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.
jrmama42's review against another edition
4.0
This was a fascinating read - basically the "biography" of a book as well as its author, Boris Pasternak. I remember loving the movie of "Doctor Zhivago" when I was a teenager, and I'm inspired now to read the new translation of the novel that is supposed to be more faithful to the original Russian text.
Recently de-classified CIA documents uncovered the convoluted path taken by this book as it gradually made its way around the world. Learning about life in the Soviet Union under Stalin and other regimes was fascinating, if appalling. Pasternak had been revered for much of his poetry, but the novel "Doctor Zhivago" was seen as anti-Communist by the government, and he had to smuggle it out of the country to be published (in Italy initially). Through a fascinating turn of events, the CIA got hold of a copy and decided to publish a Russian language version and ingeniously sneak copies into Russia. Pasternak eventually received the Nobel Prize in literature, but was coerced into declining the award. He lived in constant fear of political repercussions to his families (he supported his mistress's family as well as his own family). Income from his book had to be brought in by couriers and hidden away.
Throughout the book there are references to and quotes from major figures in politics, literature and media - Kruschev, Hemingway, Camus, Buckley... Pasternak's impact was profound, and I had no idea until I read this book.
Now to add "Doctor Zhivago" to my "to read" list....
Recently de-classified CIA documents uncovered the convoluted path taken by this book as it gradually made its way around the world. Learning about life in the Soviet Union under Stalin and other regimes was fascinating, if appalling. Pasternak had been revered for much of his poetry, but the novel "Doctor Zhivago" was seen as anti-Communist by the government, and he had to smuggle it out of the country to be published (in Italy initially). Through a fascinating turn of events, the CIA got hold of a copy and decided to publish a Russian language version and ingeniously sneak copies into Russia. Pasternak eventually received the Nobel Prize in literature, but was coerced into declining the award. He lived in constant fear of political repercussions to his families (he supported his mistress's family as well as his own family). Income from his book had to be brought in by couriers and hidden away.
Throughout the book there are references to and quotes from major figures in politics, literature and media - Kruschev, Hemingway, Camus, Buckley... Pasternak's impact was profound, and I had no idea until I read this book.
Now to add "Doctor Zhivago" to my "to read" list....
philamot's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.5
The book covers the history surrounding the writing, publication, and reception of the book Doctor Zhivago. While the actions of the CIA to distribute the book, and conversely, the efforts by the Kremlin to prevent distribution, do make up part of this story, promising a high-tension CIA v. Kremlin story seems like an oversell. The book reads more as the historical and cultural context to the writing of the novel, and then an account of the struggles experienced by Boris Pasternak during and after publication.
While I found the book on the whole an interesting look at one writer’s impact on both the literary world and his personal life, the book felt strung out, despite its relatively short length. Had it been portrayed as a biography of Doctor Zhivago and the man who wrote it, the pacing would have made more sense.
While I found the book on the whole an interesting look at one writer’s impact on both the literary world and his personal life, the book felt strung out, despite its relatively short length. Had it been portrayed as a biography of Doctor Zhivago and the man who wrote it, the pacing would have made more sense.
Content Warnings
Minor: Antisemitism
fictionfan's review against another edition
5.0
“To drive men mad is a heroic thing.”
When Russian poet Boris Pasternak wrote his only novel, Doctor Zhivago, he knew that its criticism of the Soviet revolution, though mild, would be enough to ensure that the book wouldn’t get past the censors. So he decided to give it to an Italian publisher to be translated and published abroad despite knowing that this would be severely frowned upon by the authorities. However the CIA decided it would be a propaganda coup if they could have the book printed in Russian and smuggled back into the USSR. The Zhivago Affair is billed as the story of that CIA campaign and of the impact it had on the Soviet regime and on Pasternak himself.
Although the CIA campaign is given plenty of space, most of the book really takes the form of a biography of Pasternak. Already a highly regarded poet when he began writing his novel, Pasternak was also already seen as potentially dangerous to the regime and therefore his work was closely monitored, as was the work of most writers. The Soviet regime pampered its authors and intellectuals in comparison to other sectors of society, but punished any disloyalty harshly, with imprisonment in the gulags or even death on occasion. So from the moment it became known that he was writing the novel, Pasternak ran grave risks of bringing retribution down on himself and the people close to him.
