From the Reminiscences of Private Ivanov and Other Stories

Garshin (1855-88) was the outstanding new writer in Russia between Dostoyevsky and Chekhov. This provides the most substantial selection of his stories ever available in English. Garshin gives voice to the unease of an era that knew the horrors of modern war, and the squalors of rapid industrialization. ""As this ably translated collection proves, Garshin was a powerful, innovative writer of unusually broad stylistic range. He wrote lyrical children's fables as well as brutally realistic war stories. And while Garshin borrowed from his more famous predecessors...he did so with original results...Garshin also showed a surprisingly modern insight into human psychology.""--NY Times.