Catalog

Record Details

Catalog Search


A swim in a pond in the rain : in which four Russians give a master class on writing, reading, and life Cover Image Book Book

A swim in a pond in the rain : in which four Russians give a master class on writing, reading, and life / George Saunders.

Saunders, George, 1958- (author.). Gogolʹ, Nikolaĭ Vasilʹevich, 1809-1852 container of (expression): Nos. English. (Struve) (Added Author). Chekhov, Anton Pavlovich, 1860-1904 container of (expression): Kryzhovnik. English. (Yarmolinsky) (Added Author). Chekhov, Anton Pavlovich, 1860-1904 container of (expression): Na podvode. English. (Yarmolinsky) (Added Author). Chekhov, Anton Pavlovich, 1860-1904 container of (expression): Dushechka. English. (Yarmolinsky) (Added Author). Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich, 1818-1883 container of (expression): Pevt͡sy. English. (Magarshack) (Added Author). Tolstoy, Leo, graf, 1828-1910 container of (expression): Alësha Gorshok. English. (Brown) (Added Author). Tolstoy, Leo, graf, 1828-1910 container of (expression): Khozi͡ain i rabotnik. English. (Maude and Maude) (Added Author).

Summary:

"In A Swim in a Pond in the Rain, George Saunders guides the reader through seven classic Russian short stories he's been teaching for twenty years as a professor in the prestigious Syracuse University graduate MFA creative writing program. Paired with stories by Chekhov, Turgenev, Tolstoy, and Gogol, these essays are intended for anyone interested in how fiction works and why it's more relevant than ever in these turbulent times. Saunders approaches each of these stories technically yet accessibly, and through them explains how narrative functions; why we stay immersed in a story and why we resist it; and the bedrock virtues a writer must foster. For the process of writing, Saunders reminds us, is as much a craft as it is a quality of openness and a willingness to see the world through new eyes. Funny, frank, and rigorous, A Swim in a Pond in the Rain ultimately shows how great fiction can change a person's life and become a benchmark of one's moral and ethical beliefs"-- Provided by publisher.

Record details

  • ISBN: 9781984856029 (hardcover)
  • Physical Description: xii, 410 pages ; 24 cm
  • Publisher: New York : Random House, [2021]

Content descriptions

General Note:
Includes texts of seven short stories.
Bibliography, etc. Note:
Includes bibliographical references.
Formatted Contents Note:
We begin -- In the Cart--Anton Chekhov. A page at a time: thoughts on In the Cart ; Afterthought #1 -- The Singers--Ivan Turgenev. The heart of the story: thoughts on The Singers ; Afterthought #2 -- The Darling--Anton Chekhov. A pattern story: thoughts on The Darling ; Afterthought #3 -- Master and Man--Leo Tolstoy. And yet they drove on: Thoughts on Master and Man ; Afterthought #4 -- The Nose--Nikolai Gogol. The door to the truth might be strangeness: Thoughts on The Nose ; Afterthought #5 -- Gooseberries --Anton Chekhov. A swim in a pond in the rain: Thoughts on Gooseberries ; Afterthought #6 -- Alyosha the Pot -- Leo Tolstoy. The wisdom of omission: Thoughts on Alyosha the Pot ; Afterthought #7 -- We end.

