The fathers of both Bazarov and Arkady struggle with how to connect with their sons. Turgenev skillfully illuminates the awkward and sometimes painful relations sons and fathers have as the younger generation try to find its place in the world. The sons love their fathers but also seek to put some distance between them and their families; to achieve some independence, to be different in some way. The setting is Russia in the 1800's but the issue is really timeless.

In fact what makes this work a classic is the very timelessness of the story. Every society deals with the tension between dangerous radicalism and stagnant tradition. The complexities of love and family are universal. The tension and conflict between generations is always there. Turgenev weaves these issues into an interesting and enjoyable story. With characters that are multidimensional and real. The sign of a good character is that you care what happens to them. This is certainly true with Turgenev. I found myself reading faster to try and find out how all of the tensions and issues would be worked out.

One interesting issue is raised by Alain De Botton in his introduction. He relates that Turgenev wanted to reader to love Bazarov despite all his faults and that he felt the work was a failure if that was not the case. Perhaps love is too strong a word. I found myself sympathetic to Bazarov, especially toward the end, as he wrestled with his place in the world but I wasn't really on his side. I was rooting for Arkady as he seemed the one with the deeper heart; who like his father meant well but often struggled in knowing what to do. In a novel of ideas, perhaps I felt to strongly about the importance of tradition and order against the destruction and materialism of Bazarov's nihilism. His arrogant and reckless ideas turned me off while for others they might resonate more. When the work was originally published neither side was happy. The radicals felt the portrait of Bazarov was slanderous and a smear while the traditionalists were unhappy that Turgenev treated him with sympathy; too softly in other words. Each side wanted a ideologically black and white portrait but that would have drained the human touch from the novel. It is to Turgenev's great credit that he can make you care about unattractive characters; that he can make you see their human side.

All in all, Fathers and Sons is an enjoyable and fascinating work. A novel of ideas, a sort of literary history of a time and place, and a sociological portrait all in one. There is a reason these books are called classics . . .