An Uncommon Story

Goncharov was a leading Russian writer of the 1850s, but his success was overshadowed by Turgenev's success with A Nest of the Gentry. Goncharov's resentment grew, and the two novelists stopped communicating. An Uncommon Story, published posthumously in 1924, is a document that lays bare the jealousies felt by writers and an eternal monument to literary paranoia.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 21 September 2023
Publisher: Alma Books Ltd

Goncharov, a prominent Russian writer of the 1850s, was hailed as "the real heir to Nikolai Gogol" for his work, including The Same Old Story. However, the publication of Turgenev's first full-length novel, A Nest of the Gentry, in 1859, coincided with Goncharov's Oblomov, which had taken over ten years to complete. This sudden change in the public's perception of Turgenev's work led to suspicion and accusations of plagiarism. Turgenev's rival, who was working on his own novel, Malinovka Heights, believed that his work had been influenced by Goncharov's ideas. While Turgenev admitted that he may have been influenced by some of Goncharov's elements, his friends went further and accused him of stealing his characters, plotlines, and even ideas. As Turgenev's success grew, so did Goncharov's resentment, and the two novelists eventually stopped communicating with each other. An Uncommon Story, published posthumously in 1924, is a remarkable document that reveals the jealousy and literary paranoia that often go unspoken among writers. It serves as a lasting testament to the complexities of the literary world and the struggles of creative individuals.

Weight: 202g
Dimension: 199 x 132 x 13 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781847499028