Doctor Zhivago Slow-Read Announcement

I'm leading a slow-read of Doctor Zhivago from April through July 2026

Welcome to our new slow-read, Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak.

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Announcing a slow-read of Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak, commencing 1 April 2026 and running for four months.

This epic tale follows Yuri Zhivago, a young doctor and poet, through one of the most turbulent periods of twentieth-century history, from the final years of the Russian empire, through the First World War, the Russian revolutions and the ensuing civil war.

With sixteen chapters, the novel lends itself well to reading over four months, one chapter a week. The page counts on the schedule below are based on my Collins Harvill paperback edition, so your mileage will vary depending on which edition you have. The longest chapter in my edition is forty pages.

History of the Novel

Boris Pasternak

The novel was written roughly between 1945 and 1955. Pasternak submitted the manuscript to the Soviet literary journal Novy Mir, which rejected it for ideological reasons. It was then smuggled abroad and first appeared in 1957 with Giangiacomo Feltrinelli Editore in Italy. The international success of the novel led to Pasternak’s being awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1958, which he declined under Soviet pressure. It wasn’t published in the Soviet Union until 1988 during Gorbachev’s glasnost period.

Which Translation?

There are three English translations of Doctor Zhivago. My primary reading copy is the 1958 translation by Max Hayward and Manya Harari, which is a delight to read as it’s my wife’s copy from when she read it at university over thirty years ago and contains her annotations!

Max Hayward and Manya Harari, 1958

• First published: 1958

• Publishers: Collins & Harvill (UK), Pantheon (US)

• Context: Produced very quickly after the Russian text appeared in Italy in 1957.

• Significance:

  • The first English translation and for decades the standard version.

  • Widely read during the Cold War and closely associated with the novel’s global fame.

• Style: Fairly smooth and literary.

This is the version that most older Penguin, Vintage and Everyman editions reprinted for many years.

On they went, singing ‘Eternal Memory’, and whenever they stopped, the sound of their feet, the horses and the gusts of wind seemed to carry on their singing.

Passers-by made way for the procession, counted the wreaths and crossed themselves. Some joined in out of curiosity and asked: ‘Who is being buried?’—‘Zhivago,’ they were told.—‘Oh, I see. That explains it.’—‘It isn't him. It's his wife.’—‘Well, it comes to the same thing. May she rest in peace. It's a fine funeral.’

The last moments flashed past, counted, irrevocable. ‘The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the earth and everything that dwells therein.’ The priest scattered earth in the form of a cross over the body of Marya Nikolayevna. They sang ‘The souls of the just’. Then a fearful bustle began. The coffin was closed, nailed and lowered into the ground. Clods of earth drummed on the lid like rain as the grave was filled hurriedly by four spades. A mound grew up on it and a ten-year-old boy climbed on top.

Buy the Hayward/Harari translation - (Everyman’s Library) (Vintage Classics)

Pevear and Volokhonsky

I’m personally not a fan of this translation duo. I will try them again for this project once I’m finished reading the Hayward/Harari translation.

Check out this article, as it explains better than I could why I tend to avoid Pevear and Volokhonsky.
Rereading: Doctor Zhivago, Ann Pasternak Slater - Guardian

• Published: 2010

• Publisher: Pantheon (US), Vintage Classics (UK)

They walked and walked and sang ‘Memory Eternal’, and whenever they stopped, the singing seemed to be carried on by their feet, the horses, the gusts of wind.

Passers-by made way for the cortège, counted the wreaths, crossed themselves. The curious joined the procession, asked: ‘Who’s being buried?’ ‘Zhivago,’ came the answer. ‘So that’s it. Now I see.’ ‘Not him. Her.’ ‘It’s all the same. God rest her soul. A rich funeral.’

The last minutes flashed by, numbered, irrevocable. ‘The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof; the world, and those who dwell therein.’ The priest, tracing a cross, threw a handful of earth onto Marya Nikolaevna.

They sang ‘With the souls of the righteous’. A terrible bustle began. The coffin was closed, nailed shut, lowered in. A rain of clods drummed down as four shovels hastily filled the grave. Over it a small mound rose. A ten-year-old boy climbed onto it.

Buy the Pevear and Volokhonsky edition: (Vintage Classics)

Nicolas Pasternak Slater

The Folio Society published a new translation by Nicolas Pasternak Slater in 2019. I remember its coming out, but it was very expensive and so I didn’t even consider it. It’s now even more expensive, given that the translation is exclusive to the Folio Society, so you can basically ignore this translation as I’m having to, much as it pains me. I didn’t make the same mistake when the Folio Society did exactly the same thing with Anna Karenina earlier this year! (Video I made showing Anna Karenina)

I gleaned the opening page from a Folio Society promo video:

They walked on and on, singing ‘Eternal Memory’, and whenever they stopped it seemed as if their footsteps, the horses, and the gusts of wind were carrying on their anthem.

Passers-by stood aside to let the cortège pass, counted the wreaths, crossed themselves. Curious people joined the procession, and asked ‘Who’s being buried?’ ‘Zhivago,’ they were told. ‘Ah, that’s it. That explains it.’ ‘No, not him. Her.’ ‘Never mind. God rest her soul. A splendid funeral.’

The final minutes sped by, counted, irrevocable. ‘The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein.’ Tracing a cross with his hand, the priest cast a handful of earth onto Maria Nikolaevna. They struck up ‘The souls of the righteous’. Suddenly everything became terribly busy. The coffin was closed, nailed down and lowered. A shower of clods of earth rattled down, as four shovels hurriedly filled the grave. A hillock rose up over it. A ten-year-old boy climbed on top.

There’s an Oxford comma in the opening sentence. Maybe it’s not for me after all, haha.

Buy the book

All the links are affiliate links and give you the option to buy from Amazon localised to your region, where possible, bookshop.org, Waterstones and Blackwells. Each purchase will earn me a small commission that helps me to keep doing this work. Thank you.

• Pevear and Volokhonsky edition: (Vintage Classics)

• Hayward/Harari translation - (Everyman’s Library) (Vintage Classics)

Join the Slow-read

Neither existing nor new subscribers will be added to the Doctor Zhivago slow-read. I set it up this way to avoid annoying subscribers who aren’t interested in this particular novel. So if you’d like to join, please go into your settings and check the radio button to join, and you will receive articles via email when I publish them. I’ve also set it up as a podcast and will record the essays as audio and video.

Video of this announcement

I look forward to seeing you in April! Do let me know if you’ve read the novel before and how you like it!