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Lermontov


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#1 Mr. Dove

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Posted 14 September 2004 - 11:05 PM

Throughout FR,WL -- there is a lot of talk (by Fleming) through Tatiana's narrative. She at one point even explains to Bond on the Orient Express that she will tell him about the hero one day. This man in the book reminds her a lot of him? Lermontov even reminds Fleming enough of his own creation to deticate at least three mentions of it in his very own novel.

Now, liking these sort of stories, and being the curious man that I am, searched Amazon and other sites for info on this book, or writer. And thus -- all I have come to in my search is a poet and some Iranian hitman from 1981 who killed a journalist in South Africa (long after FR...). Neither match Bond's type.

Please express your opinions and offer answers.

#2 Qwerty

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Posted 15 September 2004 - 12:42 AM

There might be a few experts on there that know the answer. Having recently finished the book, I know what you're speaking of.

#3 clinkeroo

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Posted 15 September 2004 - 04:42 AM

Mikhail Lermontov was the poet you spoke of, but to Russian literature he is pretty much "the poet." Fleming is almost certainly referring to A Hero of Our Time by Lermontov which was published in 1840. The book is basically the adventures of Grigory Pechorin, a young officer who is playful with women and with life, but is somewhat jaded on the inside. It holds up very well today, and each chapter is written sort of like a short story, so you can pick it up, read one of Pechorin's adventures, and then come back to it later for another round (makes it perfect for reading in the bathroom :) ). Lermontov was the granddaddy of the school of writing that created Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy, but he's not quite as long winded. Pick it up, you'll like it.

#4 Grubozaboyschikov

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Posted 16 September 2004 - 07:08 PM

Right you are. Fleming refers to Pechorin. He's a type of "Byron's hero", like Child Harold and Alexander Pushkin's Eugene Onegin.

#5 Mr. Dove

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Posted 23 September 2004 - 06:41 PM

"Mikhail Lermontov was the poet you spoke of, but to Russian literature he is pretty much "the poet." Fleming is almost certainly referring to A Hero of Our Time by Lermontov which was published in 1840. The book is basically the adventures of Grigory Pechorin, a young officer who is playful with women and with life, but is somewhat jaded on the inside. It holds up very well today, and each chapter is written sort of like a short story, so you can pick it up, read one of Pechorin's adventures, and then come back to it later for another round (makes it perfect for reading in the bathroom ). Lermontov was the granddaddy of the school of writing that created Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy, but he's not quite as long winded. Pick it up, you'll like it."

Sorry for the late reply. But thank you both. Since there is a fifty-year gap in literature popularity between now and then -- it was a little to difficult to find this. I'll pick that book up straight away.

CHEERS

#6 Grubozaboyschikov

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Posted 23 September 2004 - 07:14 PM

BTW, chronologically those chapters are shuffled, like the PULP FICTION chapters:)

#7 spynovelfan

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Posted 19 September 2005 - 10:12 AM

You can read this book online, here (it's out of copyright). Takes some getting into, but it's great stuff. Kind of obvious why Fleming liked it.