[Edited for typos]A ‘classic’ classic. Written in 1862, Wikipedia suggests this can be considered the 'first modern Russian novel.' The plot revolves around the relationship between two sons and two fathers, meant to show political change in Russia reflecting generational differences. We are told in the introduction that the author deliberately set the time frame of the novel in 1859, shortly before the emancipation of the serfs in 1861. The fathers are old school, of course, traditional Slavophiles, even though they have both recently adopted some changes that give their serfs some more liberties, such as making some of them wage laborers. But that's not enough for the two sons who are radicals at that time – essentially nihilists. This novel introduced the term nihilism into modern culture. The two sons are schoolmates at university and they believe in nothing of the established order – family, religion, customs - any established authority. Everything has to prove itself anew. They want to see Russia westernized. The older of the two young men is more experienced and world-wise than the younger. The older is really the one espousing radicalism; the younger man idolizes him and agrees with everything he says. Both fathers have the same reactions to their sons: they are shocked but not argumentative. They defer to their sons’ level of learning and are awed by them. They expect great things of them, and given the choice to lead, follow, or get out of the way, the fathers choose the last.The older of the two young men, named Bazarov, is portrayed as egotistical and arrogant. Although Turgenev had relatively liberal views, this book was attacked by both sides in the politics of the time. Reactionaries felt he favored these radical nihilist views by daring to argue them through Bazarov’s mouth. Liberals felt he was making fun of their views by having them expressed by a jerk. There’s romance. On a visit to a neighboring estate, both men start to fall in love with a young widow. The younger man turns his attention to her younger sister while the older man falls hard for the widow. One of the fathers is embarrassed by having a young female serf as his mistress, although the son has no problem with that relationship. The plot is as much a love story(ies) as it is a political novel and at times becomes a bit like a soap opera. But we recognize that literary styles have changed since 1860! We are also given a 3-page 'Where are they now' wrap-up that you would not find in a modern novel. I enjoyed the book. Not stellar, but a worthwhile read. Top painting of Russia serfs from beastrabban.files.wordpress.comRussian women pulling a barge from johnknifton.files.wordpress.comThe author from lareviewofbooks.org[Revised 8/7/23]