I Hope: Reminiscences and Reflections

by Raisa Gorbachev

The former First Lady of the former Soviet Union reflects upon her life, offering her interpretation of the dramatic conflicts in her country and discussing her childhood, her years at Moscow University, and more. Reprint.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography

Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

Reviews

[Risa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mostly a politician-speak book, but interesting for someone who has little previous knowledge of Gorbachev.

[Paul · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reading the unedited transcript of several interviews with a woman whose husband changed the world sounds fascinating.

it isn't.

That's not a slam on Raisa Gorbachev, she seems to have been a bright, accomplished, kindhearted woman who by most accounts (including, well, her own) was an invaluable helpmeet to the man who ended the Cold War. However, even the most astute witnesses to history can get a little too focused on minutae, e.g. the flora and fauna of Stavropol. (Where? Exactly.) There's a reason that biographies, autobiographies, and even Q&A interviews are edited, all of which are on display in "I Hope" with an additional warning about granting a series of face-to-face chats with Russian journalists who think their lives are just as fascinating as yours and will interrupt your reminiscences with boring personal anecdotes.

Still, "I Hope" is an important historical document. It would probably have been impossible to speak at such length with Mrs. G. just months after the May 1991 completion of these talks, since she suffered a stroke the day after her husband attempted to secure power through a coup. Thus does her extensive defense of Perestroika and praise of her husband's modesty and humanity sound a little desperate, if not dishonest.

Still, interesting lady, I'm sure this book was useful for her biographers.

(No dish on Nancy Reagan, btw. Raisa Maksimovna was too classy for that sort of thing.)

[Dora · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve had this book on my shelf for years and finally decidedly to give it s go, so that I may pass it on. After the first few chapters, I was almost ready to quit the book. Obviously quite a bit got lost in translation because the writing isn’t what one might call „good writing“. However I did eventually get more caught up in Frau Gorbachev‘s story and that of the Soviet Union. It makes me curious to read more about that time.

[monta mestere · Rating 2 out of 5]

varbūt kā biogrāfisks materiāls kādam noder, taču jābrīdina, ka rakstu stils ir diez ko garlaikojošs un saturs pārmērā monotons. ar mokām.

[Cws]

92G