Professor of Russian José Vergara recommends a dark story of family betrayal. Shchedrin's 1880 novel follows the fall of a miserly matriarch and the rise of her even more punitive son. We talk about tragicomedy, fate, faith, and constant death. Spoilers are out of control. This is one of our favorite books, so read it quick!
Michaela Telfer's article on bureaucracy in the novel (open access)
Sign up for our bonus show for an upcoming companion episode on Chekhov's play The Cherry Orchard.
McNally Editions senior editor Lucy Scholes joins the show to talk about Penelope Mortimer's dark novel of marriage and parenthood, the Pumpkin Eater. We...
Novelist Amit Chaudhuri joins us for a wide-ranging conversation as his first three books (A Strange and Sublime Address, Afternoon Raag, and Freedom Song)...
NYRB Classics editorial director Edwin Frank returns to talk about his new book on the 20th-century novel. We discuss how he defined the category,...
