Stalin's Scribe - by Brian J Boeck (Paperback)
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<p/><br></br><p><b> About the Book </b></p></br></br>A masterful and definitive biography of one of the most misunderstood and controversial writers in Russian literature.<p/><br></br><p><b> Book Synopsis </b></p></br></br><p>Mikhail Sholokhov is arguably one of the most contentious recipients of the Nobel Prize in Literature. As a young man, Sholokhov's epic novel, <em>Quiet Don</em>, became an unprecedented overnight success. <em>Stalin's Scribe</em> is the first biography of a man who was once one of the Soviet Union's most prominent political figures. Thanks to the opening of Russia's archives, Brian Boeck discovers that Sholokhov's official Soviet biography is actually a tangled web of legends, half-truths, and contradictions. Boeck examines the complex connection between an author and a dictator, revealing how a Stalinist courtier became an ideological acrobat and consummate politician in order to stay in favor and remain relevant after the dictator's death.<br /> <br /> <em>Stalin's Scribe</em> is a remarkable biography that both reinforces and clashes with our understanding of the Soviet system. It reveals a Sholokhov who is bold, uncompromising, and sympathetic--and reconciles him with the vindictive and mean-spirited man described in so many accounts of late Soviet history. Shockingly, at the height of the terror, which claimed over a million lives, Sholokhov became a member of the most minuscule subset of the Soviet Union's population--the handful of individuals whom Stalin personally intervened to save.</p><p/><br></br><p><b> Review Quotes </b></p></br></br><br><p> "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." <strong>--</strong><em>Kirkus Reviews</em></p><p>"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."<strong>--Robert Chandler, <em>The Financial Times </em></strong></p><p> "A provocative and sympathetic new biography. No small achievement." <strong>--<em>The Washington Post</em></strong></p><br><p/><br></br><p><b> About the Author </b></p></br></br>Brian J. Boeck holds a PhD in Russian history from Harvard University and have taught Russian and Soviet history for over a decade at DePaul University. He is the author of <i>Imperial Boundaries</i> (Cambridge) and lives in Chicago, Illinois.
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