'We sit in the mud, my friend, and reach for the stars.' Originally published in 1862, Father and Sons remains one of the most admired Russian novels of the nineteenth century. Arkady Kirsanov is due to move back home after attending university, much to his father's delight. He also brings with him a close friend, Eugene Barazov, who Arkady's father warmly receives. But before long, tensions begin to rise in the household: Arkady and Eugene's philosophies - promoting concepts such as nihilism - are beginning to make Arkady's father uneasy. Their views are too radical - and they reject the traditional Russian life Arkady's father so carefully created for himself and the family. A perennial and moving exploration generational conflict, Fathers and Sons is a narrative that still resonates with many. This audiobook edition is brilliantly read by Jonathan Keeble. Ivan Turgenev (1818 - 1883) was a novelist, playwright, poet and translator. Known for his realist style and focus on the everyday, he is regarded as one of the greatest Russian writers of the nineteenth century, and many credit him for introducing Russian literature to the West.