In this 1850 Russian novel — and the version I link here is wonderfully translated — we meet the eternally indolent character of Ivan Illyich Oblomov, the uninspired, scared of giving effort and caring, aristocrat who gives up a well-connected job for simply wanting to lie around and do nothing. A lot more happens, but that’s the basic set up. The book is propped up by exploring the various facets in which the effete laziness of the ruling class is run through various parts of […]