first Russian-language publication of Grossman's 'Life and Fate'

[Robert Chandler]

Dear all,

After the microfilms of “Zhizh’ i sud’ba”, reached the West, it took a
surprisingly long time to find a publisher.  Ardis definitely refused.
There was an occasion when Voinovich met Carl Proffer and the latter said
that his reader(s) had read the novel and considered it dull.

I have heard that Russian emigres were hostile to Grossman because he was a
Jew, and because of the emphasis in the novel on Jewish experience.  In his
April 1986 article in “ Commentary” Markish writes that  Grossman was
“ecstatic  about Solzhenitsyn but I more than doubt that S. reciprocates his
feelings.  And quite recently, Vladimir Maximov, the novelist and editor of
the Paris-based Russian journal Kontinent, has branded Grossman’s bitter
thoughts on Russian history (i.e. the passage is VSE TECHET about the “slave
soul of Russia” -R.C.) “an openly racist declaration”.

Can anyone say more about these issues?

I’ll also be grateful to anyone who names short stories by G. that they
especially love.  I have made a provisional choice for a possible collection
in English, but am very much open to suggestions from the SEELANGS
community!!

Best Wishes,

Robert




-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
                    http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------