PERHAPS A GIFT VOUCHER FOR MUM?: MOTHER'S DAY
An important and stimulating book. Boeck displays his wide range of knowledge of the Soviet Union and delivers an insightful, gripping, squirm-inducing portrait of a great author who loyally served his government--perhaps too loyally. Boeck paints a nuanced portrait in this literary biography of a Nobel Prize-winning Russian novelist and accused (but exonerated) plagiarist. Boeck's portrayal of his subject's international ill-fame, habit of hiding his emotions, clashes with Stalin's successor Khrushchev, and drinking bouts make this a deeply engaging take on an important literary figure. A provocative and sympathetic new biography. No small achievement. Excellent. Boeck has written more than a biography of a single writer; he also grants us unexpected insights into the minds of two of the most important Soviet leaders. I hope that Boeck's book will help bring back our attention to a remarkable novel.--Robert Chandler, The Financial Times
