You might consider reading primarily as a form of entertainment, but it’s actually a great means of studying! Natalia Kondrashova, a Russian language teacher at ITMO, notes that she not only suggests fiction to her students for additional reading but also incorporates it into her teaching practice, as it helps illustrate specific language features and enhance the students' phonetic, vocabulary, and grammar skills.

To help you boost your skills and get a better understanding of the local culture, Natalia and her colleagues at ITMO Foreign Language Training Center, Svetlana Dorofeeva and Oksana Kolegova, have picked their recommendations for all proficiency levels.

All of the books mentioned here are available for ITMO students via LitRes with a free subscription from ITMO.

Contents:

Begginer (A1)

Even if you’re only at the start of your language-learning journey, you can already read fiction! Opt for short stories that have a neutral vocabulary and simple sentences that will allow you to grasp the very basics. At this point, children's stories and poems can become your best friends.

According to Natalia Kondrashova, this is the scenario where you can go with adapted literature, which meets all the above-mentioned requirements. These versions, however, are not advised for higher levels as they often lack the author's unique style.

What to read:

Adapted stories

Children's books

  • Children’s poems by Korney Chukovsky, e.g. Телефон (The Telephone) 
  • Children’s poems by Daniil Kharms, e.g. Врун (The Liar)

Elementary (A2)

Like with the previous level, it’s recommended to focus on rather short pieces with a neutral vocabulary and uncomplicated syntax. However, you should now be able to understand longer sentences, simple metaphors and idioms, as well as vocabulary related to culture and history. Don't rush into complex meanings and philosophical implications; you can master them at higher levels.

What to read:

Storybooks

  • Чемодан (The Suitcase) and other stories by Sergei Dovlatov
  • Stories by Anton Chekhov (unadapted)

Poems 

Children's books

Credit: Elliot Reyna (@eliottreyna) via Unsplash

Credit: Elliot Reyna (@eliottreyna) via Unsplash

Intermediate (B1)

Having reached this stage, you can finally transition to larger books and rely less on children's literature. You are now able to comprehend texts with complex sentences, but it is important to remain cautious of rare and archaic terms, as they may require a deeper understanding of Russian history.

What to read:

Golden Age literature

20th century

Poems

Modern detective stories

Upper intermediate – advanced (B2-C2)

Your proficiency enables you to choose literature with deeper meanings, necessitating an understanding of Russian history and realities. You'll encounter vocabulary of various styles and layers of speech: slang, archaisms, and emotionally charged expressions. And the best part is that you’ll probably get the puns!

Don’t feel discouraged if despite a high level of fluency, you’re still missing some details or facing unknown words and constructions. As Natalia Kondrashova points out, reading literature in its original language presents challenges to non-native speakers at any level, as it encompasses the full range of linguistic nuances of the original text.

What to read?

Golden Age literature

20th century

Modern fiction

If you’d like to up your reading practice, ITMO is always here to support your pursuits! To broaden your literary horizons, join the Russian Speaking Club.

Poetry enthusiasts are welcome to join the Poetic Map of the World project. At this regular international event, readers read poems in Russian, as well as Russian translations of poems in their native languages.