Read this when
Oblomov
It takes Oblomov the entire first part of the book to get out of bed. If you're reading this from yours: no judgment. Neither does Goncharov. 🛌
Who it's for
Oblomov famously spends the whole first part of the novel failing to get out of bed, and he is written with such warmth that readers who procrastinate or avoid can recognize themselves without shame.
Feelings it meets
What it is
An 1859 novel by Ivan Goncharov about Ilya Ilyich Oblomov, a nobleman so passive that he barely leaves his bed in the opening part while his servant Zakhar urges him to deal with his declining estate. The chapter "Oblomov's Dream" shows the indulgent childhood in which he was shielded from all effort.
Where to find it
Public domain in the US in older (abridged) translations; Schwartz and Pearl translations are in copyright, in print and in libraries (Libby/Hoopla); audiobooks exist.
Before you start
Heads up: Declining health and death.
Age: Ages 14+
I know why the caged bird sings, ah me,Paul Laurence Dunbar, “Sympathy”
