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Review
An absolute classic, Mumu gives a wonderfully vivid picture of life for the poor in Russia, can't be faulted. It is great to have an audio book version, which really brought the story to life. I really enjoyed listening to this, but the real star is Turgenev's writing.
Nikki Pierce (UK)
Mumu by Ivan Tergenev is a brilliant story superbly narrated by Max Bollinger. By turns tragic and comic the story concerns a deaf mute serf whose love for a laundress is unrequited and who instead befriends a dog, the Mumu of the title.
Alan Moreton (UK)
It is a poignant story which brought me close to tears. But it made me think as well. The narrator has done a very good job with his choice of translation and his slight accent adds to the story. Not having read the original story I cannot comment on his adaptation, but this edition has whet my appetite for Turgenev on the page.
Joseph Belliveau (Canada) --interactive.eu.com
Gerasim is a deaf mute servant in the household of a cantankerous old widow outside Moscow. He finds comfort in his isolated life of arduous work in his beloved dog, Mimi, but the widow orders the animal s destruction. A harrowing short story published in 1854, its vivid portrayal of callous cruelty towards serfs is believed to have influenced opinion in favour of the abolition of serfdom seven years later. The narration is Russian accented English communicates all of Turgenev's favour. --Rachel Redford, The Observer, The Guardian (UK)
An absolute classic, Mumu gives a wonderfully vivid picture of life for the poor in Russia, can't be faulted. It is great to have an audio book version, which really brought the story to life. I really enjoyed listening to this, but the real star is Turgenev's writing. --Nikki Pierce (UK) interactive.eu.com
Product Description
An audio book adaptation of Turgenev's story set on the outskirts of Moscow, in the house of an old widow. The story was written in 1854 by Ivan Turgenev, a great Russian novelists of the nineteenth century. Turgenev wrote Mumu with such vivid images and reflections of the state of the tsarist Russia that this piece together with his other stories was credited with having influenced public opinion in favour of the abolition of serfdom in 1861.
Turgenev wrote Mumu with such vivid images and reflections of the state of the tsarist Russia that this piece together with his other stories was credited with having influenced public opinion in favour of the abolition of serfdom in 1861. Turgenev was the first of the great Russian novelists to win fame abroad. One of his great admirers was Henry James, who wrote that "Turgenev's merit of form is of the first order"
Contents
01 Gander of The Steppes
02 Injured Creature
03 Marriage of Inconvenience
04 Pretty Pass
05 Little Nursling
06 Flower Garden
07 Prisoner of The Garret
08 Cherrybay Drops
09 Back to The Roots
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Max Bollinger continues to bring to our attention works of Russian literature (Bollinger was born in Russia but now lives and works in England). His previous audio books of stories by Chekhov has a growing listening public, so much of the flavor of the works as read by Bollinger is essentially Russian, that together with Bollinger's training in acting makes him the perfect narrator. Now here is a new release of the story Mumu by Ivan Turgenev, a story not many of us may know, but in this reading Bollinger makes it come alive. The first section sets the mood of the story reading a fine translation by Constance Garnett, describing the owner of an aging mansion and her porter Gerasim.
The story has been described as follows: 'A terrible story that, better than any manifesto, indicted the absolute tyrannical cruelty of pre-revolutionary landowners in Russia. Gerasim is a deaf and dumb peasant, brought from the country to serve his mistress (modeled on Turgenev's monstrous mother) as caretaker of her city property on the outskirts of Moscow. He doesn't like his new life, but gets used to it, especially after he rescues a little puppy with black and white spots from the riverbank. Having this dog, Mumu, he finally has love in his bitter and otherwise loveless life, and the dog worships him. But one day the mistress calls for Mumu to be brought into her presence; when it was shy of her and bared its teeth at her approach, the mistress was stung to a fury, implacably ordering, "see that she isn't here today--do you hear?" Her butler Gavrilo tries to sell Mumu, but she finds her way back. Gerasim hides the dog, but the mistress gets wise when Mumu's guard dog instincts make her bark at an intruder. This time the writing is on the wall: Gerasim is ordered to hand Mumu over--to be destroyed. The mistress will NOT have that ungrateful dog disturbing her rest.'
To share more will take away from the enchanting manner in which Bollinger reads this fascinating tale of Russian realism. Once again, Max Bolinger adds to the popularity of Russian literature, opening windows into a country too often clouded in controversy but at the same time so very rich in art in all forms. Grady Harp, December 10
The story has been described as follows: 'A terrible story that, better than any manifesto, indicted the absolute tyrannical cruelty of pre-revolutionary landowners in Russia. Gerasim is a deaf and dumb peasant, brought from the country to serve his mistress (modeled on Turgenev's monstrous mother) as caretaker of her city property on the outskirts of Moscow. He doesn't like his new life, but gets used to it, especially after he rescues a little puppy with black and white spots from the riverbank. Having this dog, Mumu, he finally has love in his bitter and otherwise loveless life, and the dog worships him. But one day the mistress calls for Mumu to be brought into her presence; when it was shy of her and bared its teeth at her approach, the mistress was stung to a fury, implacably ordering, "see that she isn't here today--do you hear?" Her butler Gavrilo tries to sell Mumu, but she finds her way back. Gerasim hides the dog, but the mistress gets wise when Mumu's guard dog instincts make her bark at an intruder. This time the writing is on the wall: Gerasim is ordered to hand Mumu over--to be destroyed. The mistress will NOT have that ungrateful dog disturbing her rest.'
