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For a job application once I answered the question "if money were not a problem, what is one project you would do?" and I wrote "I would film Gogol's story Viy with the muppets a la Jim Henson's The Storyteller . I got the bartneding job but we never talked about making that happen, unfortunately.

To those interested in the short fiction of Gogol, I couldn’t recommend a better collection. All the masterpieces are here, the selection is representative, the translation is vigorous, and the introduction is informative and helpful. Of course the masterpieces of the St. Petersburg period are here ( Leggi tutto

First: this is not The Complete Tales . The unlearned distinction between Collected & Complete has angered completists the world over. Collected means incomplete: a mixtape of works that constitute, critically, the best this writer has to offer. Complete means the totted-up totality, depending upon w Leggi tutto

I liked the most "The Tales of Nevsky Prospect", especially "Overcoat". Gogol's language is unique and the sense of humour is ahead of his time. But still my heart belongs to Dead Souls .

It is just such a joy to read Gogol’s work. He has yet to disappoint me. Five stars all the way!

My first reaction to Gogol was bewilderment. It's funny, and engaging to read, but...what the hell is it about? I'm not sure what the point of "Diary of a Madman" is, although I know I enjoyed it. Pevear and Volokhonsky's intro is helpful, although it contains a number of minor spoilers. Their point Leggi tutto