Family Matters

Name: Family Matters
ISBN: 9787108065100

Maxim Gorky / 耿济之SDX Joint Publishing Company · ChinaJun 2025

3.7

Word count: 170K words
Chapters: 7
ISBN: 9787108065100

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Summary

In this fine novel, Gorky traces three generations of the Ardamonov family as they build and run their business, showing how a small Russian enterprise passed from energetic, disciplined entrepreneurship to moral decay and ruin. Spanning the years from the abolition of serfdom in 1861 to the October Revolution of 1917, the novel ranges across a wide cast of characters and every facet of social life, revealing a broad historical panorama with depth and truth. Its many figures are vividly drawn, and the depiction of their fates is both stirring and thought-provoking, giving the book high literary value and strong readability.

Editor's review

Written between 1914 and 1916, The Artamonov Business is a novel by the Soviet writer Maxim Gorky. A major work of social observation and intellectual inquiry from his later years, it displays a deeper, cooler realism quite unlike his earlier revolutionary romanticism. Set in a Russian industrial city, the book follows three generations of a bourgeois family and paints a profound picture of family ties breaking down, morality eroding, and individuals losing and struggling with themselves amid an era of social transformation. With his characteristic sharpness, Gorky dissects the fragility of the traditional fortress of "family" under the impact of capital and desire. The novel is not only a critique of the old order but also carries an implicit humanist inquiry into human nature and the way forward. This edition from SDX Joint Publishing Company features a carefully considered translation and detailed notes, offering readers an experience close to the spirit of the original. Compared with works such as Mother or Childhood, The Artamonov Business is more complex and restrained in its narrative, with dense psychological description; though it is less dramatic, it shows all the more clearly the intellectual depth and artistic skill of the author's later years, and it is an indispensable part of understanding Gorky's overall creative trajectory and the state of Russian social thought in the early twentieth century.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Researchers and literature lovers interested in Gorky's late work and his intellectual evolution
Readers who want to understand family ethics and class change in Russia during its social transformation
Serious literary readers who prefer social analysis and psychological realism
Readers of classic works who seek to move beyond revolutionary narrative and explore the complexity of human nature

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting Gorky's early fiery revolutionary narrative or strongly plot-driven conflict
Readers looking for light entertainment or a shallow reading experience

Reading tips

It is advisable to read this alongside Gorky's autobiographical trilogy and the Russian historical background of the period in order to grasp his creative trajectory
Pay attention to the characters' dialogue and inner monologues to appreciate Gorky's profound revelation of human contradiction and social alienation
Slow down appropriately and savor the atmosphere created by his delicate environmental description and symbolic technique

About the publisher

SDX Joint Publishing Company China · Founded in 1932

SDX Joint Publishing Company is a publisher known for its humanities and social science titles, covering classics, culture, history, social fiction and politics. Its catalogue of 826 books includes Chinese and foreign literary classics such as The Scholars, Camel Xiangzi and Selected Short Stories of Chekhov, scholarly works such as Studies of Chinese Cave Temples, A Study of the Tuoba History (Revised Edition) and The Nine-Rank System: A Prehistory of the Imperial Examination, and translations such as Red Star Over China and Notes from the House of the Dead. Its authors include renowned Chinese and foreign writers such as Wu Jingzi, Lao She, Su Bai and Chekhov, as well as scholars and translators such as Chen Xiaoming, Wang Benhua, Guo Changbao and Zhu Xiansheng. Its publishing character lies in balancing the popularisation of classics with academic depth, with attention to textual quality and the transmission of knowledge.

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FAQ

What place does The Artamonov Business hold in Gorky's career?

The Artamonov Business is an important transitional work between Gorky's mature period and his later years. It marks his shift from early romanticism and revolutionary propaganda toward a more complex depiction of social reality and human depth, with more accomplished artistry and an intellectual expression that grows more somber and ambiguous.

How is this book different from ordinary family sagas?

The book is not simply a chronicle of a family's rise and fall. It places the family under the microscope of social upheaval, focusing on how radical changes in economic relations and moral ideas erode the traditional family structure from within; its critical force and social analysis go far beyond ordinary family narrative.

How is the translation and annotation quality of this edition?

SDX Joint Publishing Company editions usually use classic translations, strive for fidelity to the original style, and include necessary background notes and interpretation. They help Chinese readers understand the historical and cultural context of the work and are a reliable edition.

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About the author

Maxim Gorky Author · Russian/Soviet · 1868–1936

Maxim Gorky, born Alexei Maximovich Peshkov, was a Russian and Soviet writer (1868–1936), regarded as the founder of Soviet proletarian literature and a representative of socialist realism. His major works include the prose poem The Song of the Stormy Petrel, the novel Mother, the play The Lower Depths, and the autobiographical trilogy Childhood, In the World, and My Universities. In 1934 he was elected the first chairman of the Soviet Writers' Union. His writing often depicts lower-class life and the awakening of ordinary people, combining realistic power with an idealistic spirit. This library holds 39 of his works, spanning foreign literature, classics, and world masterpieces.

耿济之 Author

Geng Jizhi was a modern Chinese translator known for introducing Russian literature. Public information is limited, and details such as his dates of birth and death and nationality remain unclear; however, the 31 works included in the collection show that his translation work focused on Dostoevsky's novels. Representative translations include multiple editions of The Brothers Karamazov, such as the full-color illustrated edition, the Youzhiliang Library edition, the two-volume set, and the upper and lower volumes, as well as Crime and Punishment. These works are all classified as foreign literature and presented in the Russian Classics series. Geng Jizhi's translations strive to preserve the intellectual depth and psychological portrayal of the originals, with steady and restrained language, and they served as a bridge in Chinese readers' reception of Russian literature.