Yama (The Pit) is a novel by Alexander Kuprin published in installments between 1909 and 1915. The book, centering on a brothel, owned by a woman named Anna Markovna, caused much controversy in its time.
Alexander Kuprin started collecting the material for his work in Kiev in 1890s, and it is in this city that the novel's action takes place....More
Aleksandr Ivanovich Kuprin (7 September [O.S. 26 August] 1870 – 25 August 1938) was a Russian writer best known for his novels The Duel and The Pit, Moloch & Olesya.
In Petersburg Kuprin found himself in the center of Russian cultural life. He became friends with Anton Chekhov whom he regularly corresponded with up until the latter's death in 1904, often seeking his advice.
The Duel became the literary sensation of the year in Russia. In 1905 some 45.5 thousand copies were sold, a vast number for the early 1900s. The controversy this novel caused continued until 1917. Critics of the left welcomed The Duel as "another nail in the coffin of autocracy."
Aleksandr Ivanovich Kuprin (7 September [O.S. 26 August] 1870 – 25 August 1938) was a Russian writer best known for his novels The Duel and The Pit, Moloch & Olesya.
In Petersburg Kuprin found himself in the center of Russian cultural life. He became friends with Anton Chekhov whom he regularly corresponded with up until the latter's death in 1904, often seeking his advice.
The Duel became the literary sensation of the year in Russia. In 1905 some 45.5 thousand copies were sold, a vast number for the early 1900s. The controversy this novel caused continued until 1917. Critics of the left welcomed The Duel as "another nail in the coffin of autocracy."
Book Summary
Yama (The Pit) is a novel by Alexander Kuprin published in installments between 1909 and 1915. The book, centering on a brothel, owned by a woman named Anna Markovna, caused much controversy in its time.
Alexander Kuprin started collecting the material for his work in Kiev in 1890s, and it is in this city that the novel's action takes place. Speaking in 1909 to a local newspaper correspondent about prototypes, he commented: "Characters I've made cannot be seen as copying real people. I picked up a lot of small details from the real life, but that was by no means copying the reality, which is something I detest doing." He added that his observations were by no means restricted to Kiev.
Aleksandr Kuprin
