A letter to Ambach123

[steviej]

You are right. A young woman with "Turgenev" is such a rarity...

At least that  fellow countrymen don't forget the Cyrillic alphabet 

Probably the most popular reading in US these days is "Cosmopolitan Teen Girl's 1000 Ways to Make Him Absolutely Crazy For You !!", and the one million variations on this.

For the adult woman (although all the teens read it anyway) we have:
"Cosmopolitan 1000 Ways to Lick His Genitals on Your First Date and Make Him Crazy For You !!", and the one million variations on that. 

[OlgaH]

Probably the most popular reading in US these days is "Cosmopolitan Teen Girl's 1000 Ways to Make Him Absolutely Crazy For You !!", and the one million variations on this.

For the adult woman (although all the teens read it anyway) we have:
"Cosmopolitan 1000 Ways to Lick His Genitals on Your First Date and Make Him Crazy For You !!", and the one million variations on that. 

BTW the "Cosmopolitan" in Russian also is popular among young women in Russia

[steviej]

BTW the "Cosmopolitan" in Russian also is popular among young women in Russia

One thing the communist theorits were always right about was the inevitable vulgarity of unbridled capitalist culture. In the Victorian era, and the enlightenment in general, even though there was growing rampant capitalism (and all the consequent labor exploitation and poverty) popular culture was restrained from falling into the gutter by the church. In a world unrestrained by church, or economic community, or any meaningful bond of standards, culture falls to the lowest common denominator, and continues to fall. This is a direct outcome of a "free market" in popular culture. One channel shows a live murder, the competitors channel must show two lives murders, and so on and on it goes. Same with sex as entertainment.

[Ooooops]

Seeing what junk most of my fellow countrymen read nowadays, I sometimes wish they stopped reading altogether.

 

Although, I'm very ashamed to admit that I bought full Dostoevski collection few years ago and never opened one book since...      

[steviej]

Although, I'm very ashamed to admit that I bought full Dostoevski collection few years ago and never opened one book since...      

I have a leatherbound gold trimmed "The Complete Works of Willam Shakespeare" that I've never read! 

[Ooooops]

I have a leatherbound gold trimmed "The Complete Works of Willam Shakespeare" that I've never read! 

But it looks great on the bookshelf, doesn't it?   

BTW, we had some great Russian translators of that impossible to read Shakespearian language.   Almost made it enjoyable reading.   

[Blues Fairy]

But it looks great on the bookshelf, doesn't it?   

BTW, we had some great Russian translators of that impossible to read Shakespearian language.   Almost made it enjoyable reading.   

I think the language of the original is quite enjoyable.  And yes it does look great on the shelf (I, too, own a leatherbound gold-trimmed Complete Works of W.Sh.) 

[Gtex]

The Shakespeare translations you refer to are by Marschak.  They are renown for perserving rhyme scheme, pattern, and alliteration without adverse impact on meaning or content.  Just one of many accomplishments by this great author. His work with children's books, often with V.V. Lebedev is also impressive and continue to reveal him to new generations of children (Russian). 
Reading in the subway (and generally in public) is a good way to preserve personal space and avoid human entanglement, 2 common goals in the society (not to mention intellectually rewarding [depending on subjects!]). 

[OlgaH]

it looks great on the bookshelf

Every time when I was trying to put in order my books, I found myself sitting on the floor, and being surrounded with books I was reading  It was always too late to continue my try, so I put all the books in the bookcases without any order, planning to put them in order in the future. But story repeated itself 

[SANDRO43]

Every time when I was trying to put in order my books, I found myself sitting on the floor, and being surrounded with books I was reading  It was always too late to continue my try, so I put all the books in the bookcases without any order, planning to put them in order in the future. But story repeated itself 

You'd also have to decide how to arrange them: by author, subject, period ?

I've long run out of normal shelf space, so I've been putting my books wherever some room became available. When I last replaced my fridge, I didn't discard the old unit but put it out on my balcony as a much-needed extra book case .

[OlgaH]

You'd also have to decide how to arrange them: by author, subject, period ?

Oh, not by period, just by author and subject (the philosophy in one place, and the art in another and so on))    I was trying 

You are inventive man 

[SANDRO43]

You are inventive man

Not quite, just desperate .

[steviej]

Don't forget to read Steviej's highly popular thread "Interesting Books on Russian History."     (under Odds and Ends)

Dan tells me this has now become the most read and responded to thread of all time in RWD.

Congratulations, Steviej !!!   

Sandro, I love the refridgerator