Vassily Grossman- Forever Flowing
Writing about Stalin's purges, Grossman takes us in to the world of one man-a prisoner who suffered, wrongly accused, yet forced to work almost to death in the infamous gulag. He was released when Stalin died, thanks to the efforts of Nikita Khrushchev who released the vast majority of political prisoners in an effort to right the wrongs of Russia's dark past.
We follow him through his efforts to re establish the crumbles of his shattered life. This story reveals his soul to the reader-the pain he feels upon meeting his "accuser" on the streets and what imprisonment has done to his heart and mind. He encounters others who have suffered most cruelly under Stalin's paranoia and their stories are exposed leaving the reader raw.
If you are not interested in this book, please at least read chapter 14. Within these pages lies the story of Stalin's "collectivization of the peasantry" in which he deliberately caused the starvation of thousands, upon thousands of human beings. Grossman illustrates the struggle of one woman who barely survived this dreadful scenario in which people were forced to cannibalization and became literally wild from starvation. It is deeply moving and brought me to tears. I was affected deep into the core of my being for weeks.
Overall, the book does start off a little week leaving the reader wondering, "Where is he going with this?" Soon, however, it is clear and the pace of the story picks up and will sweep you off your feet. This is a time in history that should never be forgotten. Vassily Grossman has captured the tragedy of this period most effectively. Especially for those interested in Soviet history, this is a must read.
nikola
Russian Gothic Project