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A review by dkai
Today I Wrote Nothing: The Selected Writings by Daniil Kharms
5.0
I can only imagine how much I'd like this if I could read Russian; the translation does an excellent job, though. There is a concise introduction framing the historical context of Kharms and analysis of Kharms before you are launched into the writings. Four sections: Events, The Old Woman, The Blue Notebook, and Other Writings. Everything but a chunk of the early Other Writings kept me totally engaged (keep in mind that I love absurdist-esque things).
It's easy to grasp the most famous Kharms style in Events; micro "stories" that follow events happening to assorted people (most often commoners or famous Russians, e.g. Ivanovitch, Gogol, Pushkin). While it is not quite totally absurdist (usually) or magical realism, strange things inevitably occur. There is just enough reality and just enough strangeness so that attention is focused on what appears to be a clear narrative, even though it is obviously not so at all upon reaching the end. Some may be frustrated by the lack of a "point" to the stories. I wouldn't say that there is no point, nor would I say there is a point, and it's this paradox that Kharms expertly dances on in his writing.
Other writings have more variety. There are still the abundant Events-style stories, but also some poetry and other forms in there. Sometimes funny, sometimes wtf, and even moving on occasion, Kharms clearly did not limit himself to one style. It's odd how some of the seemingly normal poetry fits in so comfortably next to the micro stories; perhaps Kharms achieved a level of abstraction through his use of strangeness that normal stories don't attain.
It's easy to grasp the most famous Kharms style in Events; micro "stories" that follow events happening to assorted people (most often commoners or famous Russians, e.g. Ivanovitch, Gogol, Pushkin). While it is not quite totally absurdist (usually) or magical realism, strange things inevitably occur. There is just enough reality and just enough strangeness so that attention is focused on what appears to be a clear narrative, even though it is obviously not so at all upon reaching the end. Some may be frustrated by the lack of a "point" to the stories. I wouldn't say that there is no point, nor would I say there is a point, and it's this paradox that Kharms expertly dances on in his writing.
Other writings have more variety. There are still the abundant Events-style stories, but also some poetry and other forms in there. Sometimes funny, sometimes wtf, and even moving on occasion, Kharms clearly did not limit himself to one style. It's odd how some of the seemingly normal poetry fits in so comfortably next to the micro stories; perhaps Kharms achieved a level of abstraction through his use of strangeness that normal stories don't attain.