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Engineers of the Soul is the riveting story of two journeys - one literal, one imaginary - through contemporary Russia and through Soviet-era literature.
Travelling through present and past, Frank Westerman draws the reader into the wild euphoria of the Russian Revolution, as art and reality are bent to radically new purposes. Writers of renown, described by Stalin as 'engineers of the soul', were encouraged to sing the praises of canal and dam construction under titles such as Energy, The Hydraulic Power Station and Onward, Time! But their enthusiasm - spontaneous and idealistic at first - soon becomes an obligatory song of praise. And as these colossal waterworks lead to slavery and destruction, Soviet writers labour on in the service of a deluded totalitarian society.
Combining investigative journalism with literary history, Westerman examines both the landscape of 'Oriental despotism' and the books - and lives - of writers caught in the wheels of the system. 'It is easy to die a hero's death,' wrote Konstantin Paustovsky, 'but it is difficult to live a hero's life.'
Engineers of the Soul sweeps the reader along to the dramatic dénouement: the final confrontation between writers and engineers that signalled the end of the Soviet empire.
Travelling through present and past, Frank Westerman draws the reader into the wild euphoria of the Russian Revolution, as art and reality are bent to radically new purposes. Writers of renown, described by Stalin as 'engineers of the soul', were encouraged to sing the praises of canal and dam construction under titles such as Energy, The Hydraulic Power Station and Onward, Time! But their enthusiasm - spontaneous and idealistic at first - soon becomes an obligatory song of praise. And as these colossal waterworks lead to slavery and destruction, Soviet writers labour on in the service of a deluded totalitarian society.
Combining investigative journalism with literary history, Westerman examines both the landscape of 'Oriental despotism' and the books - and lives - of writers caught in the wheels of the system. 'It is easy to die a hero's death,' wrote Konstantin Paustovsky, 'but it is difficult to live a hero's life.'
Engineers of the Soul sweeps the reader along to the dramatic dénouement: the final confrontation between writers and engineers that signalled the end of the Soviet empire.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Review:
"Westerman is a very fine writer and his stories, characters and digressions are as delicately wrought as a watch mechanism. He reminds me of Bruce Chatwin and the Polish journalist Ryszard Kapuscinski. Like them, he has elevated the authorial journalist-traveller into a brilliant, magic storyteller; like them he seeks out the smaller, human-sized epics that play out their tragedies against the backdrop of history." (Sunday Times)
"Engagingly written and extensively researched, the book covers compelling historical and literary ground." (Financial Times)
"Endlessly fascinating, breathtaking. Engineers of the Soul is surprising and original, not to mention meticulously researched and well-written" (de Volkskrant)
"A beautifully written, well-documented, extraordinarily fascinating book, full of wonderful anecdotes" (Vrij Nederland)
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"Engagingly written and extensively researched, the book covers compelling historical and literary ground." (Financial Times)
"Endlessly fascinating, breathtaking. Engineers of the Soul is surprising and original, not to mention meticulously researched and well-written" (de Volkskrant)
"A beautifully written, well-documented, extraordinarily fascinating book, full of wonderful anecdotes" (Vrij Nederland)
A brilliant fusion of travel writing and Soviet history which reads like Bruce Chatwin
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- PublisherHarvill Secker
- Publication date2010
- ISBN 10 1843431009
- ISBN 13 9781843431008
- BindingPaperback
- Number of pages320
- Rating
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Engineers Of The Soul: In the Footsteps of Stalinâ s Writers
Published by
Harvill Secker
(2010)
ISBN 10: 1843431009
ISBN 13: 9781843431008
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Paperback
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Book Description Paperback. Condition: New. All items inspected and guaranteed. All Orders Dispatched from the UK within one working day. Established business with excellent service record. Seller Inventory # mon0000175616
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