Episode · EconTalk · 2024-12-02
Books mentioned on Translating Life and Fate (with Robert Chandler)
What does it take to translate a 900-page Russian novel written before the fall of the Soviet Union? For Robert Chandler it meant living in a seaside cottage for four months to immerse himself completely in the characters' lives and to meet his publisher's deadline.
Russ Roberts discussed Life and Fate by Vasily Grossman, Stalingrad by Vasily Grossman, The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Isaevich Solzhenit︠s︡yn, The First Circle by Александр Солженицын, and The road by Василий Семёнович Гроссман. Robert Chandler discussed Everything Flows by Vasily Grossman and War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy and others.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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Life and Fate
Life and Fate by Vasily Grossman is a sweeping masterpiece depicting the brutality and human ramifications of the Eastern Front, the Holocaust, and totalitarianism during World War II.
Discussed“this is a followup to our recent conversation with Tyler Cowan on Grossman's Masterpiece life and fate”
Where to get it
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Stalingrad
Stalingrad by Vasily Grossman is a sweeping historical novel that chronicles the pivotal World War II battle and explores complex human experiences against the backdrop of Soviet society.
Discussed“uh for Grossman both his work Stalingrad and life and fate”
Where to get it
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Everything Flows
Everything Flows by Vasily Grossman is a powerful, concise novel that confronts the devastating legacy of Soviet totalitarianism, the psychological scars of the Gulag, and the historical trauma of the Ukrainian terror famine.
Discussed“because he does seem a um I mean even even the most awful passages of his writing like um the trinka article and the account of the terror famine in everything flows”
Where to get it
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The Gulag Archipelago
The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn is a monumental historical exposé documenting the brutal realities of the Soviet forced labor camp system through personal testimony and archival research.
Discussed“I'm thinking of of Sol n who in the goog and in the first Circle which we we talked about on this program”
Where to get it
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The First Circle
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's powerful novel depicts the grim realities and moral dilemmas faced by scientists, intellectuals, and political prisoners confined to a special Soviet research prison.
Discussed“I'm thinking of of Sol n who in the goog and in the first Circle which we we talked about on this program”
Where to get it
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The road
The Road by Vasily Grossman is a powerful collection of short stories and essays reflecting on war, human resilience, and the author's profound worldview.
Discussed“the road is a uh short story of Grossman's and it's the title as well of a uh an edited alumn that you did of his shorter writings”
Where to get it
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War and Peace
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy is a sprawling Russian epic novel that chronicles elite society and military conflict during the Napoleonic era.
Discussed“um Gman loved COV um I'm sure that checkov was his favorite writer um he did read War and Peace several times during the war so to story was important to him”
Where to get it
