Irina Ivanova, Daniil Kharms, 2016.

2,343 words

Some time ago, I resolved not to fall into old habits and immerse myself in Russian absurdist literature while the world burned. I’m sad to report that as usual, I’ve failed in my resolution and spent the past weeks immersed in Russian absurdist literature. It’s an interesting period of Russian literature, one inextricably linked from the context of its time. One can hardly imagine that anything like OBERIU existing anywhere outside of the early Soviet Union, outside of Russia. (more…)

Daniil Kharms

1,943 words

All the, all the, all the trees
And all the, all the, all the stones
All of, all of nature — peef.

All the, all the, all the lads
And all the, all the, all the virgins
And all of, all of matrimony — puff.

All the, all the, all the Slavs
And all the, all the, all the Jews
And all the, all the Russias — poof. (more…)

2,166 words

Albert Camus
Trans. Joseph Laredo
The Stranger
London: Penguin, 2000 (1942)

“I love my country too much to be a nationalist.”

— Attributed to Albert Camus  (more…)