Dry Valley
- ISBN:
- 978-9941-466-36-6
- Category:
- New Translations
- Pages:
- 118
- Format:
- 13X20
- Cover:
- Soft
- Price:
- 7.20
Translated from Russian by Petre Liklikadze
Ivan Bunin is the last Russian classical writers who gave a comprehensive description of the country at the break of the century. He was the first Russian to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1933.
The story Dry Valley (1912) belongs to the great works such as The Village (1910), The Gentleman from San Francisco (1916) and Primal Love (1921), which depict the life of the Russian nobility. However, the picture is highly dramatic because they feel the necessity to adapt to the changing reality, but are unable to either alter their lifestyle or to continue living the way their ancestors did.
The family described in the story attempts to restore their well-being but every attempt is doomed because they are devoid of practical knowledge and skills necessary to run their estate. The family members seem to be competing with each other in offering one unrealistic plan after another, only to end up with a total failure.