An Uncommon Story

Ivan Goncharov was once hailed as the true literary heir to Gogol, a towering figure of Russian letters in the 1850s. His early success with The Same Old Story positioned him at the center of Russia’s evolving literary scene. But the tide shifted in 1859, when Ivan Turgenev’s A Nest of the Gentry was published almost simultaneously with Goncharov’s long-awaited masterpiece, Oblomov. As critics and readers embraced Turgenev, Goncharov grew suspicious—and resentful.

Their once-cordial friendship soured after Goncharov became convinced that Turgenev had plagiarized elements of his unfinished novel, Malinovka Heights—ideas the two had discussed in private. Turgenev admitted to being influenced, but Goncharov saw theft in characters, scenes, and themes. Though the two authors eventually reconciled, the damage lingered.

Goncharov’s posthumously published memoir, An Uncommon Story (1924), offers a rare, unfiltered glimpse into the mind of a writer consumed by rivalry and wounded pride. Far more than a personal account, it stands as a powerful reflection on literary envy, fractured friendship, and the blurred lines between inspiration and imitation.