The Life of an Unknown Man - General (No Spoilers)

[Hugh]

The Life of an Unknown Man is the 11th (if I counted correctly) novel by the Russian emigre writer Andreï Makine, who left Russia before the fall of communism and settled in France, where he writes novels in his second language, French. The book tells the stories of two contrasting characters, Shutov, a Russian emigre writer living in Paris and Volsky, an old man who survived the siege of Leningrad, the war and the gulags, who Shutov encounters on a visit to St Petersburg during the city's 300th anniversary celebrations.

A few reviews:
Guardian
Independent
Washington Times

I reread the book last week and enjoyed it just as much second time round. Who will be joining me?

[Ang]

Me me me. I saw him at an event at Oxford Literature Festival years ago - very interesting man. He was on with Andrey Kurkov who was also good to see.

[Margaret]

I'll be joining you as well. I read it in print form, and wished I had read it on my kindle because I highlighted so many passages!

[Sam]

I have read the novel and await the discussion. This was my first Makine and I was pleased. There should be much to discuss.

[Hugh]

Thanks - I will start the spoiler threads tomorrow - probably one for parts 1-2 and one for 3-5. I have now read all but two of the Makine novels that have made it into English, and this is one of my favourite three (the others are Le Testament Français and A Life's Music). It was my first too when I first read it in 2014.

[Jenna]

Thanks Hugh, I enjoyed this and will comment on the spoilers thread. But also want to point people to Secondhand Time: Last of the Soviets by Svetlana Alexievich. Edited interviews with folks like Vronsky. Having read that, the psychology of this made sense to me.

[LindaJ^]

I read the book in anticipation of this discussion.

[Margaret]

Thanks, Jenna, I wasn't aware of Secondhand Time.