The Slavic Literature Pod

Show Notes: This week Matt and Cameron read “Twenty-Six Men and a Girl,” by Maxim Gorky. Born Alexei Maximovich Peshkov, it was only when he had begun publishing fiction in his early twenties that Gorky would adopt his later-famous pseudonym, likely as a reflection of the critical lens he took in his analysis of the then-Russian Empire (‘Gorky,’ in Russian, means bitter). This story, published in 1899, serves as the prototype of a genre which would later be named “social realism, “ which focused on the struggles of working-class people to expose the structures of power which caused their conditions. Major themes: the alienation of labor, idealization/fetishization, pretzels. 17:00 - In fact, by 1871, every work by Karl Marx was banned with the exception of Das Kapital. In the words of one of the official readers in the office of Censors of Domestic Publications, Das Kapital was “a colossal mass of abstruse, somewhat obscure politico-economic argumentation.” He would go on to say that “[i]t can be confidently stated that in Russia few will read it and fewer will understand it.” As cited in “Das Kapital comes to Russia,” by Albert Resis. https://doi.org/10.2307/2493377The music used in this episode was “soviet march,” by Toasted Tomatoes. You can find more of their work on Bandcamp and YouTube. Our links: Website | ⁠Discord⁠ Socials: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Twitter⁠ | ⁠FacebookAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Show Notes:This week, Matt and Cameron read Kolyma Tales by Varlam Shalamov. Although the Gulag narrative was most popularized by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's works, Shalamov’s tales are equally compelling, especially driven by their mix of reality and fantasy. As a not one, not two, but three-time convict sentenced to hard labor Shalamov wrote stories that combined his real experiences with fantasy in order to convey the realities and feelings of life in the camp. Stay tuned for this one, because it’s super interesting!Major themes: gulags, carnivorousness, latent classicism, guerilla warfare.32:18 - It would be more accurate to say Red Army soldiers, since there were many more ethnicities than only Russian in the Soviet military.The music used in this episode was “soviet march,” by Toasted Tomatoes. You can find more of their work on Bandcamp and YouTube.Buy this book with our affiliate links on ⁠Bookshop⁠ or ⁠Amazon⁠! Our links: Website | ⁠Discord⁠ Socials: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Twitter⁠ | ⁠FacebookAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Show Notes:This week, Matt and Cameron finish Zakhar Prilepin’s Sankya (affectionately retitled Sankya: Reeeeee), reading chapters 8-13. They’ll also be going over the ties between the messaging of the story and some of Prilepin’s real-life political engagement.Major themes: fatherlessness, arson, murderous intent, National Bolshevism.8:00 - I meant to say 2014. Please don’t come for me in the comments.13:17 - “eet eez”17:39 - Right as according to his own moral philosophy, not according to...you know, my moral standards.35:25 - “For real,” as if them committing arson at the McDonald’s wasn’t real in comparison.35:33 - United Russia being Putin’s real-life political party.45:48 - If we consider this most broadly, there are about 72 regions in Russia.Our links: ⁠⁠⁠All links⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠PATREON⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Merch⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Watch on YouTube⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Discord⁠⁠⁠Socials: ⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠The music used in this episode was “soviet march,” by Toasted Tomatoes. You can find more of their work on Bandcamp and Youtube.Buy this book with our affiliate links on ⁠Bookshop⁠ or ⁠Amazon⁠! Our links: Website | ⁠Discord⁠ Socials: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Twitter⁠ | ⁠FacebookAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Show Notes: In this episode, Matt and Cameron drink too much.Major themes: Russia, melancholia, Banana Republic, desecrating holy sites.If you enjoyed this episode, then you might interested in supporting us on Patreon. You can get all kinds of goodies there, including access to future bonus episodes, input on what we'll be reading in the near future, and even a hand-written thank you note from Matt and I.The music used in this episode was 'bella ciao' by Toasted Tomatoes. You can find more of their stuff on Bandcamp and also on YouTube.Our links: Website | ⁠Discord⁠ Socials: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Twitter⁠ | ⁠FacebookAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Show Notes:Content Warning: there