"What is to be done?" is the novel in which noted leftist critic Nikolai Chernyshevsky outlined his vision of a future of economic cooperation and women's rights. Though it is remembered more for its political message than its literary merit, a few words about its plot seem in order. We meet the main character, Vera Pavlovna, as she is about to be betrothed to a man who, though there's nothing especially terrible about him, she does not at all love. She meets the enlightened Dmitri Lopukhov and they fall in love, so, much to her parents' chagrin, they run off together and get married. After a few years of marriage, the odd behavior of Dmitri's close friend Alexander Kirsanov reveals to Dmitri that Alexander loves Vera, and Dmitri correctly suspects that the feeling is mutual, and that although Vera cares for Dmitri very much and appreciates all he has done for her, her passion for him was a youthful indiscretion. Ever sympathetic to his wife's interests, Dmitri contrives to get out of the lovers' way, and Vera and Alexander are happily married for pretty much all of the second half of the novel. Meanwhile, Vera has founded a highly successful sewing union, and Chernyshevsky uses this to preach the value of worker ownership of businesses and also to illustrate women's potential for industry outside the home.

Chernyshevsky admits at a number of points in the work that he wasn't born to be a novelist, and it shows--especially annoying were his inability to stay in the same verb tense and his periodic silly asides to "the sapient reader." Still, I was pleasantly surprised at how gripping I found the work; I was ever anxious to find out what was going to happen to the characters next (partly because their rather unorthodox views on marriage and other matters, especially given the time period, were bound to keep me guessing), and that made the fairly long novel go by a bit more enjoyably than I expected. Some of Chernyshevsky's views, and especially his prophecies for the future, seem a bit naive nowadays (though in my edition, translated in 1886, the translators gleefully note that Chernyshevsky predicted the invention of the electric light), but given when he was writing (1863), it's easier to see how he might fall into some of the traps that he did, and in fact the novel offers a very interesting look at Russian socialist thought in its relatively early years. All in all, though the novel's not great, it's better than it's generally given credit for, and if you're interested in the history of leftist thought or Russian literature, it's a worthwhile read.

Any reader of Russian Literature or interested political observer can recognize how this book condemns the very similar circumstances of Russian society in the post-serfdom and its modern search for idenity in Western Capitalism. Chernyshevsky does not waste anytime hiding what could be considered propaganda in a somewhat didatic novel, but well worth its weight. Considering he had been condemned to a Siberian lifetime exile and hard labor before beginning it, the book is surprisingly fresh and up beat. Definitely a book for readers of Turgenev rather than Doestoyevsky or Tolstoy.

Probably no other single novel or writing has had enough influence on the history of Russia, or for that matter, the modern world. While Marx provided the means and ideas, Chernyshevsky kindled the strongest spark towards the revolution of the peasant masses towards gender and class equality. This work, along with Chernyshevsky's others, was held in the highest esteem in the Soviet Union, shelved along with the philosophies of Marx and Engels and Lenin.

"What is to be done" swept through the liberal student bodies of the Russian universities in the late 19-century, and it was the rereading of Chernyshevsky's novel at Lenin's scholastic exile in Kokushkino that inspired the young man to forge his life's course as a revolutionary. The historical importance alone needs to be understood and appreciated.

Aesthetically, "What is to be done" leaves behind a dry taste in one's mouth; yes, the book is tedious. But at the same time, you can feel the author's energy and fervor at espousing what he really feels is the best course for Russian life, which had been left improved a little, reformed a little, but not wholly bettered since the time of Ivan the Terrible. This is functional art at its best, and it's no question why Chernyshevsky, with his views on art and science given in "The Contemporary," is believed to be the forerunner to Socialist Realism.

Any Russian lit readers should welcome the forerunner to countless Doestoevsky and Tolstoy parodies and reactions, as well as Turgenev's intended "perfect" revolutionary, Bazarov.

I own some of the great books of orchestration, say, those by Pistons, Adler and Forsyth, but this book certainly is the best of the best. This is not a book about instrumentation (general information as range, articulations, characteristics, notation), rather it concentrates aspects such as resonance, register, doublings, combination of instrumental colors, as well as information about the chorus. These are the points that need to be considered in the course of orchestration. A well-organized book, with many orchestral excerpts drawn from Korsakov's own works. It is very useful for any orchestrators to understand the principles the author said.

