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kieranhealy's review against another edition
4.0
It's a shame the marketing of this book is inaccurate. Inside the cover is a great biography of a man and his masterpiece, both torn between two powerful ideologies and the countries that believed in them. There are some clandestine activities on both sides, particularly the CIA. But it was less cloak and dagger and more idealism about spreading the varied works of the free world. Dr. Zhivago as a novel was caught up in the battle between western ideology twisting his novel into a political message and Soviet Union suppression of his humanity as punishment for not toeing the party line. The ego of Pasternak set loose his novel on the world, and nearly destroyed him. Knowing what the book actually is, rather than being fooled into thinking it was something else, I think would tamper some of the negative feedback that is creeping into reviews. I would definitely recommend this book to those interested in how the United States and the USSR realized the power of the written word and used that to their advantage, as well as those interested in how the Soviet Union treated the artists within their borders.
Pasternak loved his country, just not in the way his country wanted to be loved. Keep that in mind when thinking about disagreements you have with citizens of your own country...
Pasternak loved his country, just not in the way his country wanted to be loved. Keep that in mind when thinking about disagreements you have with citizens of your own country...
r_dankovich's review against another edition
I think I'd enjoy this more in physical form rather than audio; pick up again later
kashi_hime's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
4.0
It really made me explore several ideas that I had not considered, especially considering the history of the Soviet Union with regards to literacy and literature publishing
harleyrae's review against another edition
3.0
I had to read this book for one of my classes. I found this to be incredibly boring, it seemed to take 10 pages to say something when 2 was all the was really needed. I also find it had to rate this book, since its a book of facts, but I did find how it was put together to be a little dry.
benrogerswpg's review against another edition
3.0
This was an okay read. Not an incredible book to me.
This is likely because it was a very heavy history book. By the title, it wasn't clear if it was a history book, but yes, it was.
3.0/5
This is likely because it was a very heavy history book. By the title, it wasn't clear if it was a history book, but yes, it was.
3.0/5
grahamlibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
If you like non-fiction and modern history than this book is very interesting. I learned a lot about post WWII Russia that I had no clue about (the things they leave out of World History classes). It was also a great book to finish right before Banned Books Week, as it shows what can happen when a real culture starts banning books and the ideas that spur them. Cold War Russia was a real life dystopian novel. It didn't make me want to read Doctor Zhivago but I appreciate its place in modern literature and modern history.
reindeerbandit's review against another edition
3.0
I do not know enough about Russia to keep reading books about Russia. You'd think that the books would help. They do not. Also, Pasternak seemed awful.
cephaloverlord's review against another edition
3.0
I read this to satisfy the spy theme on my bingo reading challenge for the year, but I'm not sure if it really does....maybe I was expecting a fiction thriller and that's not how the real world worked all the time. It was definitely fascinating how the CIA took interest in such a mundane book, but the themes were genuinely dangerous to communism.
I also think I would have enjoyed this more if I had read (or maybe even watched) Dr. Zhivago before reading this, as I would have understood everything that happens in the book. There is a great description of the book, but since it was my first exposure to the story, I only remembered bits and pieces as I read the rest of this and they regularly reference back to it.
Listening to this was also difficult because there were ALOT of people involved in this. A list of individuals and their general descriptions would have helped a lot! I had the same complaint about Game of Thrones and books like it, but those are easier to pull up a list of characters.
I also think I would have enjoyed this more if I had read (or maybe even watched) Dr. Zhivago before reading this, as I would have understood everything that happens in the book. There is a great description of the book, but since it was my first exposure to the story, I only remembered bits and pieces as I read the rest of this and they regularly reference back to it.
Listening to this was also difficult because there were ALOT of people involved in this. A list of individuals and their general descriptions would have helped a lot! I had the same complaint about Game of Thrones and books like it, but those are easier to pull up a list of characters.