The Education of Lev Navrozov
Encyclopedia
The Education of Lev Navrozov: A Life in the Closed World Once Called Russia is a memoir
of life in the Soviet Union
by Lev Navrozov
, the first of seven volumes. It was first published by Harper & Row in 1975.
but had managed to secure an effective monopoly over English translations for publication, and enjoyed a privileged lifestyle as a result. He began his clandestine study of the history of the Stalinist regime in 1953 after Stalin's death, in the hopes of smuggling the manuscripts abroad. Navrozov managed to defect
to the West with his family in 1972, travelling through Israel
to the United States
. The Education, published three years later, covered the first seven years of Navrozov's life, from the end of Lenin's New Economic Policy
in 1928, to 1935. It recounts the contemporary effects of Joseph Stalin
's public relations
campaign in the aftermath of the assassination of rival Sergei Kirov. A blend of personal recollections, social commentary and political history, the memoir was a best-seller, establishing Navrozov as a prominent Russian dissident
.
and Henry Adams," wrote the American philosopher Sidney Hook
, "… but it is far richer in scope and more gripping in content." Eugene Lyons
, author of the pioneering 1937 work Assignment in Utopia, described the book as "uniquely revealing", while Robert Massie, author of Nicholas and Alexandra
, wrote of the author’s "individual genius."
In a review for The New York Review of Books
, Helen Muchnic took issue with Navrozov's characterisation of Russian Futurist poet Vladimir Mayakovsky
, calling Navrozov as a "hardened cynic" unequal to "complex, majestic theme of Russia" and who lacked the "necessary objectivity and patience". In a subsequent letter to the editor to the Review, Navrosov called Muchnic's review "a stimulating study in creative sterility out to destroy blindly whatever endangers its stock of clichés", proposing that it was composed of uncritical restatements of Soviet propaganda and gratuitous, unfounded insults.
Saul Bellow
, the Nobel-prize winning novelist, responded to The Education by using Navrozov as the model for a modern Russian dissident thinker in two of his books, thereby beginning a lively correspondence that continued until the American novelist's death. Bellow cited Navrozov, along with Sinyavsky
, Vladimir Maximov and Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
, as one of his epoch's "commanding figures" and "men of genius."
Memoir
A memoir , is a literary genre, forming a subclass of autobiography – although the terms 'memoir' and 'autobiography' are almost interchangeable. Memoir is autobiographical writing, but not all autobiographical writing follows the criteria for memoir set out below...
of life in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
by Lev Navrozov
Lev Navrozov
Lev Navrozov is a Russian author, historian and polemicist and father of poet Andrei Navrozov. A leading translator of Russian texts into English under the Soviet regime, Navrozov emigrated to the United States in 1972, where he published a best-selling memoir, The Education of Lev Navrozov, and...
, the first of seven volumes. It was first published by Harper & Row in 1975.
Background and content
Navrozov was a freelance translator who had resisted joining the Communist PartyCommunist party
A political party described as a Communist party includes those that advocate the application of the social principles of communism through a communist form of government...
but had managed to secure an effective monopoly over English translations for publication, and enjoyed a privileged lifestyle as a result. He began his clandestine study of the history of the Stalinist regime in 1953 after Stalin's death, in the hopes of smuggling the manuscripts abroad. Navrozov managed to defect
Defection
In politics, a defector is a person who gives up allegiance to one state or political entity in exchange for allegiance to another. More broadly, it involves abandoning a person, cause or doctrine to whom or to which one is bound by some tie, as of allegiance or duty.This term is also applied,...
to the West with his family in 1972, travelling through Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The Education, published three years later, covered the first seven years of Navrozov's life, from the end of Lenin's New Economic Policy
New Economic Policy
The New Economic Policy was an economic policy proposed by Vladimir Lenin, who called it state capitalism. Allowing some private ventures, the NEP allowed small animal businesses or smoke shops, for instance, to reopen for private profit while the state continued to control banks, foreign trade,...
in 1928, to 1935. It recounts the contemporary effects of Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
's public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
campaign in the aftermath of the assassination of rival Sergei Kirov. A blend of personal recollections, social commentary and political history, the memoir was a best-seller, establishing Navrozov as a prominent Russian dissident
Dissident
A dissident, broadly defined, is a person who actively challenges an established doctrine, policy, or institution. When dissidents unite for a common cause they often effect a dissident movement....
.
Reception
"It bids fair to take its place beside the works of Laurence SterneLaurence Sterne
Laurence Sterne was an Irish novelist and an Anglican clergyman. He is best known for his novels The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, and A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy; but he also published many sermons, wrote memoirs, and was involved in local politics...
and Henry Adams," wrote the American philosopher Sidney Hook
Sidney Hook
Sidney Hook was an American pragmatic philosopher known for his contributions to public debates.A student of John Dewey, Hook continued to examine the philosophy of history, of education, politics, and of ethics. After embracing Marxism in his youth, Hook was known for his criticisms of...
, "… but it is far richer in scope and more gripping in content." Eugene Lyons
Eugene Lyons
Eugene Lyons was an American journalist and writer. A fellow traveler of the Communist Party in his younger years, Lyons became highly critical of the Soviet Union after having lived there for several years as a correspondent of United Press International...
, author of the pioneering 1937 work Assignment in Utopia, described the book as "uniquely revealing", while Robert Massie, author of Nicholas and Alexandra
Nicholas and Alexandra
Nicholas and Alexandra is a 1971 biographical film which tells the story of the last Russian monarch, Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, and his wife, Tsarina Alexandra....
, wrote of the author’s "individual genius."
In a review for The New York Review of Books
The New York Review of Books
The New York Review of Books is a fortnightly magazine with articles on literature, culture and current affairs. Published in New York City, it takes as its point of departure that the discussion of important books is itself an indispensable literary activity...
, Helen Muchnic took issue with Navrozov's characterisation of Russian Futurist poet Vladimir Mayakovsky
Vladimir Mayakovsky
Vladimir Vladimirovich Mayakovsky was a Russian and Soviet poet and playwright, among the foremost representatives of early-20th century Russian Futurism.- Early life :...
, calling Navrozov as a "hardened cynic" unequal to "complex, majestic theme of Russia" and who lacked the "necessary objectivity and patience". In a subsequent letter to the editor to the Review, Navrosov called Muchnic's review "a stimulating study in creative sterility out to destroy blindly whatever endangers its stock of clichés", proposing that it was composed of uncritical restatements of Soviet propaganda and gratuitous, unfounded insults.
Saul Bellow
Saul Bellow
Saul Bellow was a Canadian-born Jewish American writer. For his literary contributions, Bellow was awarded the Pulitzer Prize, the Nobel Prize for Literature, and the National Medal of Arts...
, the Nobel-prize winning novelist, responded to The Education by using Navrozov as the model for a modern Russian dissident thinker in two of his books, thereby beginning a lively correspondence that continued until the American novelist's death. Bellow cited Navrozov, along with Sinyavsky
Andrei Sinyavsky
Andrei Donatovich Sinyavsky was a Russian writer, dissident, political prisoner, emigrant, Professor of Sorbonne University, magazine founder and publisher...
, Vladimir Maximov and Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
Aleksandr Isayevich Solzhenitsyn was aRussian and Soviet novelist, dramatist, and historian. Through his often-suppressed writings, he helped to raise global awareness of the Gulag, the Soviet Union's forced labor camp system – particularly in The Gulag Archipelago and One Day in the Life of...
, as one of his epoch's "commanding figures" and "men of genius."
External links
- "Be infinitely devoted to your beloved owners": Commentary on The Education from Unqualified Reservations, including an excerpt of the book's first chapter