I expected to find that I admired Pasternak – that he was a courageous man standing up for his beliefs against a regime that could crush him. Sadly, I came away from the book feeling that in fact he was an arrogant egoist, who cared little for anyone but himself and had no purpose in writing his book other than self-aggrandisement. Well, I can accept that – writers should not have to serve a higher calling any more than the rest of us, but then they shouldn’t ask for special treatment either – and oh, how Pasternak felt that his amazing, unmatched genius (as he judged it) deserved to be recognised, honoured and lauded! He also felt that he was so special that he shouldn’t be expected to live within commonly accepted standards, so kindly moved his mistress and her family in just down the road from his wife and own family and divided his time happily between them. Happily for him, that is – one felt the wife and mistress weren’t quite so thrilled by the arrangement. But I think his level of self-centeredness is best shown by the fact that when he decided the only way out of the pressure over the book was suicide, he expected his mistress to kill herself along with him. To my amusement, the devoted but almost equally self-centred Ivinskaya was having none of it! And, denied his dramatically artistic and romantic exit, Pasternak decided to live on…
The CIA operation was dogged with incompetence from the outset (no big surprise there, I’m guessing) and also paid scant attention to the problems it may cause for Pasternak inside the USSR. However, they did in the end manage to smuggle some copies of the book in and, although the readership in the USSR was limited, the book became a huge bestseller internationally. This may have provided a level of protection for Pasternak since any severe action against him would have provoked international condemnation; and by the late ’50s and early ’60’s, the Soviet regime cared a bit more about their international standing than they perhaps had a decade or two earlier. However, they did subject Pasternak to a number of restrictions and humiliations that made his life increasingly difficulty – they forced his peers to publicly condemn him and suspend him from the writers’ union, which in turn meant that he couldn’t get work. With no income, he was driven to trying to smuggle the royalties from the sale of the book in Europe into the USSR at great risk to himself and those he involved in the plan. And again Pasternak’s selfishness and egoism can be seen at play here – too afraid to collect the money himself, he gave the task to the young daughter of his mistress, a task which later resulted in her spending time in prison – something Pasternak always managed to avoid for himself.
The book is well written and gives the impression of having been thoroughly researched. Despite my lack of sympathy for Pasternak, I enjoyed the biographical strand more than the CIA story and was glad that Pasternak’s story got more space than the spy stuff. In case I’ve made it seem that the book is very critical of him, I must say that the authors’ interpretation of Pasternak was considerably more sympathetic than my own, while not making any attempt to whitewash the less appealing aspects of his personality and behaviour. Overall, the book gave a clear picture of the difficulties faced by writers trying to operate under a regime of censorship backed up by fear, and some of the more moving moments were when the authors recounted the later thoughts of Pasternak’s peers, regretting how they had allowed themselves to be manipulated into turning away from him at the height of the affair. An interesting and thought-provoking read – recommended. 4½ stars for me, so rounded up.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
When Russian poet Boris Pasternak wrote his only novel, Doctor Zhivago, he knew that its criticism of the Soviet revolution, though mild, would be enough to ensure that the book wouldn’t get past the censors. So he decided to give it to an Italian publisher to be translated and published abroad despite knowing that this would be severely frowned upon by the authorities. However the CIA decided it would be a propaganda coup if they could have the book printed in Russian and smuggled back into the USSR. The Zhivago Affair is billed as the story of that CIA campaign and of the impact it had on the Soviet regime and on Pasternak himself.
Although the CIA campaign is given plenty of space, most of the book really takes the form of a biography of Pasternak. Already a highly regarded poet when he began writing his novel, Pasternak was also already seen as potentially dangerous to the regime and therefore his work was closely monitored, as was the work of most writers. The Soviet regime pampered its authors and intellectuals in comparison to other sectors of society, but punished any disloyalty harshly, with imprisonment in the gulags or even death on occasion. So from the moment it became known that he was writing the novel, Pasternak ran grave risks of bringing retribution down on himself and the people close to him.
I expected to find that I admired Pasternak – that he was a courageous man standing up for his beliefs against a regime that could crush him. Sadly, I came away from the book feeling that in fact he was an arrogant egoist, who cared little for anyone but himself and had no purpose in writing his book other than self-aggrandisement. Well, I can accept that – writers should not have to serve a higher calling any more than the rest of us, but then they shouldn’t ask for special treatment either – and oh, how Pasternak felt that his amazing, unmatched genius (as he judged it) deserved to be recognised, honoured and lauded! He also felt that he was so special that he shouldn’t be expected to live within commonly accepted standards, so kindly moved his mistress and her family in just down the road from his wife and own family and divided his time happily between them. Happily for him, that is – one felt the wife and mistress weren’t quite so thrilled by the arrangement. But I think his level of self-centeredness is best shown by the fact that when he decided the only way out of the pressure over the book was suicide, he expected his mistress to kill herself along with him. To my amusement, the devoted but almost equally self-centred Ivinskaya was having none of it! And, denied his dramatically artistic and romantic exit, Pasternak decided to live on…
The CIA operation was dogged with incompetence from the outset (no big surprise there, I’m guessing) and also paid scant attention to the problems it may cause for Pasternak inside the USSR. However, they did in the end manage to smuggle some copies of the book in and, although the readership in the USSR was limited, the book became a huge bestseller internationally. This may have provided a level of protection for Pasternak since any severe action against him would have provoked international condemnation; and by the late ’50s and early ’60’s, the Soviet regime cared a bit more about their international standing than they perhaps had a decade or two earlier. However, they did subject Pasternak to a number of restrictions and humiliations that made his life increasingly difficulty – they forced his peers to publicly condemn him and suspend him from the writers’ union, which in turn meant that he couldn’t get work. With no income, he was driven to trying to smuggle the royalties from the sale of the book in Europe into the USSR at great risk to himself and those he involved in the plan. And again Pasternak’s selfishness and egoism can be seen at play here – too afraid to collect the money himself, he gave the task to the young daughter of his mistress, a task which later resulted in her spending time in prison – something Pasternak always managed to avoid for himself.
