Sign-In
Cart
Smoke
Paperback
Publisher: Indoeuropeanpublishing.com
Published: Sep 10 2026
Pages: 122
Weight: 0.35
Height: 0.31 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
Smoke is a novel by Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev that explores the themes of love, society, and personal responsibility. The story centers on Grigory Litvinov, a young Russian man who travels to Baden-Baden before his wedding. His life takes an unexpected turn when he reunites with Irina, the woman he once deeply loved. Their meeting forces him to choose between his past emotions and the future he has planned.
Throughout the novel, Turgenev shows how love can be both powerful and confusing. Litvinov struggles with his feelings for Irina, who is now married to a wealthy nobleman and trapped by social expectations. At the same time, the novel criticizes the shallow conversations and political arguments of the Russian upper class, suggesting that many of their ideas are as temporary and meaningless as smoke. Turgenev uses these conflicts to show the importance of making thoughtful and honest decisions.
The title Smoke symbolizes the passing nature of human pride, ambition, and false hopes. By the end of the novel, Litvinov realizes that true happiness comes from living with integrity rather than chasing old dreams or social status. Turgenev leaves readers with the message that a meaningful life is built on responsibility, sincerity, and wise choices. These timeless lessons continue to make Smoke an important work of Russian literature.
About the Author
Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev (1818-1883) was a major figure in 19th-century Russian literature, known for his refined prose style and insightful portrayals of social change. Born into a wealthy landowning family in Oryol, Turgenev received a privileged education that included studies in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Berlin. His early exposure to Western European philosophy and literature deeply influenced his worldview, helping shape his later role as a cultural bridge between Russia and Europe.
Turgenev gained prominence with works that explored the tensions within Russian society, especially between generations and ideological movements. His most famous novel, Fathers and Sons (1862), introduced the character Bazarov, often considered one of literature's first nihilists. Through such works, Turgenev examined themes like reform, tradition, love, and the changing social order, often portraying the struggles of individuals caught between old aristocratic values and emerging modern ideas. His writing is noted for its psychological depth, subtle humor, and lyrical depiction of the Russian countryside.
Although celebrated in Russia, Turgenev spent much of his later life abroad, particularly in France and Germany, where he associated with prominent European writers like Gustave Flaubert and Henry James. He played a key role in introducing Russian literature to Western audiences, influencing perceptions of Russian culture across Europe. Despite occasional criticism from Russian contemporaries who found him too Westernized, Turgenev remains a central figure in world literature, admired for his elegance, empathy, and nuanced exploration of human relationships.
14 different editions
Also available
Also from
Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich
The Diary of a Superfluous Man, and Other Stories
Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich
Hapgood, Isabel Florence
Hardcover
The Diary of a Superfluous Man, and Other Stories
Hapgood, Isabel Florence
Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich
Paperback
Mumu, and the Diary of a Superfluous Man
Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich
Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich
Paperback
The Novels: Knock, Knock, Knock. The Inn. Lieutenant Yergunov's Story. The Dog. The Watch
Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich
Hardcover
The Novels: The Two Friends. Father Alexey's Story. Three Meetings. A Quiet Backwater
Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich
Paperback
Rudin: A Romance: A King Lear of the Steppes. Phantoms, and Other Stories
Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich
Hardcover
Rudin: A Romance: A King Lear of the Steppes. Phantoms, and Other Stories
Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich
Paperback
The Novels and Stories of Iván Turgénieff: Rúdin: A Romance. a King Lear of the Steppes
Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich
Hapgood, Isabel Florence
Hardcover
First Love And Other Stories: Translated From The Russian By Isabel F. Hapgood
Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich
Paperback
Ïvan Turgénieff's Spring floods
Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich
Browne, William Hand
Butts, Sophie Michell
Paperback
The Torrents Of Spring: Translated From The Russian By Constance Garnett
Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich
Paperback
The Novels and Stories of Iván Turgénieff Volume 13
Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich
Hapgood, Isabel Florence
Hardcover
The Novels: The Two Friends. Father Alexey's Story. Three Meetings. A Quiet Backwater
Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich
Hardcover
Ïvan Turgénieff's Spring Floods
Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich
Browne, William Hand
Butts, Sophie Michell
Hardcover
Virgin Soil: A Reckless Character and Other Stories
Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich
Hapgood, Isabel Florence
Hardcover
The Brigadier: And Other Stories; On the Eve / Iván Turgénieff; Translated From the Russian by Isabel F. Hapgood
Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich
Hapgood, Isabel Florence
Hardcover
The Novels and Stories of Iván Turgénieff: The Jew, and Other Stories
Hapgood, Isabel Florence
Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich
Hardcover
The Novels: Dream Tales And Prose Poems: Clara Militch. Phantoms. The Song Of Triumphant Love. The Dream. Poems In Prose
Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich
Hardcover
Lettres À Madame Viardot...
Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich
Halpérine-Kaminsky, Ely
Viardot-García, Pauline
Paperback
The Novels and Stories of Iván Turgénieff: First Love, and Other Stories
Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich
Hapgood, Isabel Florence
Paperback
The Works Of Iván Turgénieff: Rudin: A Romance. A King Lear Of The Steppes. Phantoms And Other Stories
Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich
Hardcover
The Torrents of Spring, First Love, and Mumu (Hardcover)
Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich
Garnett, Constance
Hardcover
Novels Of Ivan Turgenev: Rudin. V. 2. A House Of Gentlefolk. V. 3. On The Eve. V. 4. Fathers And Children. V. 5. Smoke. V. 6.-7. Virgin Soil. V
Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich
Paperback
The Novels And Stories Of Iván Turgénieff: Phantoms And Other Stories
Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich
Paperback
The Novels: The Jew. An Unhappy Girl. The Duellist. Three Portraits. Enough
Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich
Hardcover
Lettres À Madame Viardot...
Viardot-García, Pauline
Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich
Halpérine-Kaminsky, Ely
Hardcover
Russian Life in the Interior of the Experiences of a Sportsman
Meiklejohn, James D.
Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich
Hardcover
The Novels: Dream Tales And Prose Poems: Clara Militch. Phantoms. The Song Of Triumphant Love. The Dream. Poems In Prose
Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich
Paperback
Novels Of Ivan Turgenev: Rudin. V. 2. A House Of Gentlefolk. V. 3. On The Eve. V. 4. Fathers And Children. V. 5. Smoke. V. 6.-7. Virgin Soil. V.8-9. A
Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich
Hardcover
Also in
Classic Fiction
The Princess Bride Deluxe Limited Edition: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure
Goldman, William
Paperback
The Fellowship of the Ring: Being the First Part of the Lord of the Rings
Tolkien, J. R. R.
Paperback
The Pilgrim's Progress: A Readable Modern-Day Version of John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress (Revised and easy-to-read)
Vermilye, Alan
Bunyan, John
Paperback
Frankenstein, Dracula, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Shelley, Mary
Stevenson, Robert Louis
Stoker, Bram
Paperback
The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure
Goldman, William
Hardcover
The Lord of the Rings Illustrated by the Author: Illustrated by J.R.R. Tolkien
Tolkien, J. R. R.
Hardcover