Author:Vasily Grossman,Robert Chandler
Life and Fateis an epic tale of twentieth-century Russia told through the fate of a single family, the Shaposhnikovs, from the Sunday Times bestselling author of Stalingrad.
As the battle of Stalingrad looms, Grossman's characters must work out their destinies in a world torn by ideological tyranny and war.
Completed in 1960 and then confiscated by the KGB, this sweeping panorama of Soviet Society remained unpublished until it was smuggled into the West in 1980, where it was hailed as a masterpiece.
'One of the finest Russian novels of the 20th century' Daily Telegraph
'Compelling... Grossman's portrait is timelessly relevant... Life and Fate is worth all the audience it can find' The Times
VINTAGE CLASSICS RUSSIAN SERIES - sumptuous editions of the greatest books to come out of Russia during the most tumultuous period in its history.
One of the greatest masterpieces of the twentieth century
—— Times Literary SupplementIt is only a matter of time before Grossman is acknowledged as one of the great writers of the 20th century... Life and Fate is a book that demands to be talked about
—— GuardianOne of the finest Russian novels of the 20th century
—— Daily TelegraphVasily Grossman's novel is burnt in my memory, not only by its huge canvas, its meditation on tyranny, and its dazzling description of war, but also because this is the novel that made me cry - not just a few leaked tears, but a full-scale sobbing episode - in Montpellier airport... Grossman lost his mother in a concentration camp. In Life and Fate, he writes with tenderness, and pain, not only of that experience but of what it is like to survive tyranny. A classic indeed
—— Gillian Slovo , IndependentOne of the great writers of the last century
—— ObserverA literary genius. His Life And Fate is rated by many as the finest Russian novel of the 20th Century
—— Mail on SundayOne of the world's great war novels
—— Independent on SundayVasily Grossman's masterpiece, Life and Fate, is fascinating for many reasons, and one of them is the way that it is both a pastiche and a personal statement; a conscious, cold-blooded attempt to sum up everything Grossman knew about the Great Patriotic War, and at the same time to rewrite War and Peace
—— London Review of Books[Grimm] combines elements of the picaresque with all the bleakness of First World War literature
—— Stuttgarter ZeitungAbsorbing . . . a touching account of a strange courtship
—— The Sydney Morning HeraldTenderly humorous. Vital and enjoyable
—— The AustralianDeeply moving...there is little in this story of the horrors of Belsen and forced labour on starvation rations, and much of friendship, determined persistence and transcendent love.
—— Otago Daily TimesWill make you like life more when you've finished
—— The BooksellerThis is a novel suffused with warmth and humour as it follows the threads of love and family ties. It is a pleasure to follow these characters through the tumultuous times in which they live… a well-told and engrossing story, bringing back to life a generation who are slipping from our collective memory.
—— Kate Slotover , RiddleDarkly funny yet moving debut.
—— ShortlistA “serious” novel that is genuinely and frequently funny.
—— Andrew Irwin , The Times Literary SupplementThis debut novel from Jesse Armstrong…is every bit as funny and cringe-inducing as the sitcoms he made his name writing.
—— Charlotte Ellis , Shortlistone of the year’s funniest books.
—— Yasmin Sulaiman , Listbrilliantly funny… the dialogue and the characters are fantastic.
—— Tom Basden , MetroIt’s hard for me to believe that this amazing, touching book is a debut novel. Absolutely recommend and already on the run for a spot in my top 10.
—— www.thebooksmugglers.comIt is a powerful read; you can almost see the endless mud of the trenches, and sense the fear of those young men.
—— pagesandteablog.wordpress.comAnna Hope wove her spell and managed to conjure up an intriguing tale, quite rich with emotion that held me entranced until the last page. I can’t wait to see what she does next.
—— lynnsbooks.wordpress.comWake is a brilliant debut novel, deeply moving, well-plotted and engrossing.
—— http://ourbookreviewsonline.blogspot.co.ukThis is such a brilliant book; one that is both beautifully written and emotionally involving, with a fascinating plot and wonderful characters who pluck at your heartstrings on every page.
—— http://bookssnob.wordpress.comI have no doubt that Wake is going to be included in my Top Ten books of 2014, I know that it's only January, but this is a book that has had a huge effect on me.
—— randomthingsthroughmyletterbox.blogspot.co.ukThe only regret I have is that I didn’t read this book sooner. WAKE is luxury. Pure luxury.
—— http://missmoretalks.wordpress.comShe manages to capture every single detail, every emotion and every sound.
—— http://lauraslittlebookblog.blogspot.co.ukWake is that rare and beautiful thing: a first novel that sings with such power and grace that it lifts itself effortlessly from the pack. Powerful, passionate, compassionate, it marks the rising of a new star in the literary firmament. Anna Hope is here to stay.
—— M.C. Scott - Author of Rome and chair of the Historical Writers AssociationIntricately researched and beautifully written, with the kind of restrained yet emotional prose one expects from a seasoned author. Its characters, too, have a depth and quiet tragedy one rarely finds in debut fiction. In this centenary year commemorating the outbreak of war, there've been many novels about the conflict:Wake is without doubt one of the best.
—— Hannah Beckerman - Huffington PostA masterclass in historical fiction
—— ObserverImpressive ... A heart-breaking tale of grief and guilt
—— Psychologies Magazine