Set in nineteenth-century Russia, as the country was emerging from the painful legacy of serfdom, Fathers and Sons theme is universal: the ideological conflict between generations. At its centre are Bazarov a posturing nihilist who rejects all social institutions and Arkady, who has been taken in by Bazarov s revolutionary ideas. When they return from university in St Petersburg to visit their parents, their modern cynicism collides with the liberal-minded and reformist nature of their elders. Emotional concerns complicate political principles, as always, while deepening and confusing alliances. Political and domestic, witty and stern Fathers and Sons is a fresh and compassionate masterpiece that is considered to be Turgenev s best novel. ABOUT THE COVER Progress and industry are the future, however we are all connected to the customs and traditions of our predecessors. This generational conflict is embodied in the matryoshka doll, making us question our relation to everything that has come before.