A book jot from February, 2021:

I finished reading Taras Bulba by Nikolai Gogol, translated by Peter Constantine. This is an unusual book. It follows the titular character and his two sons, Cossacks from the historical past, in the 16th or 17th century. It reads almost like an epic folktale, with beautiful passages of descriptive language. There is much, to use an oft-repeated word from the story, carousing. And much, much violence. It is reminiscent of The Iliad, so much so in certain ways that it must be purposeful. Just as Homer punctuated dramatic scenes with drawn-out similes, Gogol uses beautiful imagistic comparisons to bring pause and attention to moments of action. He also uses name-lists in the Homeric tradition.

There is a lot to think about concerning how this tale speaks to issues today; probably too much to get into here, but it makes for a very interesting read. The action is incredible, the characters and their motivations memorable, and the writing is very beautiful. There are parts of it that are difficult to get through because of the framing of the narrative through the eyes of 16th century Cossacks. There is a great deal of very ugly prejudice.

Has anyone read this? I would be interested to hear any thoughts about it.