"Dead Souls" by Nikolai Gogol

This is a classic Russian "poem", though at almost 450 pages, I'm not exactly sure why it's considered a poem!  I thoroughly enjoyed the book, am certain that many of the themes eluded me, but the humorous descriptions, characterizations, and bizarre plot made for unusual reading.  There are approximately 60 pages of notes at the end of the book, which I scanned later (did not read as I went, to keep continuity).  One thing I noticed is that the English translation loses much in the characters' names.  The descriptions of the Russian countryside, way of life, class system, and even the thoughts of many of the characters, are fascinating.

Here are some of the memorable characters (I tried to find memorable quotes, but the best part of the book is the descriptive language & characters' thoughts, not necessarily what the characters say):

• Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov
• Korobochka ("little box")
• Nozdryov ("nostril")
• Mikhail Semyonovich Sobakevich ("dog")
• Plyushkin ("ivy" or "plush")
• Manilov
• Selifan