Andrei Siniavskii A Hero of His Time [Hardcover]

This groundbreaking critical biography of Andrei Siniavskii (1925-1997) as a writer in and of his time shows how this subtle and complex author found his way in a society polarized into heroes and villains, patriots and traitors, how he progressed from identification with the value system and ideology of his time to reaction against it, and his dissidence expressed in literary terms. Based on a close reading of his work, Andrei Siniavskii: A Hero of his Time? explores the way in which Siniavskiis art does not simply reflect the circumstances of his life and times but is actively shaped by an intricate commerce between the two.Eugenie Markesinis received her PhD from University College, London, in 2010.

Reviewers sometimes come across a very stimulating andrewarding book only years after its publication. The title finally beingnoticed in this periodical is a good example. & This detailed and perceptivestudy, nearly everywhere extremely well written, takes its readers in fourchapters through the four periods of Siniavskiis life as a writer: pre-arrest;deprivation of physical freedom; ?migr? years, spent mainly in France; andpost-Soviet or neo-Soviet experiences and his culminating works. & Markesiniscomments politely on all the important earlier publications about Siniavskiiand has something important to say about each of his works.

A remarkable achievement . . . The most dramatic episodes in Siniavskiis biography are skillfully juxtaposed against the decisive moments of the 20th century in Russia. Written in a dynamic and engaging way, A Hero of His Time provides fresh perspective on Siniavskiis legacy by illuminating crucial concepts that informed his politics and poetics.