The Beauty of History: A Novel"1968. Riga. News of the Prague Spring washes across Europe, causing ripples on either side of the Iron Curtain. A young Estonian woman has agreed to pose as a model for a famous, sculptor, who is trying to evade military service and escape to the West. Although the model has only a vague awareness of politics -- her interest in life is primarily poetic -- the consequences of the politics of both past and present repeatedly make themselves felt. Chance remarks overheard prompt memories of people and places, language itself becomes fluid, by turns deceptive and reassuring. The Beauty of History is a novel of poetic intensity, of fleeting moods and captured moments. It is powerfully evocative of life within the Baltic States during the Soviet occupation, and of the challenge to artists to express their individuality whilst maintaining at least an outward show of loyalty to the dominant ideology. Written on the cusp of independence, as Estonia and Latvia sought to regain their sovereignty in 1991, this is a novel that can be seen as an historic document -- wistful, unsettling, and beautiful"--Back cover. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
already Angel appears asks Aunt Olga become begins believe blood blue bones brings building called child clay clear cold colour completely curtain darkness dead disappear door ears earth empty entire Estonian everything expression eyes face fact falls Father fear feels feet finally fire floor flowers follows future gaze give glass glow hair hand happens head heard heart human Kinski knows language leave light Lion Lion's living longer looks moment Moscow mother mouth move neck never Nevertheless night official Olga's once Perhaps piece reaches Riga rises Russian secret seen shadow side sits smile Soviet speak stands station steps story strange Tallinn Tartu telephone things thought train translated turn wait wall wants wind window