Alexander Kuprin

A searing indictment of the darkest side of decadent Russian culture in the twilight of the Tsars, by the last of the great pre-Soviet realist writers. Ahead of its time in the frank depiction of prostitution and exploitation of women, this gritty and dramatic novel ranks with the works of such eminent realists as mile Zola in France, or George Gissing in England.

Aleksandr Ivanovich Kuprin (7 September O.S. 26 August] 1870 in the village of Narovchat in the Penza Oblast - 25 August 1938 in Leningrad) was a Russian writer, pilot, explorer and adventurer who is perhaps best known for his story The Duel (1905). Other well-known works include Moloch (1896), Olesya (1898), "Junior Captain Rybnikov" (1906), "Emerald" (1907), and The Garnet Bracelet (1911) (which was made into a 1965 movie).(wikipedia.org)

Can an ordinary object - a watch, a piece of furniture, or an old rug - change the course of one's life? "Read on and find out," suggests an underappreciated master of Russian classical literature Alexander Kuprin.

A beautiful collection of female archetypes from the author of The Garnet Bracelet and Sulamyth.

Come away to Ancient Jerusalem in the time of King Solomon - a city of great splendor and great squalor, of many gods and goddesses, of paupers and kings. Behold the beating heart of the Middle East, whose economic and political affairs reach far and wide and impact lands hundreds of miles away.Barbarism and wisdom. Lust and love. The most senseless violence and the most exquisite wisdom. Joined together in Alexander Kuprin's brilliant Sulamyth translated by Maria K.. The Song of Songs retold in a way you have never seen before.

Alexander Kuprin prefaced his novel "The Pit" about the lives of early 20th century Russian prostitutes as follows, "I know many people will find this novel amoral and inappropriate, but nevertheless I dedicated it from the bottom of my heart to mothers and young people."Indeed, the novel's publication was followed by an explosion of outrage. The "good" society accused Kuprin of slander and forever exiled him from its sitting rooms, charity auctions, and holiday balls. Progressive intellecutals winced and shuddered, but could not help admitting Kuprin had a point. As with the works of Marquis de Sade and George Sand, parents hid copies of the book from their children. But those who wanted to read the book found the way. Whether hated or admired, forbidden or applauded - one thing was certain: Kuprin's beautifully written, brutally realistic, vivid, and poignant novel left no one indifferent.Gender inequality and sex trade are still alive today, in our world of supersonic speeds and instant information exchange, hidden behind the latest and greatest political, social, and technological innovation. Strip away the details of the era, and Kuprin's novel suddenly becomes very modern and topical, filled with archetypes that still exist today, and thought-provoking ideas that are bound to send your mind reeling.

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the big top, see the characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American. And not only is this a wonderful work of fiction by one of Russia's finest 20th century writers, this fresh new translation by Lise Brody is presented in a bilingual edition (with accent marks), making it doubly valuable to students of Russian language and culture.

CONTENTS: Fragments of Recollections, Maxim Gorky, To Chekhov's Memory, Alexander Kuprin, A. P. Chekhov, Ivan A. Bunin