Russian, Book 3: Russian Through Poems and Paintings

This is the improved third edition of Book 3 in a series of intensive, college-level Russian language textbooks that began with Russian Through Propaganda (Books 1 and 2). This volume shifts its attention from the Soviet era to the Imperial era, illustrating its discussions of intermediate grammar with paintings depicting Russian history and culture. Classical poems by the likes of Pushkin and Lermontov provide examples of the grammar, which includes such topics as advanced aspect, prefixed verbs of motion, and deverbal forms (participles, etc.) — all of which are essential for reading real Russian literature. The book culminates with a reading selection that includes Pushkin's "The Bronze Horseman" in its entirety, as well as two short stories by Chekhov ("Death of a Clerk" and "A Little Joke"), and one by Tolstoy ("Alyosha the Pot") — all of them extensively glossed and marked for stress, in order to allow students to begin reading real literature without constantly using a dictionary. This series, which is geared toward ambitious students who wish to be immersed in Russian culture as they're learning the language, continues with Book 4. For more information, including additional resources for each lesson, see www.russianthroughpropaganda.com.