Russian Literature in France: A New Look at the History of Triumph

Abstract

This review considers Les intellectuels russes à la conquête de l’opinion publique française: Une histoire alternative de la littérature russe en France de Cantemir à Gorki, a collection edited by Alexandre Stroev, a specialist in Franco-Russian cultural connections. The publication sets an ambitious goal — to offer an alternative history of the perception of Russian literature in France over a period of almost two centuries. Nineteen articles mostly cover the translations and reception of works by a number of prominent representatives of Russian literature in France. At the same time, many of them explore the interest of Russian writers in French culture, their reading repertoire, circle of acquaintances, and travel diaries. The opinions expressed in most cases are adapted to modern theoretical research and are significant for both the history and theory of literature. The publication is dedicated to the memory of the untimely departed Alexander Yanushkevich, a remarkable researcher of 19th-century Russian literature and a participant of the collection.