Eugene Onegin

A Novel in Verse

By: Alexander Pushkin, James E. Falen - translator

Narrated by: Raphael Corkhill

Length: 4 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's Summary

Eugene Onegin is the master work of the poet whom Russians regard as the fountainhead of their literature. Set in 1820s Russia, Pushkin's novel in verse follows the fates of three men and three women. It was Pushkin's own favourite work, and this new translation conveys the literal sense and the poetic music of the original.

Eugene Onegin is the master work of the poet whom Russians regard as the fountainhead of their literature. Set in 1820s imperial Russia, Pushkin's novel in verse follows the emotions and destiny of three men - Onegin the bored fop, Lensky the minor elegiast, and a stylized Pushkin himself - and the fates and affections of three women - Tatyana the provincial beauty, her sister Olga, and Pushkin's mercurial Muse. Engaging, full of suspense, and varied in tone, it also portrays a large cast of other characters and offers the listener many literary, philosophical, and autobiographical digressions, often in a highly satirical vein. Eugene Onegin was Pushkin's own favourite work, and it shows him attempting to transform himself from a romantic poet into a realistic novelist. This new translation seeks to retain both the literal sense and the poetic music of the original, and capture the poem's spontaneity and wit.

©1990, 1995 James E. Falen (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Pushkin and Falen are brilliant, Corkhill not bad

As I first wrote: Most in a position to judge find Falen's translation a miracle of verbal and metrical fidelity, but it deserves a much better performance than this one. If Stephen Fry's amazing reading of Falen's translation ever turns up on Audible, snatch it up without delay. (For the moment you can check it out on YouTube.) In the meantime, stick with Neville Jason's reading of Mary Robson's version (under the title "Evgenii Onegin"). Robson may not quite match up to Falen, but Jason is a narrator in the same class as Fry, and so much better than Corkhill that there's no contest.

Update: I gave Corkhill another try in 2023, and wondered why I had given him only two stars before. Then I listened to Fry again, and again there is just no comparison: five stars, or ten, are barely enough for Fry's transcendent achievement. But Corkhill gives a creditable enough three-and-a-half star performance for a mere mortal, so I would now say this is your best choice among the English Onegins on Audible. Falen's sensational translation of Pushkin's irresistible masterpiece is really not to be missed. But please, Audible, isn't there some way you can get the rights to the Stephen Fry recording?

A delight

Eugene Onegin is a "novel in verse - the whole of it written in a series of 14-line verses with an unusually complex rhyme scheme. Falen's translation tries to reproduce the scheme in English. This isn't an easy task - English being notoriously short on rhymes - but he succeeds to an extent I wouldn't have thought possible. The syntax isn't distorted, and the rhymes click into place reliably and gracefully.

The rhymes are a big part of the pleasure of listening to this (although Raphael Corkhill's narration sometimes emphasizes line endings more than I would have preferred). Even if you don't try to explicitly follow the scheme, you will begin to intuit it and eagerly anticipate the next rhyme. That this doesn't distract from comprehension of the story testifies to the clarity and lucid simplicity of both story and verse.

It's a straightforward, sad story about friendship, love, loss, and regret. I'd read it years ago for a literature class, but I think the translation was a dud; it didn't make much of an impression. This time around, the novel was a pure delight.

If you give it a try, watch for the almost psychedelic description of a young woman's nightmare.

Stupendous poetic achievement!

This was an amazing both translation of Pushkins great poem and performance of it. I don't know Russian, but I do know the story and Falen's translation seem to really capture the emotions. And his verse was lovely to listen to, as was Corkhill's rendering.

thick

I could not get very far with this. the book seems to be ill-suited for this platform -- imho

Perfect blend of writer, translator and narrator

Falen's translation of Puskin's Eugene Onegin was required for a Slavic Literature class at my university. Imagine my delight in finding that Audible had Falen's version as well. Listening while reading was like surround sound music: beautiful, funny, sad, and brilliant. Mr Corkhill, a young actor who speaks several languages, contributed an extra dimension of pleasure. I can't recommend it enough. I’d like him to read Boris Godunov in English as well.

perfect for audio book<br />

wonderful performance. of brilliant prose. heart wrenching tale of lost love and wasted youth. worth every penny.

Narration cannot be done better, Bravo

This is a great story and the narration is first class. Pushkin is awesome.

It's a manly love story about a man that makes a bad choice to reject both love and loyalty. There is a movie, but the book is much finer.

A very beautiful, surprising book

When I had heard about this book from one of the Russian literature courses of the Great Courses, I was surprised that Pushkin had tried to make a long story in verse. However, what I was most surprised was that whoever translated this book was able to maintain the Rhymes and elegance of the author's original intent. The Poetry is is actually very entertaining and quite beautiful. Definitely I would recommend it anybody who enjoys poetry and beautiful elegant writing.

Eugene Onegin

Eugene Onegin, not to give any spoilers, contains one of the best heroines in classic literature. Tatyana has deep feeling, remarkable growth, and, what is rare in romantic literature, common sense. I like that this version keeps the rhyming meter of the poem as well. Translation is always a tricky thing and, not reading Russian, I can't speak to its accuracy in reflecting the original material, but this is one of the more readable (or listenable) versions I've found. It's an interesting trick that though Onegin is the titular character of the story, one could argue it is as much, if not more, about Tatyana; she has a greater character arc.

Excellent!

I lived this book! I enjoyed the narrator as well. I will be looking for more from this author.

Just let the rhythm overtake you

A poem about love and regret and Russia is so full of both, beautiful and light, like a waltz that ends in tears.
Again we explore how destructive living by ideas instead of sentiments can be and how time can reverse positions if not outcomes. Romantic and tragic, all of Onegin decisions are in the first part of the novel, are those of a man that has lost his way his joy in life but pretends to be superior, while lost and bound by social conventions. Tatiana, on the other hand in her youth is pure an true to her feeling but also in command of them but in the end both are slaves to the culture and its demands in their lives.
Sad but beautiful, a classic for the world.

Passion in all it's guises

I read this first, so wanted to hear it read to me and very glad I chose this rendition. The narrator was superb!

Glad I waited for this.

This is one of those great works of world literature I was always going to get round to! So glad I waited. This is an excellent prose / verse translation of Pushkin’s masterpiece, which works very well in English. That, coupled with a very good narrator indeed, has made listening to this a pleasure. The Ralph Fiennes and Liv Tyler movie Onegin is well worth searching out too, and is a great companion to a fine audiobook.

Pushkin’s Masterpiece…

The great Pushkin’s Masterpiece brought brilliantly to life with an expressive and thoroughly commanding performance.

Listened to this repeatedly

This is a wonderful translation, beautifully read. It's short so you have a chance to listen over and over and really get into the text. Absolutely vivid.

Nice story but nothing special

This was the first Pushkin I have read, and I was disappointed by this book, given the high reputation of Pushkin.
It was a nice story in itself, but nothing special or with any particular depth. From the poetry perspective I don’t find it anything special either. Maybe it all gets lost in translation?

Excellent

Brilliantly written. sad, amusing and fascinating. Preformed with elegance and passion. Will look further book by these authors