Worlds Apart: An Anthology Of Russian Fantasy And Science Fiction

A constant thread woven throughout the history of Russian literature is that of fantasy and an escape from the bounds of realism. Worlds Apart is the first singlevolume anthology that explores this fascinating and dominant theme of Russian literaturefrom its origins in the provincial folk tale, through its emergence in the Romantic period in the tales of Pushkin, Lermontov, and Turgenev, to its contemporary incarnation under the clouds of authoritarianism, revolution, mechanization, and modernizationwith allnew translations of the key literary masterpieces that reveal the depth and ingenuity of the Russian imagination as it evolved over a period of tumultuous political, social, and technological upheaval. Alexander Levitsky, perhaps the world's foremost expert on this genre, has selected and provided engaging and informative introductions to the selections that simultaneously represent the works of Russia's best authors and reveal the dominant themes of her history. The authors range from familiar figuresPushkin, Lermontov, Turgenev, Gogol, Dostoevsky, Bulgakov, and Belyto writers practically unknown outside the Slavic world such as Derzhavin, Bulgarin, Kuprin and Pilniak. Worlds Apart is an aweprovoking anthology with a compelling appeal both to the fantasy enthusiast and anyone with an abiding interest in Russian history and culture.