Hello all...I am new here, and when I saw the word "long" in the description for this translation board, I had hope. I am taking a Russian literature class, but I do not understand the story we are reading at all, it is very hard keeping track of the character's names when the author uses diminutives and nicknames, especially for only a third year student! The story is Vasily Grossman's Несколько Печальных Дней, and according to my professor it is the hardest story we will read this year. My question is of course is, "Why read this story early on?" But anyway, can anyone help me? I definitely don't require a full translation, that would be crazy! But a list of the characters and who they are would be helpful, especially because this story is old, and I have next to zero cultural knowledge of this time period Here is a link to the story:
http://www.eunet.lv/library/win/PROZA/G ... ssman4.txt
Thank you in advance, and I hope to be an active member here from now on! The daily phrase looks particularly enticing.