Just Send Me Word: A True Story of Love and Survival in the Gulag - Hardcover

Figes, Orlando

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0805095225 ISBN 13: 9780805095227

Publisher: Metropolitan Books, 2012

Synopsis

This book tells the story of two Muscovites, Lev and Svetlana, whose love survived the war of 1941-45 and, afterwards, Lev's incarceration in one of Stalin's most notorious labour camps. For 14 years they exchanged letters - Lev's beautifully written, uncensored and smuggled from the Gulag; Svetlana's a testament to constancy and hope from a grim post-war Moscow. Using their correspondence - the largest cache of Gulag letters ever found - Figes has reconstructed a story of love's triumph over adversity.

About this title

Review:

"Drawing on more than 1,200 letters between Lev and Svetlana "Sveta" Mishchenko, and interviews with the couple, veteran historian Figes tells a remarkable tale of love and devotion during the worst years of the USSR...His fine narrative pacing enhances this moving, memorable story." --"Publishers Weekly "(Starred Review) "A heart-rending record of extraordinary human endurance." "--Kirkus Reviews"

"A book to astonish readers: never before has Stalin's Gulag been the setting for a love affair. This powerful narrative by a distinguished historian will take its place not just in history but in literature.""--"Robert K. Massie, author of "Catherine the Great""Orlando Figes, a serious scholar who can reach wide general audiences, has done it again...An engaging portrait of a revealing and intimate relationship within almost unimaginable conditions." "--History Book Club"""

"An enchanting marvel that reacquaints our technologically sophisticated but verbally deficient world with the power of the epistle to sustain love in the most trying of circumstances...A gem of a book." "--The Boston Globe" "Timely and important...What gives Just Send Me Word its power is the intimate, granular detail of Gulag life, of how men and women attempted to create a semblance of normality in the most abnormal of circumstances.""--The Daily Beast" "A heroic, absolutely astounding love story." "--Minneapolis Star-Tribune" "Wonderful...Just Send Me Word blends Gulag and sentiment in its loftiest application into a "you- can't- put- it- down" book and Orlando Figes, a modern master of Russian cultural history, brings off a worthy successor to Natasha's Dance." "--Washington Independent Review of Books" "A remarkable love story intertwined with a rare glimpse into a harsh chapter of Soviet history.""--Christian Science Monitor" "Drawing on more than 1,200 letters between Lev and Svetlana "Sveta" Mishchenko, and interviews with the couple, veteran historian Figes tells a remarkable tale of love and devotion during the worst years of the USSR...His fine narrative pacing enhances this moving, memorable story." --"Publishers Weekly "(Starred Review) "A heart-rending record of extraordinary human endurance." "--Kirkus Reviews"

"A book to astonish readers: never before has Stalin's Gulag been the setting for a love affair. This powerful narrative by a distinguished historian will take its place not just in history but in literature.""--"Robert K. Massie, author of "Catherine the Great"

"Orlando Figes, a serious scholar who can reach wide general audiences, has done it again...An engaging portrait of a revealing and intimate relationship within almost unimaginable conditions." "--History Book Club"""

"Entrancing... Makes an indelible impression."--"The New York Review of Books
""An enchanting marvel that reacquaints our technologically sophisticated but verbally deficient world with the power of the epistle to sustain love in the most trying of circumstances...A gem of a book."--"The Boston Globe
""One is overcome with admiration for the kindness, bravery, and generosity of people in terrible peril.... It is impossible to read without shedding tears."--Simon Sebag Montefiore, "Financial Times "(London)
"Remarkable... Figes, selecting and then interpreting this mass of letters, makes them tell two kinds of story. The first is a uniquely detailed narrative of the Gulag, of the callous, slatternly universe which consumed millions of lives.... The second is about two people determined not to lose each other."--Neal Ascherson, "The Guardian "
"A book to astonish readers: never before has Stalin's Gulag been the setting for a love affair. This powerful narrative by a distinguished historian will take its place not just in history but in literature.""--"Robert K. Massie, author of "Catherine the Great
""Timely and important...What gives Just Send Me Word its power is the intimate, granular detail of Gulag life, of how men and women attempted to create a semblance of normality in the most abnormal of circumstances.""--The Daily Beast
""A heroic, absolutely astounding love story."--"Minneapolis Star-Tribune" "Wonderful...Just Send Me Word blends Gulag and sentiment in its loftiest application into a "you- can't- put- it- down" book and Orlando Figes, a modern master of Russian cultural history, brings off a worthy successor to Natasha's Dance."--"Washington Independent Review of Books" "A remarkable love story intertwined with a rare glimpse into a harsh chapter of Soviet history.""--Christian Science Monitor" "Drawing on more than 1,200 letters between Lev and Svetlana "Sveta" Mishchenko, and interviews with the couple, veter

Entrancing... Makes an indelible impression. "The New York Review of Books"

An enchanting marvel that reacquaints our technologically sophisticated but verbally deficient world with the power of the epistle to sustain love in the most trying of circumstances...A gem of a book. "The Boston Globe"

One is overcome with admiration for the kindness, bravery, and generosity of people in terrible peril.... It is impossible to read without shedding tears. "Simon Sebag Montefiore, Financial Times (London)"

Remarkable... Figes, selecting and then interpreting this mass of letters, makes them tell two kinds of story. The first is a uniquely detailed narrative of the Gulag, of the callous, slatternly universe which consumed millions of lives.... The second is about two people determined not to lose each other. "Neal Ascherson, The Guardian"

A book to astonish readers: never before has Stalin's Gulag been the setting for a love affair. This powerful narrative by a distinguished historian will take its place not just in history but in literature. "Robert K. Massie, author of Catherine the Great"

