Fathers and Sons (Barnes & Noble Classics Series)

bestselling

this will guide of being a good father and son..

81 out of 82 people found this review helpful.

author

Ivan Turgenev is a good author..

80 out of 81 people found this review helpful.

father and son

you will get more lesson in this book that will guide us...

78 out of 79 people found this review helpful.

happy

we can get this in a low price and it makes us happy while reading about what Ivan Tugenev write the book father and sons..

77 out of 77 people found this review helpful.

A Masterfully Crafted Short Novel

"Fathers and Sons" frequently ranks well in the category of great Russian literature. Upon reading it, I easily saw why. The novel's characters are diverse and offer a wide range of philisophical perspectives common of the time period. Turgenev's objectivity throughout the tale enhances his story-telling and accentuates the poignance of the issues presented. (This style later influenced Anton Chekhov, one of Turgenev's greatest admirers). The subject matter, despite having a strong connection to the author's time-period, does not feel dated at all. In fact, the generational rebellion and youth's rejection of authority, even wise authority, rings true especially today. The main character Bazarov's psychology and outlook on life in contrast to the people around him make for an intellectually intriguing book that leaves you to ponder whether any of the characters were really correct. From the beginning to the strangely effective anticlimactic ending, Turgenev's "Fathers and Sons" intrigues its readers.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

great book

great book

Better off to read his short stories

My major complaint with the novel is that Bazarov failed as a character and cannot carry the novel. Turgenev was criticized by some for purposely depicting Bazarov as a caricature, but I do not believe that Bazarov was intentionally a buffoon. The novel reads as if Turgenev truly wanted to depict Bazarov as the prototype of a new generation and wrote the novel with a straight face. If Bazarov is merely a caricature, Turgenev wrote the story deadpan.

Bazarov can be mistaken as a caricature because the actions and words that are supposed to portray him in a intellectual and morally advanced manner only make him look like a conceited snob. I felt at times that Bazarov picked up his radical ideas only for attention. At parties and when a guest in others homes he ignores manners, condemns the then current state of Russian society, and rails against romanticism and aristocracy. However, throughout the novel he fails to live up to his beliefs. He falls in love (with a rich aristocrat), agrees to have the last rights performed before he dies, writes a letter to his love hoping she would come before his death, and sees no inconsistency between his hatred of the landed class and his living high off their riches. He sees himself as a man of the people but is unable to communicate with the serfs and the serfs see him as a fool.

Throughout the novel Bazarov is presented as the intellectual and morally(in a nihilistic sense) superior to Arkady. He often mocks Arkady for the lingering romanticism and aristocratic ideals that have survived Arkady's "education" by Bazarov. However, it is not any quality in Bazarov that makes him better than Arkady but a complete lack of pride or ability in Arkady to stand up to Bazarov. A few times Arkady manages to spit out a remark in response to Bazarov but throughout much of the novel Arkady serves as a punching bag until he gets tired of this role and abandons his supposed radicalism for the comforts of marriage and estate management. Next to Arkady a rock would appear bright. Bazarov is very capable of as he would say "negating," or finding fault with almost every topic that arises, but never offers any solutions. I understand that he is a nihilist and as such advocates for the tearing down of society, morals, religion, ect, but it gets tiresome to continually read Bazarov's diatrabes and have Arkady fawning over him. By placing Bazarov next to Arkady I believe that Turgenev intended him to appear as the revolutionary hero but utlimately he looks like an idiot.

The best part of the book, but one that does not quite redeem it, is Bazarov's death at the end. He dies a meaningless death of typhoid that he contracted from performing a meaningless autopsy. A fitting ending for a character that found meaning in nothing. At times Bazarov also makes you reconsider some of your values and society, but his poor character distracts from these situations.

If you want to experience Turgenev at his finest read A Sportsman's Notebook. He has few peers in the realm of short fiction.

A superb novel!!! Must Buy!

This novel offers a really rich story. I had to read this for a class and I'll admit i was not thrilled about it when I was assigned it. But yet again the quote "Don't judge a book by it's cover", held true. The character Razamov, is a great example of the nihilist view and is a very dynamic and alive. There is a great message in this book and has every bit of every thing a great story needs for everyone to enjoy it. The first chapter or so you might need to hold on but then it picks up into a rush of vivid literature. YOU MUST BUY THIS BOOK!

Great book about Nihilist movement in Russia

This book is phenomenal. It's nature is so vivid and it's characters so well put that I felt I was living in the story also. Bazarov's character is the most powerful character in this book, and signifies much about Nihilism in a whole. Other than the nihilist theme, this book contained great emotion, as in Bazarov's infection.

Lessons Forgotten

Fathers and Sons shows the timeless cycle of intergenerational rebellion and the resulting alientation of the generations. Written at the time of the emancipation of the Russian serfs, it deals with a self-proclaimed liberal father and his son, who under the influence of his brilliant friend, dismisses his father's liberal virtues as sentimentality. As with much Russian literature of the era, the story unfolds against a fascinating background with institutions and characters that are unfamiliar to Western readers.

Nihilism dissected

FATHERS AND SONS treats Nihilism far more succinctly than any book I can think of and brought the idea to the ordinary mind through true to life characters that we can relate to. It is important because the ideas and methods of the most notorious Nihilists-Nechayev is considered to be very important by Al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations.

Generation Gap and Nihilism

This novel deals with two main themes: On the one hand the natural conflict between different generations, and on the other the philosophy of nihilism, which professes a kind of utilitarianism based on natural science. Character opposition and plot structure is vital to interpreting the work; there is great irony in Bazarov's rather anticlimactic death. The world will go on without him. Turgenev is unfortunately stuck in the shadow of two other 19th century Russian realists...

Okay but not great

I thought this book was really boring, sometimes it was interesting to read though. The end was much more interesting to read than the beginning

Hmmmmm.... can't come up with a headline, sorry

I just finished reading this book (in Russian, not in English :)). I think that, although lots of people simply say that 'it's a great book', it has a really deep message and meaning, and it's really not that easy to understand. But seriously, I liked this book! I think that it's quite different when you read the translation, though.

Great

A wonderful masterpiece. Turgenev paints the nihilistic charector of bazarov in poetic and realistic way. One of the finest books I have ever read.

Funny Nihilism

This book has a few interesting ideas, including the introduction of the word 'nihilism.' The main character is somehow a mix between a Mark Twain hero and Hamlet. Anyway, it reads fast; so read it -- fast.

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