D. S. Mirsky (1890–1939)

First published in 1926 in English, Mirsky’s book is rightly a classic in its field. It gives a complete survey of Russian literature from the earliest monastic chronicles up to and including Chekhov. Prince Mirsky (he renounced his title in his youth) was a Professor of Russian Literature at London University during the Twenties and his book developed out of the courses he gave there. More than any of the other emigres who fled the Revolution, Mirsky worked to provide a better show more understanding of Russian literature in English, and English literature in Russian. He published (his own) translations of contemporary English poetry into Russian, a history of Russia in English, and a history of the English intelligentsia in Russian. He retuned to Russia just as Stalin was purging the intellectuals in the early 30s, and predictably, perished in the gulag...

Read the full review on The Lectern:
http://thelectern.blogspot.com/2009/10/history-of-russian-literature-from-its.ht... show less

Still the best survey of the period in English. A brief biography of the author is at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D._S._Mirsky