A Common Story
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| Author | Ivan Goncharov |
|---|---|
| Original title | Обыкновенная история |
| Country | Russia |
| Language | Russian |
| Publisher | 1847 (Sovremennik) 1906 (London Books) |
| Media type | print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Followed by | Oblomov |
A Common Story (Обыкнове́нная исто́рия, Obyknovennaya istorya) is a debut novel by Ivan Goncharov written in 1844–1846 and first published in the 1847 March and April issues of Sovremennik magazine.
In April 1846 the 34-year-old Ivan Goncharov asked Nikolay Yazykov to read his debut novel and give an advise as to where it might be possibly passed on to St. Petersburg literary critic Vissarion Belinsky for a final verdict. Yazykov flicked through several pages, got bored, put the manuscript aside and forgot all about it. Several months later he recalled the incident and gave the book to Nikolay Nekrasov, with a comment: "Looks like a weak one, not worthy of publication." Nekrasov looked through the novel, thought differently and carried it to Belinsky who instantly recognized the emergence of a major talent. The premiere reading of the book has taken place at Belinsky's flat. According to Ivan Panaev, while listening to Goncharov's recital, the critic has been fidgeting on his chair, jumping up from time to time, eyes shining, and each time the author was having a short break, he was giving out an ironic cry: "So, Yazykov, is it a 'weak one', is it 'unworthy'?"
"Even three months after this presentation Belinsky, each time we met, was bursting into congratulations, speaking of the bright future that awaited for me," Goncharov wrote in his Uncommon Story memoirs. On April 1, 1846 Fyodor Dostoyevsky wrote in a letter to his brother: "The real host of new writers has emerged, some of them surely my rivals. Most remarkable are Hertzen (Iskander) and Goncharov. The former has been published already, the latter is unpublished yet, both being greatly praised."
The novel is about a young Russian nobleman named Aleksander Aduev, who arrives in St. Petersburg from the provinces and loses his romanticism amidst the rampant pragmatic commercialism.
"Goncharov’s novel caused furore in Saint Petersburg, its success was unheard of. And how much good will it bring to our society, what a massive blow will it administer to romanticism, dreaminess, sentimentality and provincialism," Belinsky wrote to critic Vasily Botkin on March 17, 1847. "Goncharov's debut novel was very successful both in literary saloons and with wider audience," according to biographer Gavriil Potanin.Avdotya Panaeva remembered: "My God, and how agitated all the curious men of letters became all of a sudden! Everybody wanted to know details of the new author’s life, past and present, which class did he come from, what circles did he belong to, et cetera."
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