The tragic tale of a nobleman's seduction of a girl of lower social status, "Poor Liza" was Russia's first literary sensation: pilgrimages were made to locations mentioned in the story and suicides were even reported. Nikolay Karamzin's most well-known work of fiction, "Poor Liza" is notable for its psychological analysis of its titular character-the first time a Russian writer had attempted to portray the thoughts and feelings of a young girl in love. It is fair to say that "Poor Liza" was the most significant Russian prose in terms of popularity and influence before the emergence of Alexander Pushkin onto the Russian literary scene in the 1820s. The story was so well received that in 1803 it was translated into English, a very rare occurrence for Russian literature of the time. More sentimentalist short stories by Karamzin appeared in English in 1804, such as "Natalia" and "Julia," both of which are included in this collection.

ニコライ・カラムジンは、プーシキン以前のロシア文学に革命をもたらした巨星です。名作『哀れなリーザ』の真髄は、卑近な少女に初めて深い内面を宿し、その繊細な心理を鮮烈に描いた点にあります。身分違いの恋に揺れる魂の叫びは、当時の社会に巡礼者が続出するほどの衝撃を与えました。 本作は都市の洗練と農村の純朴さ、情熱と理性の相克を浮き彫りにします。彼の流麗な筆致は、感情の気高さと脆さを突きつけます。ロシア文学の夜明けを告げた心理描写の原点を体験してください。時代を超えて共鳴する真実の痛みが、あなたの心を激しく揺さぶるはずです。