To share more will take away from the enchanting manner in which Bollinger reads this fascinating tale of Russian realism. Once again, Max Bolinger adds to the popularity of Russian literature, opening windows into a country too often clouded in controversy but at the same time so very rich in art in all forms. Grady Harp, December 10
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Ivan Turgenev (1818 - 1883) wrote Mumu in 1854. He is a major 19th century Russian write who was broadly contemporary with Dostoevsky. The story was translated English by Constance Garnett. Max Bollinger remarks that there were only a few minor changes that needed to be made to her translation. He says that `the elegance, wit and idiomatic composition of Garnett's work is of the highest calibre.'
The story is focused on the exercise of power by the female owner of an estate (the Mistress) run by serfs who she owned. Gerasim, a tall, deaf and dumb peasant has been brought to her town house to work as the porter. He falls in love with Tatyana, a pretty wardrobe maid. The mistress decides that Tatyana ought to marry Kapiton, a drunken shoemaker on her estate. Gerasim is persuaded by the steward to take the situation quietly. After Kapiton and Tatyana have been married for a while, Kapiton becomes a hopeless drunk. The couple are therefore sent to live and work on a distant farm.
One day Gerasim rescued a puppy that was drowning in the river. He took it home, cared for her and called her Mumu. By the time the dog was 8 months old it was a handsome Spaniel. It went everywhere with Gerasim. She only barked with good reason and never went into the Mistress's house.
One day the Mistress sees the dog in the garden in front of the house and orders it brought in. But, once in the house, Mumu won't come near her. In fact, she growls at the Mistress. At this, the Mistress is very upset and orders the dog taken out. That night she sleeps poorly and complains that she was kept awake by dogs barking. She says the only dog on the premises should be the proper watchdog. All others must go.
Gerasim locks himself and Mumu into his room while the steward and footmen try to persuade him to part with her. In the end a footman steals Mumu and sells her at a market. Gerasim is distraught. But a few nights later Mumu comes back to him.
The Mistress hears a dog bark in the night and calls for the doctor to treat her. She complains that everyone is against her. She orders the steward and, later, her oldest female companion, to solve the dog problem.
The steward tells Gerasim that the dog has to be killed. Gerasim says he'll do it. The steward tells the Mistress the dog has been killed as ordered. Meanwhile, Gerasim has dressed himself in his best clothes. He walks to the river with Mumu. He rows himself and the dog upstream for half a mile and then drowns the dog.
Gerasim was never seen at the house again because he walked back to his home village. There he found a soldier's wife living in his hut. He immediately joins the villagers in their harvest. He never keeps a dog again.
The Mistress was furious that Gerasim had gone. She also claimed that she had never ordered that the dog be killed. She died soon afterwards and her relatives freed all the serfs.
This is a brilliant, absorbing and surprising story which profits greatly from the way Max Bollinger reads it.
The story is focused on the exercise of power by the female owner of an estate (the Mistress) run by serfs who she owned. Gerasim, a tall, deaf and dumb peasant has been brought to her town house to work as the porter. He falls in love with Tatyana, a pretty wardrobe maid. The mistress decides that Tatyana ought to marry Kapiton, a drunken shoemaker on her estate. Gerasim is persuaded by the steward to take the situation quietly. After Kapiton and Tatyana have been married for a while, Kapiton becomes a hopeless drunk. The couple are therefore sent to live and work on a distant farm.
One day Gerasim rescued a puppy that was drowning in the river. He took it home, cared for her and called her Mumu. By the time the dog was 8 months old it was a handsome Spaniel. It went everywhere with Gerasim. She only barked with good reason and never went into the Mistress's house.
One day the Mistress sees the dog in the garden in front of the house and orders it brought in. But, once in the house, Mumu won't come near her. In fact, she growls at the Mistress. At this, the Mistress is very upset and orders the dog taken out. That night she sleeps poorly and complains that she was kept awake by dogs barking. She says the only dog on the premises should be the proper watchdog. All others must go.
Gerasim locks himself and Mumu into his room while the steward and footmen try to persuade him to part with her. In the end a footman steals Mumu and sells her at a market. Gerasim is distraught. But a few nights later Mumu comes back to him.
The Mistress hears a dog bark in the night and calls for the doctor to treat her. She complains that everyone is against her. She orders the steward and, later, her oldest female companion, to solve the dog problem.
The steward tells Gerasim that the dog has to be killed. Gerasim says he'll do it. The steward tells the Mistress the dog has been killed as ordered. Meanwhile, Gerasim has dressed himself in his best clothes. He walks to the river with Mumu. He rows himself and the dog upstream for half a mile and then drowns the dog.
Gerasim was never seen at the house again because he walked back to his home village. There he found a soldier's wife living in his hut. He immediately joins the villagers in their harvest. He never keeps a dog again.
The Mistress was furious that Gerasim had gone. She also claimed that she had never ordered that the dog be killed. She died soon afterwards and her relatives freed all the serfs.
This is a brilliant, absorbing and surprising story which profits greatly from the way Max Bollinger reads it.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
"It would have been impossible to imagine a better representation of a Nimrod of the North", wrote Henry James about Turgenev. After listening to this audio book, it seems impossible to imagine a better representation of Tsarist Russia for me.
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