Rimsky-Korsakov worked upon this work for over 30 years.The examples are from his own works.He originally planned to include examples from Glinka,Tschaikovsky, Borodin,and Glazounov.He did not to avoid notational and stylistic peculiarities.This is not primarily a notational work.It deals more with subjects such as resonance,timbre,register,and instrumental combinations and their various effects.He died before the work was published and many of the examples were chosen from his works by the editor Max Steinberg.The Principles,however,listed prior to example,remain untouched...and still do barring instrumental developments.These Principles could have just as easily been exemplified by the above four or many others.This book is a classic on "Principles Of Orchestration" and most certainly not obsessed with "Examples Of Orchestration".The laws are laid out in the former case.To any serious composer that is as it ought be!

This is without a doubt the greatest book on orchestration in my opinion; not only does it give you an insight on Rimsky-Korsakov's style, but also helps perfectly balance any mixture of instruments, and gives you almost all information on any instrument (that he had at the time) that you'll ever need. It is not only a book on orchestration, but a course on it.

Rimsky-Korsakov's reallife personality exhibited signs of a clear split. His outward manner was dry, didactic, taciturn, argumentative, fussy and straight-laced. But to those who knew him more personally--his family, his friends, and those who saw his actions, rather than his words-- the man who emerged was kind, thoughtful, generous, colorful, provocative, and uncoventional in the extreme.

Unfortunately, My Musical Life carefully maintains the public persona with which Rimsky-Korsakov walled off his private thoughts. You'll look in vein for what led this one-time career naval officer to write several operas which cast the Tsar and his court as buffoons and lackeys, causing his work to be banned; or for any analysis of either his music or its generation. This musical life is a series of dull, faded pictures; dull not because of images whose meaning has been lost to cultural changes, but because the pictures are deliberately bland reminiscences of a man who did not care to extend his confidence to strangers.

It is almost never that a CD of music of Rimsky-Korsakov or any of the Russian five does not quotes a line or two from this autobiography.In it the composer himself tells about his life,works,and also about those that were fortunate enough to be close to him.He speaks of every aspect of his life with specific details....I wish to tell you more,but I would really like for you to read the book...

In this book, Rimsky-Korsakov gives the inside story of his life and those of his fellow musicians. The book itself is very readable and very interesting for anybody interested in the history of music to read. There are many interesting references to musical works, pupils, and fellow composers such as Tchaikovsky and Stravinsky. This book is an excellent account of a composer's life and legend. Recommended if you can find it!

This book features over 600 non-tournament games of the famed world champion. These games come from a variety of sources, including simultaneous displays, exhibitions, blindfold play, exhibition games, blitz events, and correspondence games. The games are very instructive and over a hundred of them have annotations. This book includes a lot more, including rare photos.

An important historical work covering more than 140 lesser-known games of the great world champion. Some of the games have very good annotations. There are also interesting stories, interviews and photographs. At such a great price, you can't go wrong.

I thought Rimsky was a boring old Russian with a big beard till I read this. This is certainly the most excting volume on a composer since Robert Craft interviewed Stravinsky (one of Rimsky's pupils, after all). It takes a composer previously known only for a colourful oriental fantasy and opens up a whole world of Slavonic exuberance and melancholy such as had only previously been associated with Tchaikovsky.

Anyway, I thought it was a bloody good read and I'm now going to search the catalogues for recordings of obscure Russian operas and songs - I can't get enough of them!

One of the few texts that deals with his life and music. One can further appreciate what this genius composer left behind

This is a very original book, devoted to just one rare but extraordinary tactical idea - one player sacrifices both his Rooks on the first rank. This sacrifice is extremely uncommon and the resulting positions resemble a world of fantasy where normal chess strategies don't apply. Even so, there are many different and practical tactical tips the reader will find very instructive. This book, containing exciting games with vivid insights, will bring many hours of enjoyment.

awton's second Inspector Troy story (following Black Out), finds the upper class detective in middle-age as the Cold War menaces England in 1956. The dense book is equal parts Cold War thriller (a la Carré or Furst), period depiction of post-WW II Britain, and insight into a complex protagonist's head. It's an ambitious undertaking, and I regret to say there's not a lot of thrill in the thriller, rather too much detail of domestic British politics for any but the most eager Anglophile, and Troy's hang-ups aren't enough to sustain interest in light of the book's heft.

