Mumu by Ivan Turgenev

ISBN 9780956116567

An audio book adaptation of Turgenev's story set on the outskirts of Moscow, in the house of an old widow. The story was written in 1854 by Ivan Turgenev, a great Russian novelists of the nineteenth century. Read in English (unabridged).

Turgenev wrote Mumu with such vivid images and reflections of the state of the tsarist Russia that this piece together with his other stories was credited with having influenced public opinion in favour of the abolition of serfdom in 1861. Turgenev was the first of the great Russian novelists to win fame abroad. One of his great admirers was Henry James, who wrote that "Turgenev’s merit of form is of the first order"

Track List

01 Gander of The Steppes
02 Injured Creature
03 Marriage of Inconvenience
04 Pretty Pass
05 Little Nursling
06 Flower Garden
07 Prisoner of The Garret
08 Cherrybay Drops
09 Back to The Roots

About The Author

Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev (Иван Сергеевич Тургенев) 1818-1883, a Russian novelist, short story writer, and playwright. His short story collection entitled A Huntsman's Sketches, is a milestone of Russian Realism, and his novel Fathers and Sons is regarded as one of the major works of 19th-century fiction. Turgenev studied literature, philosophy and philology at the Universities of Moscow, St Petersburg and Berlin and in 1879 received honorary doctorate from the University of Oxford. Turgenev's artistic purity made him a favourite of like-minded novelists of the next generation, such as Henry James and Joseph Conrad.

About The Translator

Constance Clara Garnett 1861- 1946, English translator of nineteenth century Russian Literature. Following her visit to Russia in 1893 where she met Leo Tolstoy, Constance started translating Russian literature, which became her life's passion and resulted in English language versions of dozens of volumes by Tolstoy,  Pushkin, Turgenev, Chekhov and other prominent Russian writers. Russian anarchist Sergei Stepniak assisted in preparation of her early works.

Joseph Conrad compared Constance to a great musician interpreting a great composer (Turgenev). Katherine Mansfield wrote: ‘Constance Garnett transformed the lives of younger authors by revealing a new world.’ Without her translations, H. E. Bates believed, modern English literature itself could not have been what it is.  Max Bollinger considers Garnett’s translation work as the most faithful to original Russian and most characteristic of the era.  He wrote in his introductory note to Turgenev’s Mumu: ‘As a native Russian speaker I can tell you that the elegance, wit and idiomatic composition of Garnett’s work is of highest calibre. There are very few modern translators who can compete with Constance. I must commend Constance for finding such finely tuned and creative way of relaying the social status and other characteristics of personages in the story. Constance does capture the very spirit and essence of the time.’

Reviews more reviews >

Deeply intense story of Mumu, the dog and deaf mute Gerasim, whom one might suppose a serf transplanted from a country estate near Moscow where "he did the work of four men" to duties as courtyard porter of the Moscow's house of a recluse elderly female landowner, whom one might suppose a member of the Aristocracy. All is intimist and social critic tschekovian in tone, never overt. Gerasim is Russia, lost in a city in his peasant blouse among the "German coats" worn by domesticity and visitors to the town house. 

With great empathy for the human condition and his characters, Turgenev depicts a courtyard kept meticulously clean of weeds, dust and drunkards by Gerasim. After loosing a potential wife to a shoemaker through a marriage of convenience arranged by the landowner, Gerasim reports all his affection on his dog Mumu. 

When Mumu rejects the unwanted attention of the insomniac and paranoiac old lady secluded in her second floor apartments, disaster strikes prompting Gerasim's return to his village and the eternal values of mother Russia, its land and its people. This audio book is beautifully presented. The narrator convincing and sincere in conveying the gentleness of Gerasim and yet his inalterable strenghth opposed to the cruelty and stupidity of the other members of the household. A short story but great in emotion and meaning that makes you want to read his other books. What a successful introduction to a great writer.

Philippe Felsenhardt (USA)

Ivan Turgenev wrote Mumu in 1854 and this story, with other works, is credited with influencing public opinion in favour of the abolition of serfdom. I can see why, as the main character, Gerasim, a deaf and mute giant of a man is taken from his home village and made the porter in the estate of the landowner, a widow at the end of her life. She is miserable and demanding and controls her servants as if the were animals. She decides when and whom they will marry, and the serfs have no choice but to obey. Mumu, the stray dog adopted by Gerasim, is treated with more respect. It is a poignant story which brought me close to tears. But it made me think as well.

The narrator has done a very good job with his choice of translation and his slight accent adds to the story. Not having read the original story I cannot comment on his adaptation, but this edition has whet my appetite for Turgenev on the page.

Joseph Belliveau (Canada)

Mumu by Ivan Tergenev is a brilliant story superbly narrated by Max Bollinger. By turns tragic and comic the story concerns a deaf mute serf whose love for a laundress is unrequited and who instead befriends a dog, the Mumu of the title. This is a full length story of 74 minutes in which Tergenev delineates with great artistry the different characters of a serf-holding mistress. The comedy is delightful and the tragedy is poignant. 

I had never heard of this story, so my grateful thanks to Max Bollinger for producing this superb Audio CD of this delightful and fascinating story. Anyone who has heard Max Bollinger’s CD’s of Anton Chekov will be absolutely thrilled by this latest production. He goes from strength to strength. Highly recommended.

Alan Moreton (UK)

Gerasim is a deaf mute servant in the household of a cantankerous old widow outside Moscow. He finds comfort in his isolated life of arduous work in his beloved dog, Mimi, but the widow orders the animal’s  destruction. A harrowing short story published in 1854, its vivid portrayal of callous cruelty towards serfs is believed to have influenced opinion in favour of the abolition of serfdom seven years later. The narration is Russian accented English communicates all of Turgenev’s favour.

Rachel Redford, The Observer (UK) Download PDF >

An absolute classic, Mumu gives a wonderfully vivid picture of life for the poor in Russia, can't be faulted. It is great to have an audio book version, which really brought the story to life. I really enjoyed listening to this, but the real star is Turgenev's writing.

Nikki Pierce (UK)

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