Search for related items by subject

Subject: Gogolʹ, Nikolaĭ Vasilʹevich, 1809-1852. Nos.
Chekhov, Anton Pavlovich, 1860-1904. Kryzhovnik.
Chekhov, Anton Pavlovich, 1860-1904. Na podvode.
Chekhov, Anton Pavlovich, 1860-1904. Dushechka.
Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich, 1818-1883. Pevt͡sy.
Tolstoy, Leo, graf, 1828-1910. Alësha Gorshok.
Tolstoy, Leo, graf, 1828-1910. Khozi͡ain i rabotnik.
Reader-response criticism > United States.
Short stories, Russian > 19th century > History and criticism.
Short stories, Russian > 19th century > History and criticism > Study and teaching.
► Summaries & More
► Awards, Reviews, & Suggested Reads
► Additional Content
► Shelf Browser
▼ MARC Record
LDR 04334cam a2200517 i 4500
001357359
003TSUGA
00520200812121901.0
008200716s2021 nyu b 000 0 eng
010 . ‡a 2020031045
020 . ‡a9781984856029 (hardcover) ‡c$37.00
035 . ‡a(CaOWLBI)pr05911776
035 . ‡apr05911776
040 . ‡aCaOWLBI ‡beng ‡cCaOWLBI ‡erda ‡dCaOWLBI
0411 . ‡aeng ‡hrus
090 . ‡a891.708 Saund
1001 . ‡aSaunders, George, ‡d1958- ‡eauthor.
24512. ‡aA swim in a pond in the rain : ‡bin which four Russians give a master class on writing, reading, and life / ‡cGeorge Saunders.
264 1. ‡aNew York : ‡bRandom House, ‡c[2021]
264 4. ‡c©2021
300 . ‡axii, 410 pages ; ‡c24 cm
336 . ‡atext ‡btxt ‡2rdacontent
337 . ‡aunmediated ‡bn ‡2rdamedia
338 . ‡avolume ‡bnc ‡2rdacarrier
500 . ‡aIncludes texts of seven short stories.
504 . ‡aIncludes bibliographical references.
50500. ‡tWe begin -- ‡tIn the Cart--Anton Chekhov. A page at a time: thoughts on In the Cart ; ‡tAfterthought #1 -- ‡tThe Singers--Ivan Turgenev. The heart of the story: thoughts on The Singers ; ‡tAfterthought #2 -- ‡tThe Darling--Anton Chekhov. A pattern story: thoughts on The Darling ; ‡tAfterthought #3 -- ‡tMaster and Man--Leo Tolstoy. And yet they drove on: Thoughts on Master and Man ; ‡tAfterthought #4 -- ‡tThe Nose--Nikolai Gogol. The door to the truth might be strangeness: Thoughts on The Nose ; ‡tAfterthought #5 -- ‡tGooseberries --Anton Chekhov. A swim in a pond in the rain: Thoughts on Gooseberries ; ‡tAfterthought #6 -- ‡tAlyosha the Pot -- ‡tLeo Tolstoy. The wisdom of omission: Thoughts on Alyosha the Pot ; ‡tAfterthought #7 -- ‡tWe end.
520 . ‡a"In A Swim in a Pond in the Rain, George Saunders guides the reader through seven classic Russian short stories he's been teaching for twenty years as a professor in the prestigious Syracuse University graduate MFA creative writing program. Paired with stories by Chekhov, Turgenev, Tolstoy, and Gogol, these essays are intended for anyone interested in how fiction works and why it's more relevant than ever in these turbulent times. Saunders approaches each of these stories technically yet accessibly, and through them explains how narrative functions; why we stay immersed in a story and why we resist it; and the bedrock virtues a writer must foster. For the process of writing, Saunders reminds us, is as much a craft as it is a quality of openness and a willingness to see the world through new eyes. Funny, frank, and rigorous, A Swim in a Pond in the Rain ultimately shows how great fiction can change a person's life and become a benchmark of one's moral and ethical beliefs"-- ‡cProvided by publisher.
60010. ‡aGogolʹ, Nikolaĭ Vasilʹevich, ‡d1809-1852. ‡tNos.
60010. ‡aChekhov, Anton Pavlovich, ‡d1860-1904. ‡tKryzhovnik.
60010. ‡aChekhov, Anton Pavlovich, ‡d1860-1904. ‡tNa podvode.
60010. ‡aChekhov, Anton Pavlovich, ‡d1860-1904. ‡tDushechka.
60010. ‡aTurgenev, Ivan Sergeevich, ‡d1818-1883. ‡tPevt͡sy.
60010. ‡aTolstoy, Leo, ‡cgraf, ‡d1828-1910. ‡tAlësha Gorshok.
60010. ‡aTolstoy, Leo, ‡cgraf, ‡d1828-1910. ‡tKhozi͡ain i rabotnik.
650 0. ‡aReader-response criticism ‡zUnited States.
650 0. ‡aShort stories, Russian ‡y19th century ‡xHistory and criticism.
650 0. ‡aShort stories, Russian ‡y19th century ‡xHistory and criticism ‡xStudy and teaching.
70012. ‡icontainer of (expression): ‡aGogolʹ, Nikolaĭ Vasilʹevich, ‡d1809-1852. ‡tNos. ‡lEnglish. ‡s(Struve)
70012. ‡icontainer of (expression): ‡aChekhov, Anton Pavlovich, ‡d1860-1904. ‡tKryzhovnik. ‡lEnglish. ‡s(Yarmolinsky)
70012. ‡icontainer of (expression): ‡aChekhov, Anton Pavlovich, ‡d1860-1904. ‡tNa podvode. ‡lEnglish. ‡s(Yarmolinsky)
70012. ‡icontainer of (expression): ‡aChekhov, Anton Pavlovich, ‡d1860-1904. ‡tDushechka. ‡lEnglish. ‡s(Yarmolinsky)
70012. ‡icontainer of (expression): ‡aTurgenev, Ivan Sergeevich, ‡d1818-1883. ‡tPevt͡sy. ‡lEnglish. ‡s(Magarshack)
70012. ‡icontainer of (expression): ‡aTolstoy, Leo, ‡cgraf, ‡d1828-1910. ‡tAlësha Gorshok. ‡lEnglish. ‡s(Brown)
70012. ‡icontainer of (expression): ‡aTolstoy, Leo, ‡cgraf, ‡d1828-1910. ‡tKhozi͡ain i rabotnik. ‡lEnglish. ‡s(Maude and Maude)
852 . ‡aINNISFIL ‡bCOOKSTOWN ‡cNONFIC ‡zIn process ‡gbook ‡h891.708 Saund ‡p31681010221455
905 . ‡utechserv
901 . ‡a357359 ‡b ‡c357359 ‡tbiblio ‡soclc

Additional Resources