Short Story in Translation: Russian Citizenship and National Identity

[Alexandra Smith]

Dear Ben,

If your friends needs something related to WW1, I would recommend to  
include Bunin's "Gentleman from San Francisco" (1915).Koteliansky's  
and Leonard Woolf's translation is available on line:
https://archive.org/details/gentlemanfromsan00bunirich

If your friend needs something contemporary, then Mikhail Shishkin's  
book "Maidenhair" might be of use to your friend.The novel was  
translated by Marian Schwartz. It was published recently in English  
(the translation has been awarded Rossica prize for the best  
translated work published in 2013). Here is one review:  
http://www.bookslut.com/fiction/2013_01_019778.php
The paperback is  available here:  
http://www.amazon.com/Maidenhair-Mikhail-Shishkin/dp/1934824364
There is also an interesting collection of stories about the present  
day Berlin penned by Wladimir Kaminer. The English translation,  
"Russian Disco: Tales of Everyday Lunacy on the Streets of Berlin,"  
was published by Ebury Press in Britain in 2002. You can see one  
review in the New York Times:  
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/21/books/21kami.html?_r=0

The review says: "Thomas Ernst, an expert on contemporary German  
literature at the University of Trier said that Mr. Kaminer's stories  
"capture the changing identity of the German society very well." 'He  
shows his readers that we've become a country of immigrants, which in  
his imaginary world is exotic, funny and fascinating but nothing to be  
afraid of.'"

All best,
Alexandra



-- 
The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in
Scotland, with registration number SC005336.

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