Fathers and sons

Fathers and sons is a novel by Ivan Turgenev and published in 1862. The book deals with the differences between different generations of Russian society in the second half of the 19th century. The novel exposes the differences in ideologies, opinions, and thoughts between the protagonists and their parents' generation.

Arkady and Bazarov are two young men who have just finished university and decide to spend their vacations at Arkady's family farm. At the farm they meet Nikolai, Arkady's father, and his uncle Pavel, a retired military man with aristocratic customs. The way of thinking of young people is totally opposite of the generation of Nikolai and Pavel and they will soon collide on many issues. There they will also meet two women who will change their lives: Anna Odintsova and her sister Katia.

Bazarov, with a nihilistic attitude, will clash head-on with Arkady's family and how they manage their estate. For Bazarov they represent the outdated and old and he thinks that society has evolved. They will argue very often about topics such as authority.

This book stands out for how well it describes the prototypes of characters of the time and how it delves into the detail of their daily lives.