“In the dense and motley crowd of my childhood, I stand out like a sore thumb—a stranger to all.” Chapter 1: The Death of Alexei’s Father The story […]
Russian literature
The Lower Depths
“Man! It’s great! It sounds… proud! Man! You’ve got to respect man!” The Lower Depths by Maxim Gorky is a play set in a dilapidated overnight shelter, where […]
Russian literature
Poor Folk
“I am a poor man… my life has been a series of misfortunes.” Chapter 1 The novel opens with a letter from Makar Devushkin, a low-ranking government clerk, […]
English literature
Keep the Aspidistra Flying
“The aspidistra is the true middle-class emblem, because it is the kind of plant that you can’t kill even if you want to.” Chapter 1: Gordon Comstock’s Rebellion […]