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Dead Souls

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Dead Souls

By: Nikolai Gogol, Constance Garnett - translator
Narrated by: Nicholas Boulton
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Gogol's great Russian classic is the Pickwick Papers of Russian literature. It takes a sharp but humorous look at life in all its strata but especially the devious complexities in Russia, with its landowners and serfs. We are introduced to Chichikov, a businessman who, in order to trick the tax authorities, buys up dead 'souls', or serfs, whose names still appear on the government census. Despite being a dealer in phantom crimes and paper ghosts, he is the most beguiling of Gogol's characters. Gogol's obsession with attempting to display 'the untold riches of the Russian soul' eventually led him to madness, religious mania, and death. Dismissed by him as merely 'a pale introduction to the great epic poem which is taking shape in my mind', Dead Souls is the culmination of Gogol's genius. Translator: Constance Garnett.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

Public Domain (P)2017 Naxos AudioBooks World Literature Russia Ghost Witty Haunted Classics
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The best audiobook I've listened to, along with The Pickwick's Papers read by Rory Kinnear. The Dead Souls are fantastically written,just like everything by Gogol, and the narrator brought it to life in absolutely adorable and matsterful feat of storytelling. I'm now going to download other books read by him, UPON MY SOUL!

Absolutely fantastic!

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The book flows beautifully with countless interesting encounters , witty dialogues and numerous deeply thought provoking moments .
Light hearted and very enjoyable read .

Worth the praise

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First class performance by the narrator really enhanced the story. Sold on listening to more Gogol

Excellent narrator

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I really enjoyed this - I found Nicholas Boulton’s performance really added to my enjoyment of this complex, peculiar and fascinating narrative. I enjoyed the detailed observations of Russian life and characters in the 19th Century and would return to this again, but armed with more historical context etc so I better understood the satire. In turns lyrical, savage, sympathetic and satirical, I found this an oddly compelling and enjoyable listen.

Oddly compelling and fascinating

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Disappointing.
it starts out interesting with the crafty scheme the protagonist runs and the introduction to interesting characters that he tried to fleece.
A somewhat Dickensian style


unfortunately it doesn't go anywhere and as the novel "progresses" the story becomes messy, the plot gets derailed by too many tedious side stories, tedious characters and irritating musings and irrelevant motivations.
I kept shouting " for God's sake man, get back to the plot"

The reader is left unfulfilled possibly frustrated.

A national emblem in Russia but almost unfathomable by non Russians and much lost in translation.

No where near as good as Tolstoy or Dostoyevsky.

Unrewarding confusing novel

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