Let the readings commence

Здравствуй!

And so, with a short trip to the library, my readings for the second half of the term shall begin.

For the month of January only.  And the books are far from complete
(someone beat me to the library!)

Last week, my prof posted the syllabus online, and needless to say, the readings required are absolutely rigorous.  Such is the fate of a literature student.  At least one novel must be completed per week - and if you think the story ends there, I am afraid you are quite wrong my friend.  The story/prose must be put into perspective, taking into consideration the social, historical and political backdrop.  Oh, don't forget the classic literary (i.e. character, plot, lit device etc.) conventions too.

This is the course that I've been most enthusiastic about for this term.  It is called 'Narrative Revolution and Counterrevolution in 20th Century Russian Prose'.  So basically it deals with writings from the post-Revolutionary period - works from both sides of the spectrum, from the hardcore conformists to the fearless dissidents.  My enthusiasm is further inflamed by the fact that Prof. Livak is teaching this course. I have to admit, he looks intimidating, and gives off the authoritative know-it-all aura that some university profs have at a glance :P  But I've talked to him in person to discuss about course requirements and stuff, and he seems like a really, really cool dude.  He is reputed to be one of the best lecturers in the Slavic Languages & Lit. department - one who really knows the subject matter at hand, and some of my friends have taken his courses.  Reviews have been very, very positive.

To be honest, aside from the cursory readings that I've done on my own - works by Solzhenitsyn, Aleksandr Blok and Akhmatova's Requiem - I really do not have much knowledge about Soviet literature and Socialist Realist aesthetics as much as I do with their predecessors in the 19th century.  The line between political discourse and literature is a thin one in the Russian literary canon.  The two are virtually inseparable.  To fully comprehend the authors and their work, one must be well acquainted with Russia's political history to understand what is implicated in the writings.  And there lies the real challenge in my readings.  It has become a routine for me to seek out and learn the historical context of a particular work before I start reading the real texts - even when I am not reading Russian stuff.  I anticipate that the job would prove even more arduous this time around, since I will be dealing with a more volatile period in Russian history.  Not to mention the problematic nature of publication to avoid censors back then, where one slip of the pen could mean death to the author.  I am particularly excited about reading Varlam Shalamov's The Kolyma Tales, a series of short stories about life in the Soviet labour camps.

At present, I am still stuck in the 19th Century bubble.  I am currently still reading "How the Russians Read the French" by Priscilla Meyer, a gem that I quite accidentally stumbled upon at Robarts.  This is such an enlightening read, since Russian literature have in the past been accused of being a pale imitation of the French and Western European literary tradition.

Such a good read, and I am far from finished :P
May need to extend the loan (again)

Sometimes when I look at the books stacked at the corner of my room, I feel like it is such a Sisyphean task to even contemplate reading them all in such a short amount of time.  But really, my philosophy has always been that one can NEVER, ever have too much books.  You find the most uncanny things as you flip through the pages.

I thought my passion for Egyptology could tamper down my frustration for not taking any lit courses in the first term - but that move proved to be farcical.  Don't get me wrong.  My love for archaeology and Egypt will forever take precedence before literature.

But literature keeps me sane by driving me insane.  Does that make any sense to you?  (I am sure lit students can very well relate to this sentiment)

Till next time, до свидания. :)