Cover of Fathers and Sons

Fathers and Sons

by Ivan Turgenev

First published
1862
Reading level
Plain English
Price
Free

About the book

"Fathers and Sons" by Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev is a novel published in 1862. When university graduate Arkady returns home with his friend Bazarov, a self-proclaimed nihilist, generational tensions erupt. Bazarov's radical philosophy clashes with the older generation's values, while both young men find their beliefs tested by unexpected romance. As ideological conflicts intensify and personal relationships grow complicated, the story explores the widening gap between traditional Russian society and a new generation determined to reject everything their fathers held sacred.

  • Historical fiction
  • Fathers and sons
  • Domestic fiction
  • Russia
  • Nihilism (Philosophy)

Updated September 2026. Public domain in the USA. Text and summary from Project Gutenberg eBook #47935. Fathers and Sons on Wikipedia.

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