Vladimir Putin's WW2 Reading List

[AmateisGal]

In the latest issue of World War II magazine, they have an article from Putin on his must-read Russian history books of WW2.

http://www.historynet.com/vladimir-putins-world-war-ii-reading-list.htm

I don't know why, but this bothered me. Maybe because I'm not a huge fan of his...or maybe because I doubt the accuracy of any Russian histories written during the Soviet era.

Thoughts?

 

[Gutshot]

I know what you mean, but it does have me wondering about contemporary Russian authors writing WWII history.

 

[MPicciotto]

Contrary to bothering me, I'm curious to read those books now. I consider myself a student of Russian culture. The Russian physche during WW2 was very different then many of the other allies. The impact that war had on the Russian people was enormous. The atrocities committed by the German army were repaid with horrific acts from the advancing Red Army as they moved toward Berlin. So although we should aproach with extreme caution any book from the Soviet Union on factual basis, it may provide good fodder for the mentality of Russia during both the contemporary time that they were written and also from during The Great Patriotic War.

just my two cents
Matt

 

[Nachtengel01]

History is written by the victors and not the conquered. So if Putin wants to put his personal touch to the story, i don't think anyone will oppose him as we are talking about someone who practically owns Russia!

 

[AmateisGal]

Contrary to bothering me, I'm curious to read those books now. I consider myself a student of Russian culture. The Russian physche during WW2 was very different then many of the other allies. The impact that war had on the Russian people was enormous. The atrocities committed by the German army were repaid with horrific acts from the advancing Red Army as they moved toward Berlin. So although we should aproach with extreme caution any book from the Soviet Union on factual basis, it may provide good fodder for the mentality of Russia during both the contemporary time that they were written and also from during The Great Patriotic War.

just my two cents
Matt

Excellent points, Matt.

 

[Cobden]

The books he seems to list strike me as more of the personal reminiscence type/novels written by those who were there rather then true histories. In many ways, the fact they were written during the Soviet period may help

 

[HungaryTom]

Solohov the fate of a man is a great novel.
It was compulsory reading at school in Literature , I recommend it. I read it at 14, The Old men and the sea by Hemingway was another novel we had to read.
I haven't read the other books.
However if I see Solokhov, than those others aren't history books rather literature gems.
Like Peace and War is not a history book yet it tells a lot about the era of the Napoleonian war.
Cultural diplomacy and marketing the country through its true values - this is what is happening here, done by their President.

Russians have REALLY GOOD WRITERS they can hand-pick from.

All Quiet on the Western Front. -WW1, Twenty thousand thieves, The Young Lions are real classics - if you liked those than you like good literature on war. Go ahead with Solohov (the novel is not too long either) to learn about the Eastern front, existence as a POW seen through the Russian eye lets check those books out.

Reading this WW2 stuff is definitely more enriching than WII....

 

[Marla]

Actually, Putin's recommendations are good, despite his dubious claim to being a World War II expert. While I agree with Melissa about Soviet-era statistics/claims being questionable, the books in question are not factual histories of WWII per say, but narratives about various people's experiences in Russia during the war. And since most of them were written decades after the war the authors were probably less heavy-handed with the nationalist sentiment so prevalent in mainstream Soviet movies/literature of the war years, which means that they will be more objective and thus easier to enjoy.

I'll certainly give them a shot, with Fate of A Man being first on the list.

 

[MPicciotto]

Now I HAVE to seek out and read these books. As more of you step up with how these are narratives or novels then I'm quite interested. So far the only Russian literature I've read has been Dr. Zhivago and A Day in the Life of Ivan Denosivitch.

Matt

 

[Harp]

Putin's choice of Sholokhov's The Fate of A Man should have included The Silent Dan;
Solzhenitsyn's Day and Sinyausky-A Voice From The Chorus; The Trial Begins;
Aldanov's Nightmare and Dawn. And poets Yevtushenko, Voznesnsky.
Pasternak's Dr Shivago.
These works pre/post date WWII, are more indicative, and fall outside
Putin's selective brief.

Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita is precious but pleasing; and normally
considered a criticism of the American spirit-yet sounds of an axe
against a tree a la The Cherry Orchard can be discerned,
echoing the truth to be found in Russian literature.

fftopic:

and Azar Nafisi"s Reading Lolita in Tehran is delightful.

 

[Chas]

Consider the source. Putin is a hard core Russian nationalist and his reading list will reflect the color of lenses through which he chooses to view his nation's past. I have little doubt that his reading list would dovetail with his politics and his ideas about Russia's place on the world stage.

 

[Marla]

Consider the source. Putin is a hard core Russian nationalist and his reading list will reflect the color of lenses through which he chooses to view his nation's past. I have little doubt that his reading list would dovetail with his politics and his ideas about Russia's place on the world stage.

It's not like anyone was expecting him to recommend Arkhipelag GULAG...!

 

[Chas]

It's not like anyone was expecting him to recommend Arkhipelag GULAG...!

Really? Why not? That's a pretty good book.

 

[HungaryTom]

The original article states that it was some board who selected the books and many who did the English translations.

"Branding": Apart from a few tennis players and oligarchs, which contemporary Russian is known everywhere? Names of that editors' board, WW2 historians would mean exactly nothing outside Russia. Most probably even in Russia. Putin made at least a few people here raising their eyebrows. Kournikova's or Abramovich's reading list would sound even more awkward.
Fighting the paradox of functional illiteracy in the information age when people with uni degrees can't put WW2 in context, is pretty tough. I vividly remember one classmate pointing at Kursk when the teacher finally wanted grace her and begged to show at least the Invasion in the Normandy on the map. 20 years later she is an English lecturer at some also-ran College...

Also it is a WW2 reading list - not the entire Russian literature.

Pre-1989 we had the system of forbidden, tolerated, supported, i.e. every artwork fell into one of the three categories. Artists had to make their personal choice in what they produce and face consequences. However Solokhov as a flagship artist stood the test of time. His birthday is still celebrated in his home area.