This is a really hit-or-miss collection; many of the pieces are dull or clumsy, and there are a couple that I couldn't really see what he was trying tThis is a really hit-or-miss collection; many of the pieces are dull or clumsy, and there are a couple that I couldn't really see what he was trying to accomplish with them. But there are some good pieces - "Chivalry" is fun, "Murder Mysteries" is good (though I have some quibbles with the choice of tense), "Snow, Glass, Apples" is creepy, and "The Goldfish Pool and Other Stories" is truly excellent. I've been mulling over what makes that story so awesome for a few days now, and it's really just close to a perfectly crafted piece. The book is worth picking up to read those stories, in my view, and there were a few other amusing things here....more
The only reason to pick up this book would be for the illustrations (which are good, it's a nicely put together volume). The best pieces here are reprThe only reason to pick up this book would be for the illustrations (which are good, it's a nicely put together volume). The best pieces here are reprinted in Smoke and Mirrors, along with some better, later stories. The stories and poems that are unique to this collection read like juvenalia....more
A collection of poems that spans the lifetime of Charents, who was one of Armenia's greatest poets. Charents' life is interesting - he fought in the TA collection of poems that spans the lifetime of Charents, who was one of Armenia's greatest poets. Charents' life is interesting - he fought in the Turkish-Armenian War, was a great supporter of the Communist party and its rise, but then became disillusioned with Stalin and was imprisoned for nationalism, and died in prison - and it greatly informs his work, which is largely autobiographical.
The poems are arranged by their style and period of the authors' life in which they were written - his early lyrics, his revolutionary poems, a series of epigrams and satires about his peers, and his later lyrics and the more nationalistic works which got him into trouble. The translation is clear, though most of the works are not inspiring (I don't know how much of this is the source and how much is the translation - translated poetry is a particularly tricky business), but many of his satires are funny.
Also, "Dantesque Legend," a long poem about Charents' experience during the Turkish-Armenian War, and the Armenian massacres, is jaw-droppingly good. It's powerful, emotional, it's arranged perfectly and it just moves. By all rights it should be anthologized more and studied widely....more
