Valentin Kataev This is a memoir of Katayev's relationships with two great Russian writers. In the first part of the book the author describes his growing ties in the early years of the century with the poet and author Ivan Bunin, the only Russian writer other than Pasternak to have been awarded the Nobel Prize. Most of the action is centred on Odessa during the Civil War where Katayev, a demobilized army officer, meets Bunin for a second time as a refugee fleeing from the Revolution. There is a brilliant account of the conflict in Bunin's mind which ultimately led him to emigrate from Russia. The second part consists of an account of eight years of friendship between the author and 'the futurist, innovator and trendsetter', Mayakovsky. Katayev's vivid portrait throws new light on this passionate revolutionary poet who shocked his friends and enemies alike by shooting himself.
Genres:
RussiaRussian Literature
222 Pages