The Possessed, (Paperback)

from giovannigf

Batuman is clearly very intelligent and has a great eye for the absurd, but unfortunately the essays end up being too random and shapeless to make much of an impact. There are many good moments lost in the muddle. It's probably best to read her in small doses.

from tames

Many have reviewed this book already, so below are my ramblings. My thoughts are is that I liked the humor and the writing is engaging. It certainly left me with wanting to read Russian authors (which I have done little of as of yet). The book does veer off on several tangents, but I recall readi...

from akblanchard

This is an unusual book, and it is different than I thought it would be (I picked it up after hearing the author interviewed on public radio). It's less about Russian books than it is about the author's adventures as a graduate student in comparative literature. Still, it's an engaging read.

from melaniemaksin

I've known people like Elif Batuman--brilliant people who can't reply to the question "How are you today?" without a.) quoting literature, and then b.) quoting some obscure but relevant work of critical theory (and then maybe c.) adding an interesting bit of historical trivia, just for fun). It c...

from kirstiecat

Once I saw that this book existed, I felt compelled to read it. I have not read nearly the breadth of Russian works as Elif Batuman (who actually studied it, to be fair) but I have often loved a good Dostoevsky novel or Chekhov short story and the more I venture down that Russian rabbit hole, the...