin and Peter D Haikalis, Slavica 1979.
This uses a radical scientific approach, not a philological one.

For those teaching historians, I used to use
GRADED READINGS IN RUSSIAN HISTORY, ed with chapter-by-chapter vocabs,
exercises and MAPS by Leon Stilman, Columbia, 1960 (up to Ivan III).
After that A LECTURE ON RUSSIAN HISTORY, ed with on-page vocab and notes by
Horace Lunt, Mouton 1959 (beginning of 19c to the revolution).

Best reader for intermediates in my experience was:
RUSSIAN READING FOR MEANING, ed. George A. C. Scherer, Harcourt Brace, 1967.
This has a controlled vocabulary for students who have completed "two
levels" of classroom instruction. The texts are genuinely interesting, not
condescending, juvenile or trite as many early readers are. This could be
the first book which your students could use for extensive reading.

The Rolls Royces of advanced Russian readers must be the series produced by
Harcourt Brace in the 60s-70s. They were equipped with introductory
articles, preparatory texts, marginal translations of difficult words,
contextual footnotes, exercises afterwards, full vocabs, just fabulous. The
titles were:
BALLAD OF A SOLDIER, ed Laurence C Thompson et al., 1966
NEW VOICES. CONTEMPORARY SOVIET SHORT STORIES, ed Kenneth Harper et al.,
1966
A CENTURY OF RUSSIAN PROSE AND VERSE. FROM PUSHKIN TO NABOKOV, ed Gleb
Struve et al., 1967
EYEWITNESS. SELECTIONS FROM RUSSIAN MEMOIRS, ed D Barton Johnson et al, 1971
(includes a "slovar' -minimum").
I'm sure there are copies available on the Internet.

Andrew Jameson
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------
These are oldies and goodies, , but what about the modern proficiency method
by Irene Thompson, Reading Real Russian??? LZ
>I'd share my ideas on the sources I used. In most of these books, you 
>can either ignore the grammar-related assignments or just slightly 
>reflect on them to connect with the texts. The latter have good 
>follow-up questions that can also help in the development of both reading
and further oral speech.
>
>1. "Mir Russkix" by Z. Dabars et al, Dubuque, IA 1997
>
>2. "Pattern Drills in Russian" by N. Maltzoff, New York, 1960
>
>3. "Russkii yazyk dlya vsex" by V. Kostomarov, Ed., Moscow, 1977
>
>4. "Russian Intermediate Reader" by I. Mihalchenko, Ed., 1977
>
>5. "Beginner's Russian Reader" by L. Pargment, New York, 1963
>
>Best,
>Ashot Vardanyan, University of Iowa>
>
>
>04/07 00:36 Laura Kline <klinela at COMCAST.NET> wrote:
> > Can anyone recommend a good textbook for students who want to focus 
> > on developing reading skills only? They would be starting at the 
> > beginning level.
> > Thank you!
> > Laura> >
> >
> >
> > Laura Kline, Ph.D
> > Senior Lecturer in Russian
> > Department of German and Slavic Studies Wayne State University
> > 443 Manoogian Hall
> > 906 W. Warren
> > Detroit, MI  48202
> > fax: 313-577-3266
> > af7585 at wayne.edu
> >
> > --------------------------------------------------------------------
> > -----  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/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------