The thriller part concerns the death of an apparent British spy during a visit by Kruschev to England. Troy is part of a Russian-speaking security detail assigned to eavesdrop on the Soviet delegation, but eventually ends up investigating the mysterious death. This investigation is rather herky-jerky and the result is both awfully banal for the amount of effort it takes, and disappointing in how it coincidentally links up to Troy's past. The period detail is well done (especially all the slang), but it would have benefited from a little concision. The grimy look at London and small towns in transition is nice, but there's far too much political intrigue and detail. Troy himself is a somewhat intriguing character, highly ambivalent to Queen and country, he struggles with his Russian heritage and advancing age. Still, one can't help but find the supporting cast more interesting-from Troy's boss "Onions", to his pig consultant, to the Polish pathologist, and various femme fatales. The problem is that Troy's really not particularly likable, and it's a bit of a chore to stick with him for so many pages.

As in the first book, Troy's family, school friends, and past loves are all at the author's service in moving the story along-indeed it becomes hard to overlook how convenient it is to the plotting that Troy's brother is a prominent politician with his fingers in top-secret pies. It's also hard to ignore how many times Troy gets shot, beaten-up, left for dead, etc. and yet still pursues the truth. Were the book more focused (and hence shorter), I'd be able to overlook these contrivances, but coupled with the faults outlined above, they make it difficult to recommend this book. A further warning is that one really must read the first book, Black Out, in order to get the full flavor of the characters and relationships. The third Troy book is A Little White Death, set in 1963-it hasn't yet been published in US, and based on this one, I won't bother to read it when it is.

I think this is a very interesting book. And I think you have to have a lot of patience to read it. I got to page 115 and the latter overcame the former.

In reading Dumas, Seinkewicz, LeCarre, Furst, Hemingway, even Chandler, one is bound to get a flavor of the time. You might get that in author's description of the architecture. Or perhaps in the transportation. Those gifted authors, especially those writing from a later time describing a much earlier one can amplify the scene with dialogue. Conversations between the characters. How people spoke. Somehow we can rest assured when D'Artagnan is invested into the Musketeers, he doesn't say, "Dude. Thanks."

But there's a limit to how much 'flavoring' we can take. If we truly don't understand what the characters are saying, then we lose the impact, sense, feeling and meaning of an entire scene.

I struggled with Mr. Lawton's dialogue and I certainly applaud those readers who understood what he was saying.

However, 'boffins,' 'wobbling,' 'saggar-maker bottom knocker,' 'are you going to have her put to tup this month?' 'for a moment he thought they'd both corpse,' and 'morris dancing in middle wallop,' all before page 11 . . .
well reading with a glossery in my left hand while turning pages with my right, was something I ceased doing in the 10th grade. It sounds like a heckuva' story, though. If you can get through that I'm certain you'll be fine.

Bloody silly of me. I just fagged out. Cheers.

In 1956, Nikita Khrushchev visits England. Because he can speak Russian, having moved from there as a child, Scotland Yard Chief Inspector Frederick Troy is assigned as Khrushchev's escort, his (and the English) interpreter, and English spy. Most cops would loath the assignment, but Frederick even more so because of his espionage assignments during WW II and his gut belief that his father was a spy and traitor.

As Khrushchev gets ready to depart (to Troy's relief), in Portsmouth Harbour the mutilated body of a navy diver Lieutenant (R) Arnold Cockerell is found though his wife says the corpse is not him, but provides no explanation as to where he is. Evidence leads to the conclusion that Cockerell, a furniture salesman, apparently was a spy, but no one confesses that he was employed by them, leaving the police to wonder for whom did he work? Troy is involved in that case and wrapping up his spying on Khrushchev, but also has personal problems to contend with, as his family detests the past resurfacing and his former deadly KGB old flame making a return into his life.

OLD FLAMES is a powerful espionage tale that plays out on two levels. First, the story line is an atmospheric Cold War spy novel set at a time when England and the West are shocked by the Philby-Burgess scandals and Khrushchev is screaming nuclear burial. The ploy also provides a subtle humor to all the spy and counterspy activity. Troy keeps the tale together as the audience receives a terrific espionage thriller cleverly inter-wrapped with a probing police procedural like a Moebius Band.

Harriet Klausner