Selected Stories: Studies in Russian Literature and Theory

Alexander Fomich Veltman (1800–1870), a prolific but largely forgotten nineteenth-century Russian writer, played a significant role in the development of Russian literature. Once of the most popular prose writers in Russia in the 1830s and 1840s, his work influenced Pushkin, Gogol, Dostoevsky, and many others. The five stories in this collection will give the non-Russian reader a brief but representative sampling of Veltman's considerable literary output.

The first story, "Erotida" (1835), is a society tale, a genre very popular at the time. Veltman's peculiar treatment of the genre includes his predilection for linguistic puns and a very bizarre resolution of the plot. "Roland the Furious" (1835) is a satire on provincial life that has much in common with Gogol's famous play The Inspector General. "Travel Impressions, and, among Other Things, a Pot of Geraniums" (1840)—a satiric, humorous piece—contains some fascinating details about travel by coach as well as what may be the first description in Russian literature of travel by railroad. "A Traveler from the Provinces; or, A Commotion in the Capital" (1841) is a satirical commentary on the contemporary literary scene in which Veltman ridicules the Moscow literary salons for their habit of immediately bestowing the title of genius on each new literary pretender who captures the public fancy. The last story, "It's Not a House, but a Plaything!" (1850), in which two houses, each having its own domovoi (house spirit), are joined together under one roof, illustrates Veltman's predilection for employing elements from Russian folklore in his stories.