“I am interested only in ‘nonsense’; only in that which makes no practical sense. I am interested in life only in its absurd manifestation.”
Today I Wrote Nothing is a collection of short prose, poetry, and absurdist vignettes by Russian avant-garde writer Daniil Kharms. The book compiles his fragmented, surreal, and often darkly humorous works, many of which were suppressed during Stalinist rule. Below is a sequential breakdown of key sections and themes.
Miniatures & Absurdist Prose
The book opens with ultra-short pieces, often just a few lines long, where logic collapses into absurdity. Characters vanish mid-sentence, objects behave unpredictably, and mundane situations spiral into chaos. For example, in “The Blue Notebook,” a man exists and ceases to exist within a single paragraph.
Poetic Fragments
Kharms’ poetry is sparse and jarring, blending childlike simplicity with existential dread. Lines like “A man walked out of a house / and disappeared” exemplify his minimalist approach, where meaning is both suggested and immediately undermined.
Longer Narratives
Works like “The Old Woman” stretch into multi-page absurdist tales. An old woman inexplicably dies in the narrator’s apartment, leading to a series of increasingly illogical attempts to dispose of the body, reflecting themes of futility and bureaucratic madness.
Diaries & Personal Writings
Interspersed are diary entries and notes, some despairing (“Today I wrote nothing. It doesn’t matter”), others cryptically playful. These glimpses into Kharms’ life underscore his struggle under censorship and poverty.
Children’s Stories (Ironic)
Kharms wrote officially sanctioned children’s literature to survive, but even these contain subversion. A story about “How a Man Was Surprised by a Train” ends abruptly with the man’s death, mocking didactic expectations.
Key Ideas
- Absurdism: Life’s meaninglessness rendered through illogical events.
- Bureaucratic satire: Systems of power reduced to ridiculous rituals.
- Minimalism: Stark language amplifying existential emptiness.
- Subversion: Playful defiance of literary and political norms.
- Existential dread: Humor as a response to mortality and oppression.
Who should read this book?
- Fans of avant-garde literature and surrealism.
- Readers interested in Soviet-era dissident art.
- Those who appreciate dark humor and philosophical absurdity.
- Writers exploring minimalism and fragmented narratives.