Marina Tsvetayeva

by Elaine Feinstein

Genres: Poetry, Biography, Nonfiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published November 7, 1989

About the author

Elaine Feinstein was educated at Newnham College, Cambridge and has been awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Leicester. Before becoming a full-time writer, she worked as an editor for Cambridge University Press (1960-62), as Lecturer in English at Bishop's Stortford Training College (1963-6), as Assistant Lecturer in English Literature at the University of Essex (1967-70), and as a journalist.

She has contributed to many periodicals, including the Times Literary Supplement, and was formerly Writer in Residence for the British Council in Singapore and Tromsø, Norway.

Of Russian-Jewish ancestry, she has been influenced by Russian writers, especially Marina Tsvetayeva and Anna Akhmatova.

She is the author of a number of plays for television and radio and several biographies, including singer Bessie Smith, writer D. H. Lawrence, Poet Laureate Ted Hughes and Anna Akhmatova.

Reviews

[John]

I picked up this book in a library years ago, i was aware that Marina Tsetaeva is revered in Russia as one of the 20th centuries greatest poets. I also vaguely remembered that her life came to a tragic end and that she was famous for her passion and tumultuous relationships with men and women. Well, 'Passionate' is an understatement in describing this woman's INCREDIBLE life!! You really can't help but feel the tragedy that such an incredibly vital human being and genius poet should have endured exile, the destruction of her family and COMPLETE abandonment during the worst turmoil of 20th century Russia. It is sobering reading but the description of her early life and richly cultured upbringing is really fascinating too, she was clearly a complex difficult person but her personal struggle to maintain her spirit is truly inspiring. I was reminded several times throughout of having read a biography of Sylvia Plath, that same feeling of a woman with a huge personality completely trapped in constraining times. Her 12 year old daughter's description of her ,at one point, is absolutely unforgettable....i wish i could quote it here but i've mislaid the book...its a condensed book from a larger work by Elaine feinstein, i seem to recall, so its actually very easy to read ,but nonetheless enthralling....

[Kate]

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