The first generation of Russian modernists experienced a profound sense of anxiety. What made them unique was their utopian prescription for overcoming the inevitability of decline and death. They theorized their defiance of death by suggesting the immortalization of the body through the power of erotic love. Matich suggests that same-sex desire underlay their most radical proposal of abolishing the traditional procreative family in favor of erotically induced abstinence. She shows how a brilliant group of Russian writers - among them the late Tolstoy, Vladimir Solov'ev, Zinaida Gippius, Alexander Blok, and Vasilii Rozanov - addressed the pressing concerns of a culture in transition, ranging from physical and psychological health, marriage, sexuality, and gender to anti-Semitism and the meaning of history.

About the Author
Olga Matich is professor of Russian literature and culture at the University of California, Berkeley.

Reviews
Richly illustrated and thought provoking, this book resembles no other.... Matich relies on heretofore-unpublished archival materials that shed new light on this dark topic.... Essential. - CHOICE Reviews



Book Information
ISBN 9780299208844
Author Olga Matich
Format Paperback
Page Count 354
Imprint University of Wisconsin Press
Publisher University of Wisconsin Press
Weight(grams) 571g