Description
Book SynopsisThe tales collected in
The Nose and Other Stories are among the greatest achievements of world literature. They showcase Nikolai Gogol’s vivid, haunting imagination: an encounter with evil in a darkened church, a downtrodden clerk who dreams only of a new overcoat, a nose that falls off a face and reappears around town on its own.
Trade Review[A] first-rate collection . . . Admirers of Gogol and his odd sensibilities will devour this excellent gathering. * Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review *
While they deal in subjects including witchcraft, demonic influence, and madness, Gogol’s stories are as humorous as they are bizarre . . .
The Nose and Other Stories is filled with ill-fated characters, strange happenings, and satirical commentary. * Foreword Reviews *
Since much of Gogol’s humor depends on linguistic play, he has proven resistant to adequate translation. . . Fusso’s ear for humor makes all the difference. * New York Review of Books *
Crazy, colorful, delightful, and sad, Gogol’s short stories are among the great gems of Russian literature. Susanne Fusso’s scholarly and stylish new translations bring them alive once again and make this selection a pleasure to read.
-- David Bellos, author of
Is That a Fish in Your Ear?: Translation and the Meaning of EverythingThe first major English translation of Gogol’s stories in more than twenty years,
The Nose and Other Stories captures his humor and complexity brilliantly. This volume will prove to be a great read for students and Russian literature enthusiasts alike. -- Bruce Holl, Trinity University
[A] really wonderful collection of Gogol’s writings, and essential for any lover of his work. * Kaggsy's Bookish Ramblings *
An erudite, modern translation of [Gogol’s] work that shows clearly how this strange writer became a defining influence on Russian literature and beyond. * Paperback Paris *
In a move that preserves a sense of foreignness in the English translation, Fusso employs something closer to a literal translation than the more idiomatic one used by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky in their 2011 rendering of Gogol’s stories. Fusso maintains the pacing and eeriness of Gogol’s narrative flow while also stretching out some of the language . . . Such choices in translation create a subtle nod to the linguistic distance Russian readers would have experienced reading Gogol’s prose. * The Nation *
Susanne Fusso does excellent work making the Russian-to-English prose accessible, readable, and unfussily poetic. * Jason Half's Blog *
[Fusso's] translation captures all of Gogol’s magic. * Evilcyclist's Bookshelf *
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments
Introduction, by Susanne Fusso
Notes on the Translation
Table of Ranks
1. The Lost Letter
2. Viy
3. The Portrait (1835 version)
4. Nevsky Avenue
5. Diary of a Madman
6. The Carriage
7. The Nose
8. Rome (A Fragment)
9. The Overcoat
Notes
