Question by Amanda: Should I read Turgenev or Pushkin next?
This summer, my personal little reading project was to read a basic survey of the great, canonical Russian writers, because, owing to an unfortunate reading of War and Peace at the age of eight (long story, I was offered money, I got through the book but came away with a deep-seated loathing of Tolstoy and Russians in general) it remained a gap in my literary knowledge (except for Nabokov, who I already knew and loved. But he doesn’t REALLY seem to write like a Russian, so I’m not sure he counts). So far, I’ve read Crime and Punishment and Chekhov’s stories. I’m working on Anna Karennina. So my question is: who’s read Turgenev or Pushkin? They are completely different, but I’m adrift in a sea of such meticulous social angst I lack the willpower to decide what to tackle next. I’ve never seen a word of either before.
Photo Credit: Helder da Rocha/Flickr 
Bonus question: are there any particular translations of either you’d recommend?
Oh man, I forgot Gogol completely! I’ve always meant to read him! And I am a short story fiend, so all the better.
Also, the fact that Nabokov didn’t like Dostoyevksy lowers my opinion of him, a bit… Crime and Punishment was possibly the best book I’ve ever read.
Answers and views:
Answer by Zack H
First of all. If you read Constance Garnett’s War & Peace, I’m sorry.
I’ve read Pushkin and that’s it. I’ve always wanted to read Fathers and Sons but I haven’t. I think, though, that you should, instead of them, read Gogol. He is, in my opinion, ..better. Read a book of his short stories or read Dead Souls. He is my second fav. Russian author (Dostoevsky IS the Russian author), slightly ahead of Nabokov, who doesn’t even like Dostoevsky.
I didn’t really answer your question, but I’m too infused with lassitude to edit it. Just read some Gogol. And don’t read Constance Garnett.
EDIT: C&P rules. Best scene’s when Sviddy dies. Powerful chapter.
Answer by cathrl69
How about Solzhenitsyn?
One Day In The Life Of Ivan Denisovitch is excellent (and not particularly long).
Answer by Crow
Because of what you like, either should do. I prefer Turgenev. You might also think of reading something by Nikolay Karamzin. Though he isn’t of the canon in the same way, a lot of those authors credited him with starting the 19th century Russian novel. There’s an extensive overview of some of his work here: https://www2.stetson.edu/secure/history/hy10302/Karamzin.pdf
Read all the answers in the comments.
What do you think?
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