Want to know what books Rosamund Bartlett recommends on their reading list? We've researched interviews, social media posts, podcasts, and articles to build a comprehensive list of Rosamund Bartlett's favorite book recommendations of all time.
1
Isaac Babel, Nathalie Babel, Peter Constantine, Cynthia Ozick | 4.39
Finally in paperback, this "monumental collection; gathers all of Babel's deft and brutal writing, including a wide array of previously unavailable material, from never-before-translated stories to plays and film scripts" (David Ulin, Los Angeles Times). Reviewing the work in The New Republic, James Woods wrote that this groundbreaking volume "represents a triumph of translating, editing, and publishing. Beautiful to hold, scholarly and also popularly accessible, it is an enactment of love." Considered one of the greatest writers of the twentieth century, Isaac Babel has... more Finally in paperback, this "monumental collection; gathers all of Babel's deft and brutal writing, including a wide array of previously unavailable material, from never-before-translated stories to plays and film scripts" (David Ulin, Los Angeles Times). Reviewing the work in The New Republic, James Woods wrote that this groundbreaking volume "represents a triumph of translating, editing, and publishing. Beautiful to hold, scholarly and also popularly accessible, it is an enactment of love." Considered one of the greatest writers of the twentieth century, Isaac Babel has left his mark on a generation of readers and writers. This book will stand as Babel's final, most enduring legacy. Winner of the Koret Jewish Book Award; A New York Times Notable Book, a and Library Journal Best Book, a Washington Post Book World Rave, a Village Voice Favorite Book of the Year. less 
Rosamund BartlettThe Sin of Jesus is very funny. It’s also very blasphemous and would today probably be defined as a piece of magic realism. (Source)
See more recommendations for this book...
2
Anton Chekhov, Rosamund Bartlett | 4.35
Raymond Carver called Anton Chekhov "the greatest short story writer who has ever lived." This unequivocal verdict on Chekhov's genius has been echoed many times by writers as diverse as Katherine Mansfield, Somerset Maugham, John Cheever and Tobias Wolf. While his popularity as a playwright has sometimes overshadowed his achievements in prose, the importance of Chekhov's stories is now recognized by readers as well as by fellow authors. Their themes - alienation, the absurdity, and tragedy of human existence - have as much relevance today as when they were written, and these superb new... more Raymond Carver called Anton Chekhov "the greatest short story writer who has ever lived." This unequivocal verdict on Chekhov's genius has been echoed many times by writers as diverse as Katherine Mansfield, Somerset Maugham, John Cheever and Tobias Wolf. While his popularity as a playwright has sometimes overshadowed his achievements in prose, the importance of Chekhov's stories is now recognized by readers as well as by fellow authors. Their themes - alienation, the absurdity, and tragedy of human existence - have as much relevance today as when they were written, and these superb new translations capture their modernist spirit. Elusive and subtle, spare and unadorned, the stories in this selection are among Chekhov's most poignant and lyrical. The book includes well-known pieces such as The Lady with the Little Dog, as well as less familiar work like Gusev inspired by Chekhov's travels in the Far East, and Rothschild's Violin, a haunting and darkly humorous tale about death and loss. The stories are arranged chronologically to show the evolution of Chekhov's art.
About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more. less Rosamund BartlettGusev is probably Chekhov’s most lyrical story, set on a ship at sea. The rhythms of the story gently rise and fall like Gusev’s bunk in the ship. (Source)
See more recommendations for this book...
3
Leo Tolstoy, Ronald Wilks, Paul Foote | 4.31
The stories collected in this volume demonstrate Tolstoys artistic prowess displayed over five decades experimenting with prose styles and drawing on his own experiences with humor and compassion. The Two Hussars, inspired by his time in the army, contrasts a dashing father and his mean-spirited son. Illustrating Tolstoys belief that art must serve a moral purpose, What Men Live By portrays an angel sent to earth to learn three existential rules of life. And in the deeply moving Master and Man, a mercenary merchant travels with his unprotesting servant through a blizzard to close a... more The stories collected in this volume demonstrate Tolstoys artistic prowess displayed over five decades experimenting with prose styles and drawing on his own experiences with humor and compassion. The Two Hussars, inspired by his time in the army, contrasts a dashing father and his mean-spirited son. Illustrating Tolstoys belief that art must serve a moral purpose, What Men Live By portrays an angel sent to earth to learn three existential rules of life. And in the deeply moving Master and Man, a mercenary merchant travels with his unprotesting servant through a blizzard to close a business deallittle realizing he may soon have to settle accounts with his maker.
Two hussars --
Strider --
God sees the truth but waits --
A prisoner of the Caucasus --
What men live by --
Neglect a spark and the house burns down --
The two old men --
The three hermits --
How much land does a man need? --
Master and man. less Rosamund BartlettThe main character in What Men Live By is an angel punished by God for refusing to take a woman’s life. The story is charming, the moral worn lightly. (Source)
See more recommendations for this book...
4
Nikolai Leskov, Gilbert Adair | 4.32
In this powerful and brutal short story, Leskov demonstrates the enduring truth of the Shakespearean archetype joltingly displaced to the heartland of Russia. Chastened and stifled by her marriage of convenience to a man twice her age, the young Katerina Lvovna goes yawning about the house, missing the barefoot freedom of her childhood, until she meets the feckless steward Sergei Filipych. Sergei proceeds to seduce Katerina, as he has done half the women in the town, not realizing that her passion, once freed, will attach to him so fiercely that Katerina will do anything to keep hold of him.... more In this powerful and brutal short story, Leskov demonstrates the enduring truth of the Shakespearean archetype joltingly displaced to the heartland of Russia. Chastened and stifled by her marriage of convenience to a man twice her age, the young Katerina Lvovna goes yawning about the house, missing the barefoot freedom of her childhood, until she meets the feckless steward Sergei Filipych. Sergei proceeds to seduce Katerina, as he has done half the women in the town, not realizing that her passion, once freed, will attach to him so fiercely that Katerina will do anything to keep hold of him. Journalist and prose writer Nikolai Leskov is known for his powerful characterizations and the quintessentially Russian atmosphere of his stories. less Rosamund BartlettLeskov uses a local resident to recount the hair-raising events in this story, and his deadpan, folksy narration adds to its colour. (Source)
See more recommendations for this book...
5
Alexander Pushkin, Andrew Kahn, Alan Myers | 4.01
This volume contains new translations of four of Pushkin's best works of fiction. The Queen of Spades has long been acknowledged as one of the world's greatest short stories, in which Pushkin explores the nature of obsession. The Tales of Belkin are witty parodies of sentimentalism, while Peter the Great's Blackamoor is an early experiment with recreating the past. The Captain's Daughter is a novel-length masterpiece which combines historical fiction in the manner of Sir Walter Scott with the devices of the Russian fairy-tale. The Introduction provides... more This volume contains new translations of four of Pushkin's best works of fiction. The Queen of Spades has long been acknowledged as one of the world's greatest short stories, in which Pushkin explores the nature of obsession. The Tales of Belkin are witty parodies of sentimentalism, while Peter the Great's Blackamoor is an early experiment with recreating the past. The Captain's Daughter is a novel-length masterpiece which combines historical fiction in the manner of Sir Walter Scott with the devices of the Russian fairy-tale. The Introduction provides close readings of the stories and places them in their European literary context. less Rosamund BartlettAn astonishingly modern work. The precision and lucidity of Pushkin’s language make it read like something written yesterday. (Source)
See more recommendations for this book...
Don't have time to read Rosamund Bartlett's favorite books? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.