Originally published in 1981, this textbook was intended for university
and college students, as well as advanced groups in schools, who were
being introduced to Russian literature. It was the first book of its
kind, and its purpose was twofold: to give those with a modicum of
Russian an indication of the range and skill of Russian writers over the
last 150 years; and to provide students with a wide selection of texts
for explication, a technique neglected in the study of Russian
literature. As part of the author's broader approach to the promotion of
Russian literature for those whose grasp of the language may be limited,
he provides rather literal translations of the texts in the first part,
which are not intended to be models.