Timely and important...What gives Just Send Me Word its power is the intimate, granular detail of Gulag life, of how men and women attempted to create a semblance of normality in the most abnormal of circumstances. "The Daily Beast"

A heroic, absolutely astounding love story. "Minneapolis Star-Tribune"

Wonderful...Just Send Me Word blends Gulag and sentiment in its loftiest application into a "you- can't- put- it- down" book and Orlando Figes, a modern master of Russian cultural history, brings off a worthy successor to Natasha's Dance. "Washington Independent Review of Books"

A remarkable love story intertwined with a rare glimpse into a harsh chapter of Soviet history. "Christian Science Monitor"

Drawing on more than 1,200 letters between Lev and Svetlana "Sveta" Mishchenko, and interviews with the couple, veteran historian Figes tells a remarkable tale of love and devotion during the worst years of the USSR...His fine narrative pacing enhances this moving, memorable story. "Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)"

A heart-rending record of extraordinary human endurance. "Kirkus Reviews"

Orlando Figes, a serious scholar who can reach wide general audiences, has done it again...An engaging portrait of a revealing and intimate relationship within almost unimaginable conditions. "History Book Club""

-Entrancing... Makes an indelible impression.- --The New York Review of Books

-An enchanting marvel that reacquaints our technologically sophisticated but verbally deficient world with the power of the epistle to sustain love in the most trying of circumstances...A gem of a book.- --The Boston Globe

-One is overcome with admiration for the kindness, bravery, and generosity of people in terrible peril.... It is impossible to read without shedding tears.- --Simon Sebag Montefiore, Financial Times (London)

-Remarkable... Figes, selecting and then interpreting this mass of letters, makes them tell two kinds of story. The first is a uniquely detailed narrative of the Gulag, of the callous, slatternly universe which consumed millions of lives.... The second is about two people determined not to lose each other.- --Neal Ascherson, The Guardian

-A book to astonish readers: never before has Stalin's Gulag been the setting for a love affair. This powerful narrative by a distinguished historian will take its place not just in history but in literature.- --Robert K. Massie, author of Catherine the Great

-Timely and important...What gives Just Send Me Word its power is the intimate, granular detail of Gulag life, of how men and women attempted to create a semblance of normality in the most abnormal of circumstances.- --The Daily Beast

-A heroic, absolutely astounding love story.- --Minneapolis Star-Tribune

-Wonderful...Just Send Me Word blends Gulag and sentiment in its loftiest application into a -you- can't- put- it- down- book and Orlando Figes, a modern master of Russian cultural history, brings off a worthy successor to Natasha's Dance.- --Washington Independent Review of Books

-A remarkable love story intertwined with a rare glimpse into a harsh chapter of Soviet history.- --Christian Science Monitor

-Drawing on more than 1,200 letters between Lev and Svetlana -Sveta- Mishchenko, and interviews with the couple, veteran historian Figes tells a remarkable tale of love and devotion during the worst years of the USSR...His fine narrative pacing enhances this moving, memorable story.- --Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

-A heart-rending record of extraordinary human endurance.- --Kirkus Reviews

-Orlando Figes, a serious scholar who can reach wide general audiences, has done it again...An engaging portrait of a revealing and intimate relationship within almost unimaginable conditions.- --History Book Club

"Entrancing... Makes an indelible impression." --The New York Review of Books

"An enchanting marvel that reacquaints our technologically sophisticated but verbally deficient world with the power of the epistle to sustain love in the most trying of circumstances...A gem of a book." --The Boston Globe

"One is overcome with admiration for the kindness, bravery, and generosity of people in terrible peril.... It is impossible to read without shedding tears." --Simon Sebag Montefiore, Financial Times (London)

"Remarkable... Figes, selecting and then interpreting this mass of letters, makes them tell two kinds of story. The first is a uniquely detailed narrative of the Gulag, of the callous, slatternly universe which consumed millions of lives.... The second is about two people determined not to lose each other." --Neal Ascherson, The Guardian

"A book to astonish readers: never before has Stalin's Gulag been the setting for a love affair. This powerful narrative by a distinguished historian will take its place not just in history but in literature." --Robert K. Massie, author of Catherine the Great

"Timely and important...What gives Just Send Me Word its power is the intimate, granular detail of Gulag life, of how men and women attempted to create a semblance of normality in the most abnormal of circumstances." --The Daily Beast

"A heroic, absolutely astounding love story." --Minneapolis Star-Tribune

"Wonderful...Just Send Me Word blends Gulag and sentiment in its loftiest application into a "you- can't- put- it- down" book and Orlando Figes, a modern master of Russian cultural history, brings off a worthy successor to Natasha's Dance." --Washington Independent Review of Books

"A remarkable love story intertwined with a rare glimpse into a harsh chapter of Soviet history." --Christian Science Monitor

"Drawing on more than 1,200 letters between Lev and Svetlana "Sveta" Mishchenko, and interviews with the couple, veteran historian Figes tells a remarkable tale of love and devotion during the worst years of the USSR...His fine narrative pacing enhances this moving, memorable story." --Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

"A heart-rending record of extraordinary human endurance." --Kirkus Reviews

"Orlando Figes, a serious scholar who can reach wide general audiences, has done it again...An engaging portrait of a revealing and intimate relationship within almost unimaginable conditions." --History Book Club

About the Author:

Orlando Figes is the author of The Crimean War, The Whisperers,Natasha's Dance, and A People's Tragedy, which have been translated into more than twenty languages. The recipient of the Wolfson History Prize and theLos Angeles Times Book Prize, among others, Figes is a professor of history at Birkbeck College, University of London.

About this edition

• Publisher: Metropolitan Books
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 0805095225
• ISBN 13: 9780805095227
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 333