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Diary of a Madman
Diary of a Madman
Diary of a Madman
Audiobook1 hour

Diary of a Madman

Written by Nikolai Gogol

Narrated by Denis Daly

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

3.5/5

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About this audiobook

Diary of a Madman



by Nikolai Gogol



Translated by Ethel Voynich



Narrated by Denis Daly



Many of Gogol's stories feature ineffectual individuals who are overwhelmed by the caprices of fate.  In Diary of a Madman, one of his most colourful tales, the narrator, a humble and obscure office worker, veers from mere eccentricity into full blown lunacy, and finds that the delusions fostered by madness are anything but comforting.

LanguageEnglish
Release dateJul 1, 2020
ISBN9781953007025
Author

Nikolai Gogol

Nikolai Gogol was a Russian novelist and playwright born in what is now considered part of the modern Ukraine. By the time he was 15, Gogol worked as an amateur writer for both Russian and Ukrainian scripts, and then turned his attention and talent to prose. His short-story collections were immediately successful and his first novel, The Government Inspector, was well-received. Gogol went on to publish numerous acclaimed works, including Dead Souls, The Portrait, Marriage, and a revision of Taras Bulba. He died in 1852 while working on the second part of Dead Souls.

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Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
3.5/5

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The short diary of Aksénti Ivánovitch Popríchin, a public servant that slowly turns insane, at first just convincing himself dogs are able to speak and write, and ending up pretending he is Fernando VIII, king of Spain. In spite of not being a cheerful story, one cannot avoid an ocassional smile.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Its Russian Literature Time! I enjoyed reading these stories - the last one, Taras Bulba, dragged too much. The biggest issue I had with the stories in this book, and especially the last story, is that I didn't understand the context of the stories. And it makes sense - for stories written with a Social Commentary, having an understanding of the society the stories were written in makes a big difference.My favorite out of the bunch is 'Diary of a Madman' - about a low ranking clerk and delusions of grandeur after learning that his crush is getting married to a rich man.'The Nose' just seemed silly. A bit of googling tells me its really a satire on how easy it is to climb the social ladder in Russia, but honestly just thought it was annoying. 'The Carriage' was just annoying - full of pompous people, and than the story just ended.'The Overcoat' is the one story that made me sad. A man needs a new coat, scrimps and saves, only to have it stolen the first day he wears it. Its also a story commenting on society, in this case, the have's and the have not.The last story, 'Taras Bulba', is about the Cassocks of the Ukraine. This story is the one that explained Russia to me, or at least a bit of ethos of Russia. Reading it, I could tie modern Russia to the time of pillaging Russia. The story is long, but beautifully written. At times it drags too much. As someone who is against pointless violence, I found it hard to understand motives of Taras Bulba. But I'm glad I read it.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    Narration is quite annoying and makes it difficult to focus on the story. Do not recommend.