<DIV>The Golden Age of Russian poetry (1820-41) was the Romantic period not only in verse, but also in prose. Since they were without native traditions of fiction, Russian writers of the time were clearly inspired by Western authors like Sir Walter Scott and James Fenimore Cooper. However, the resulting Romantic prose tradition they created was acutely, uniquely Russian.<br><br> While Gogol and Pushkin are the best known of these writers now, in the 1830s their popularity was equaled and sometimes surpassed by the likes of Marlinsky and Veltman, who are both featured in this well-rounded collection. Also included are Alexander Pushkin's "The Shot," Nikolai Gogol's "Viy," and the first English translations of works by Somov, Lermontov, and Vladimir Sollogub.<br><br> In <i>Russian Romantic Prose: An Anthology,</i> readers will find stories of adventure, travel, fantasy, and extraordinary passions, written by authors whose lives and fiction alike were charged with excitement and danger.</div>