Life and Fate

[Runyan99]

by Vasily Grossman. A massive novel set in Stalingrad, released in the 60's by a Soviet war correspondent, who spent time in the trenches. 800+ pages, apparently modeled after War and Peace. Banned by the Soviet regime, and smuggled out of the USSR via microfiche to the West.

Hard to find at the moment, but I see that it is being re-released in paperback in May. I think I'll reserve a copy on Amazon.

Anybody familiar with this book?

[Wodin]

great novel

[Wodin]

Its not centered on Stalingrad totally more its set al over a Russia with an immense cast during the time of the Stalingrad battles. I wholly recommend this novel for anyone who has an interest in Russia during WW2.

Also Anthony Beavor has just written a book all about the Author and his time as a Russian war journalist during WW2. Another fantastic book.

Other novels I'd recommend are.

Siege: A Novel of the Eastern Front, 1942 by Russ Schneider

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0345475852/ref=pd_sim_b_dp_5/026-0349192-9378846

and

Stalingrad by Theodor Plievier ( Not in print anymore but you can buy it secondhand from Amazon its well worth it)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0586027548/qid=1144832056/sr=1-39/ref=sr_1_2_39/026-0349192-9378846

[Wodin]

You can buy Life and Fate here.

I bought it from here last year.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1860460194/qid=1144832387/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_3_1/026-0349192-9378846

[Interlocutor]

Yes, a great novel, considered by many to be the best of the Soviet-era "socialist realism school" novels.

My wife and I read it aloud to each other, evenings and car trips, over about a year or so, and enjoyed it immensely.

A new autobiographical work covering Grossman's role in the war, "A Writer at War: Vasily Grossman with the Red Army, 1941-1945" was published just recently, to very good reviews.

[Other Means]

Originally posted by Interlocutor:

My wife and I read it aloud to each other, evenings and car trips, over about a year or so, and enjoyed it immensely.

You need to keep hold of that one mate

[Aco4bn187inf]

"A Writer at War" is very good. I recommend it.