The book is well written and gives the impression of having been thoroughly researched. Despite my lack of sympathy for Pasternak, I enjoyed the biographical strand more than the CIA story and was glad that Pasternak’s story got more space than the spy stuff. In case I’ve made it seem that the book is very critical of him, I must say that the authors’ interpretation of Pasternak was considerably more sympathetic than my own, while not making any attempt to whitewash the less appealing aspects of his personality and behaviour. Overall, the book gave a clear picture of the difficulties faced by writers trying to operate under a regime of censorship backed up by fear, and some of the more moving moments were when the authors recounted the later thoughts of Pasternak’s peers, regretting how they had allowed themselves to be manipulated into turning away from him at the height of the affair. An interesting and thought-provoking read – recommended. 4½ stars for me, so rounded up.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
carolynf's review against another edition
4.0
A very interesting, very in-depth look at how and why the USSR collectively freaked out at the publication of Dr Zhivago in 1956, and why the writers community in particular turned on the author. Pasternak is not idealized. He is shown in all his faults and is destroyed by his own hubris. He was one of the few writers willing to address flaws in the Soviet system, but still was horrified by the threat of exile and could not imagine life outside the USSR. Also TIL that Gloria Steinem once worked as a punker of Russians for the CIA.
shawnwhy's review against another edition
5.0
I Never liked Dr. Zhivago, as Mr. Nabokov said, its kindof filled with unbelievable situations and melodramatic situations and interactions. but Mr. Pasternak is freakin cool
margaret_j_c's review against another edition
5.0
This book was gripping. It brought me to tears.
It has been said that when people do not understand something they grow angry at the object of their confusion and do everything in their power to destroy it. No other motive would explain the Kremlin's brutal and relentless bullying of Boris Pasternak for his novel, Doctor Zhivago. He was even forced to turn down a Nobel Prize due to pressure from his government. In the words of the Moroccan newspaper al-Alam, no matter what charges the Soviet Union would ever disseminate, "it would never be able to deny its suppression of Pasternak."
It must be admitted that Pasternak was a bit of a fatalist. He had an unshakable belief in his own gift and refused to waver from the novel's unapologetic message of freedom and his own disillusionment with the Soviet goal. He endured much pain and suffering and allowed it to be inflicted on others, accepting it as necessary to the process of dropping a bombshell of truth on an unenlightened society. He was right. The impact Yuri Zhivago had on the weary lives of citizens behind the Iron Curtain is immeasurable.
The words of an unknown man at the author's funeral still ring true: "Thank you in the name of the working man. We waited for your book."
Pasternak's perspective can be summed up in a few short lines from the end of one of his most famous poems, Hamlet:
Yet the order of the acts is planned
And the end of the way inescapable
I am alone; all drowns in the Pharisees' hypocrisy.
To live your life is not as simple as to cross a field.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"In every generation there has to be some fool who will speak the truth as he sees it."
-Boris Pasternak
It has been said that when people do not understand something they grow angry at the object of their confusion and do everything in their power to destroy it. No other motive would explain the Kremlin's brutal and relentless bullying of Boris Pasternak for his novel, Doctor Zhivago. He was even forced to turn down a Nobel Prize due to pressure from his government. In the words of the Moroccan newspaper al-Alam, no matter what charges the Soviet Union would ever disseminate, "it would never be able to deny its suppression of Pasternak."
It must be admitted that Pasternak was a bit of a fatalist. He had an unshakable belief in his own gift and refused to waver from the novel's unapologetic message of freedom and his own disillusionment with the Soviet goal. He endured much pain and suffering and allowed it to be inflicted on others, accepting it as necessary to the process of dropping a bombshell of truth on an unenlightened society. He was right. The impact Yuri Zhivago had on the weary lives of citizens behind the Iron Curtain is immeasurable.
The words of an unknown man at the author's funeral still ring true: "Thank you in the name of the working man. We waited for your book."
Pasternak's perspective can be summed up in a few short lines from the end of one of his most famous poems, Hamlet:
Yet the order of the acts is planned
And the end of the way inescapable
I am alone; all drowns in the Pharisees' hypocrisy.
To live your life is not as simple as to cross a field.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"In every generation there has to be some fool who will speak the truth as he sees it."
-Boris Pasternak