will be minor discussion of sexual violence at 27:53-28:23, 32:40-32:55, and 34:40-35:13. There will also be a description of graphic violence at 33:52-34:06. This week, Matt and Cameron will be reading the first half of Sankya by Zakhar Prilepin. Prilepin—a former soldier, OMON officer, and journalist—is famous for his literary work exploring the malaise and directionlessness of young men in modern Russia, and also infamous for his involvement in the National Bolshevik Party and year of combat with a pro-separatist militant group in the Ukranian Civil War. Sankya, published in 2006, focuses on a young member of a fictional political party, the Founding Fathers, and their militant opposition to the modern Russian state. This novel has been praised by the likes of Alexey Navalny and Tatyana Tolstaya for its depictions of modern Russian life—but, as we’ll discuss, there are also some sinister undertones to the book’s conclusions… Major themes: death & decay, debate but bad, everyone is angry.27:40 - Before those of you who’ve read the book come for us...we did later realize that it was actually Yana’s friend’s apartment, but if that’s what you’re focusing on here in light of...what comes next, your priorities might be a little out of order. Also we’ll be reading quotes from...perhaps the worst sex scene that’s been put to print between 28:50 and 30:57.The music used in this episode was “soviet march,” by Toasted Tomatoes. You can find more of their work on Bandcamp and Youtube. Buy this book with our affiliate links on ⁠Bookshop⁠ or ⁠Amazon⁠! Our links: Website | ⁠Discord⁠ Socials: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Twitter⁠ | ⁠FacebookAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Show Notes: This week, Matt and Cameron will be delving into a few short stories from the collection Red Cavalry by Isaac Babel. Babel was an early Soviet writer who covered the Polish-Soviet 1920 war as a journalist and would later use these experiences as the basis for this very story collection. If you’re interested in getting a first-person look into what exactly the various conflicts across the crumbling Russian empire, Babel is absolutely a great introduction. Major themes: Bolshevism, Buyer’s Remorse, The Russian Civil War, Cossacks, Socratic Debate. 05:07 - Actually it was 14 years later in 1954. 5:39 - To continue to our third story, Gedali, go to 35:40 11:00 - Cossacks are a broad-ranging group comprised of a number of Tartar-descended groups (sometimes including other Slavic groups), which settled across Russia, with traditions distinct from ethnic Russians.The music used in this episode was “soviet march,” by Toasted Tomatoes. You can find more of their work on Bandcamp and Youtube. Buy this book with our affiliate links on ⁠⁠Bookshop⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠!Our links: Website | ⁠Discord⁠ Socials: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Twitter⁠ | ⁠FacebookAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Show Notes:This week, Matt and Cameron take on “The Nose,” by Nikolai Gogol. Written in 1835-6, “The Nose” tells the story of a mid-ranking St. Petersburg bureaucrat who loses his nose. The story recounts how Major Kovalyov’s nose takes on a life of its own, how he is not of high enough rank to talk to it, and, finally, how he gets it back.Major themes: Table of Ranks, Peter the Great, Magical Realism, Phallic symbolism.The music used in this episode was “soviet march,” by Toasted Tomatoes. You can find more of their work on Bandcamp and Youtube.Buy this book with our affiliate links on ⁠Bookshop⁠ or ⁠Amazon⁠!Our links: Website | ⁠Discord⁠ Socials: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Twitter⁠ | ⁠FacebookAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Show Notes:This week, Matt and Cameron will be reading “Alyosha the Pot,” a short story by Leo Tolstoy which was once called one of his “most perfect creations,” by literary historian Dmitri Mirsky.Tolstoy is a writer who needs no introduction. Most famously known as the author of War and Peace and Anna Karenina, Tolstoy also wrote prolifically about Russian life, semi-autobiographically, and his religious and political convictions. His beliefs about life often come across in his works, especially his short stories, as we’ll be exploring today!Major themes: Peasanthood, Christianity, morality.19:20 - Perhaps it’s more accurate to say that Tolstoy’s Gospel in Brief, plays down the element of miracle rather than removes it altogether.The music used in this episode was “soviet march,” by Toasted Tomatoes. You can find more of their work on Bandcamp and Youtube.Our links: Website | ⁠Discord⁠ Socials: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Twitter⁠ | ⁠FacebookAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands