- Hardcover: 224 pages
- Publisher: Everyman's Library; Reissue edition (May 10 1994)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0679431314
- ISBN-13: 978-0679431312
- Product Dimensions: 13 x 1.5 x 20.6 cm
- Shipping Weight: 331 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #261,647 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
Review
When you think of Tolstoy, you most likely think of his epic novels, like Anna Karenina or War and Peace. You probably don't think of his shorter pieces like The Cossacks, a shorter novella that is considered to be the author's autobiography. The book centers around an unhappy Muscovite nobleman named Dmitri Olenin who joins the army in search of adventure and purpose in his life. He winds up in the Caucasus and is intrigued by the geography and the simple people who live there. Along the way, he discovers himself and falls in love for the first time, and in turn discovers the pain love can bring. We meet a cast of characters that includes the manly Cossack soldier Lukashka, the beautiful Cossack girl Maryanka, and the larger-than-life grandfather figure, Uncle Yeroshka, each of who play an important role in the life education of Olenin. Since this has always been one of my favorite books, I was curious to see how it translated into the audiobook format. The voice work is done by Jonathan Oliver, an English actor who has over a decade of experience reading audiobooks for the blind. At first, I was a little thrown by his English accent, as I know many Russians personally, and I always lent a Russian accent to The Cossacks characters in my mind. But as the story progressed, I got used to Oliver's accent and it became very natural sounding, as he took on the life of the characters. He also did a wonderful job of changing out his vocal style as each different character spoke, making it easy to tell who was speaking as the conversations took place. I especially liked his portrayal of Uncle Yeroshka, the colorful old man of the Cossack village who takes Olenin under his wing. Oliver's voice bellows and rings out with intensity, bringing the character to life in incredible fashion. Oliver is obviously very familiar with the story as well as Tolstoy in general, and he adds touches here and there to make the story even more special. For example, he reads the descriptive sections with the same enthusiasm as the speaking roles, painting a perfect picture of the Cossack village and the activities of its inhabitants as they go about daily life. He also sings their songs with a convincing air, staying in character the whole time. As far as classic literature goes, this one is an easy listen. It is not too long, and the story moves quickly, filled with adventure and a touch of innocent romance. Plus, it is a great introduction to Tolstoy without getting lost in the epic length of some of his other works. Highly recommended.
- MISH MASH, http://mishmashmusic.blogspot.com/
--This text refers to the
Audio CD
edition.
Book Description
(Book Jacket Status: Not Jacketed)
“Tolstoy’s lavish and always graphic use of detail,” wrote John Bayley, “together of course with its romance and exotic setting . . . has made The Cossacks the most popular of all his works.” This vibrant new translation of Tolstoy’s 1862 novel, by PEN Translation Award winner Peter Constantine, is the author’s semiautobiographical depiction of young Olenin, a wealthy, disaffected Muscovite, who joins the Russian army and travels to the untamed frontier of the Caucasus in search of a more authentic life. Quartered with his regiment in a Cossack village, Olenin revels in the glories of nature and the rough strength of the Cossacks and Chechens. Smitten by his unrequited love for a local girl, Maryanka, Olenin has a profound but ultimately short-lived spiritual awakening. Try as he might to assimilate, he remains an awkward outsider and his long search for a more enlightened and purposeful existence comes to naught.
With the philosophical insight that would characterize Tolstoy’s later masterpieces, this long overdue major new translation is a revelation.
“Tolstoy’s lavish and always graphic use of detail,” wrote John Bayley, “together of course with its romance and exotic setting . . . has made The Cossacks the most popular of all his works.” This vibrant new translation of Tolstoy’s 1862 novel, by PEN Translation Award winner Peter Constantine, is the author’s semiautobiographical depiction of young Olenin, a wealthy, disaffected Muscovite, who joins the Russian army and travels to the untamed frontier of the Caucasus in search of a more authentic life. Quartered with his regiment in a Cossack village, Olenin revels in the glories of nature and the rough strength of the Cossacks and Chechens. Smitten by his unrequited love for a local girl, Maryanka, Olenin has a profound but ultimately short-lived spiritual awakening. Try as he might to assimilate, he remains an awkward outsider and his long search for a more enlightened and purposeful existence comes to naught.
With the philosophical insight that would characterize Tolstoy’s later masterpieces, this long overdue major new translation is a revelation.
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderful book,
By Sergey Vasilev (Albany, USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Cossacks (Paperback)
Tolstoy's COSSACK is another fascinating story where purpose is found in the atmosphere of war. This goes for the jaded Olenin, an heir to a fortune that he had half squandered until he abandons his jaded life as a Moscow socialite for the adventures as a soldier in the Caucasus where he finds his purpose and true love. It compliments such stories like TARAS BULBA, UNION MOUJIK, EUGENE ONEGIN, and WAR AND PEACE. This book is not as popular as Tolstoy's other works but it is equally as good.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Short Fiction From Tolstoy,
By
This review is from: The Cossacks (Hardcover)
Tolstoy is one of the most famous names in Russian literature. Sadly, the sheer size of most of his celebrated works, i.e. War and Peace, tend to make many readers anxious. However, readers fail to realize that Tolstoy has quite a phenomenal collection of short fiction, such as this 178-page novella. Tolstoy explores the dissatisfaction a young Russian aristocrat holds towards the emptiness of high-society, and his subsequent journey in search of meaning. The aristocrat finds himself as a young Russian army officer, serving at a remote Cossack outpost in the Caucasus. Here he finds that his wealth and breeding do not garner him respect. Instead he is looked upon as an outsider, and an unwelcome one at that. Nevertheless, the aristocrat finds himself in love with a beautiful Cossack girl, who is promised to a Cossack warrior. Tolstoy discusses the emotions that rise between these three parties regarding love, class, and sacrifice. Indeed, The Cossacks is great first exposure to Leo Tolstoy and his descriptive writing style is sure to lead the reader to explore more of his works.
5.0 out of 5 stars
An outstanding tale of aristocrats and peasants.,
By Chris Willett (cwillett@math.uiuc.edu) (Champaign, Illinois) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Cossacks (Hardcover)
Truly the best novella that I have ever read. The story of a young Russian aristocrat disillusionned with the life of a city gentleman who looks to the simpler life of a soldier in the Caucasus for his completion. An outstanding read.
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