It took me a long time to finish this story collection. I enjoyed some of the stories, especially the one that lends its title to the overall book. The story of the madman is hilarious, somewhat along the lines of the John Steinbeck book [b:The Short Reign of Pippin IV|186371|The Short Reign of Pippin IV|John Steinbeck|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1386745675s/186371.jpg|2455975], but funnier. I also enjoyed the cultural snapshot of Cussacks in the Ukraine, as depicted in the longer story "Taras Bulba". I'd already read "The Overcoat" a few times, and while I didn't ever really love that story, it is a decent short story. But, the more I read of Gogol, the more tired and annoyed I got at Gogol's attitudes towards women. Occasionally he'll say something fair and reasonable, like when he talks about the lonely, unrewarding life of the Cossack woman who has the misfortune to be married to Taras Bulba. But after such passages he goes back to his normal state, within which women and sexuality are scary or evil or at best unknown. I feel sorry for classic authors with such gender issues, and Gogol's writing is good even with his limitations, but for modern readers his stories have awfully machoist characters and themes, interesting but not always satisfying. ( )

Its Russian Literature Time! I enjoyed reading these stories - the last one, Taras Bulba, dragged too much. The biggest issue I had with the stories in this book, and especially the last story, is that I didn't understand the context of the stories. And it makes sense - for stories written with a social commentary, having an understanding of the society the stories were written in makes a big difference.

My favorite out of the bunch is 'Diary of a Madman' - about a low ranking clerk and delusions of grandeur after learning that his crush is getting married to a rich man.

'The Nose' just seemed silly. A bit of googling tells me its really a satire on how easy it is to climb the social ladder in Russia, but honestly, I just thought it was annoying. 'The Carriage' was just annoying - full of pompous people, and than the story just ended.

'The Overcoat' is the one story that made me sad. A man needs a new coat, scrimps and saves, only to have it stolen the first day he wears it. Its also a story that comments on society, in this case, the haves and the have not.

The last story, 'Taras Bulba', is about the Cassocks of the Ukraine. This story is the one that explained Russia to me, or at least a bit of ethos of Russia. Reading it, I could tie modern Russia to this era. The story is long, but beautifully written. At times it drags too much. As someone who is against pointless violence, I found it hard to understand motives of Taras Bulba. But I'm glad I read it. ( )

It took me a long time to finish this story collection. I enjoyed some of the stories, especially the one that lends its title to the overall book. The story of the madman is hilarious, somewhat along the lines of the John Steinbeck book [b:The Short Reign of Pippin IV|186371|The Short Reign of Pippin IV|John Steinbeck|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1386745675s/186371.jpg|2455975], but funnier. I also enjoyed the cultural snapshot of Cussacks in the Ukraine, as depicted in the longer story "Taras Bulba". I'd already read "The Overcoat" a few times, and while I didn't ever really love that story, it is a decent short story. But, the more I read of Gogol, the more tired and annoyed I got at Gogol's attitudes towards women. Occasionally he'll say something fair and reasonable, like when he talks about the lonely, unrewarding life of the Cossack woman who has the misfortune to be married to Taras Bulba. But after such passages he goes back to his normal state, within which women and sexuality are scary or evil or at best unknown. I feel sorry for classic authors with such gender issues, and Gogol's writing is good even with his limitations, but for modern readers his stories have awfully machoist characters and themes, interesting but not always satisfying. ( )

Gogol's stories are fantastic, very visceral but with hefty doses of the supernatural. This collection contains five of his short works - The Diary of a Madman, The Nose, The Carriage, The Overcoat and Taras Bulba. ( )

The true gem in this collection of stories is Taras Bulba. If you read it for nothing else, read it for that wonderful, brutal and colorful picture of a fascinating culture. ( )