Commie/Anarcho Novels: search!

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You know this one? Amazon pitch is actually pretty accurate re elements, although I haven't read this later translation:
Petersburg Paperback – January 6, 2009
by Andrei Bely (Author), John Elsworth (Translator)

"One of the four most important works of twentieth century literature." - Vladimir Nabokov

Set in the Russian capital during the Revolution of 1905, this modern classic often draws comparisons to James Joyce’s Ulysses for its display of symbolism and humor


After enlisting in a revolutionary terrorist organization, the university student Nikolai Apollonovich Ableukhov is entrusted with a highly dangerous mission: to plant a bomb and assassinate a major government figure.

But the real central character of the novel is the city of Petersburg at the beginning of the twentieth century, caught in the grip of political agitation and social unrest.

Intertwining the worlds of history and myth, and parading a cast of unforgettable characters, Petersburg is a story of apocalypse and redemption played out through family dysfunction, conspiracy and murder.
Winner of the 2009 Rossica Translation Prize

Wiki caveat re editions:
n 1922 Bely published in Berlin a revised edition which was shorter by a third than the first one. As Bely noted, "the new edition is a completely new book for the readers of the first edition". As critics note, in the Berlin version Bely has changed the foot of his rhitmic prose from anapaest to amphibrach and removed ironical passages related to the revolutionary movent. The second version is usually considered as inferior to the first one.[4]
Also I want to read The Silver Dove, which came before this one in his unfinished trilogy, East-West.
Lots of discussions online, though I'm mainly familiar with Marshall Berman's amazing All That Is Solid Melts Into Air, which depicts St. Petersberg as radicalizing many Russian mynds through early ages and stages of what became Revolution (incl. some stuff the Bolsheviks initially endorsed and/or took credit for).

dow, Monday, 24 January 2022 18:17 (two years ago) link

Been a long time, but I also enjoyed the first English (Chevalier) translation of Malraux' La Condition humaine, as Man's Fate, with seemingly astute comments that didn't derail the momentum, actually charged it up even more.

dow, Monday, 24 January 2022 18:27 (two years ago) link

"You know this one?"

Yeah, a long time ago. Can't remember enough about it.

xyzzzz__, Monday, 24 January 2022 21:15 (two years ago) link

two months pass...

Another thing on Sharov (don't have access for the rest of the review) but I must try him sometime.

https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/be-as-children-vladimir-sharov-book-review-muireann-maguire/

xyzzzz__, Thursday, 7 April 2022 14:48 (two years ago) link

Intriguing, thanks!

dow, Friday, 8 April 2022 02:44 (two years ago) link


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