Fiction

Life and Fate

Life and Fate

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  • Create Date：2022-03-27 06:52:03
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
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  • Author：Vasily Grossman
  • ISBN：1841594032
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Summary

Based around the pivotal WWII battle of Stalingrad （1942-3）， where the German advance into Russia was eventually halted by the Red Army， and around an extended family， the Shaposhnikovs， and their many friends and acquaintances， Life and Fate recounts the experience of characters caught up in an immense struggle between opposing armies and ideologies。 Nazism and Communism are appallingly similar， 'two poles of one magnet'， as a German camp commander tells a shocked old Bolshevik prisoner。 At the height of the battle Russian soldiers and citizens alike are at last able to speak out as they choose， and without reprisal - an unexpected and short-lived moment of freedom。 Grossman himself was on the front line as a war correspondent at Stalingrad - hence his gripping battle scenes， though these are more than matched by the drama of the individual conscience struggling against massive pressure to submit to the State。 He knew all about this from experience too。 His central character， Viktor Shtrum， eventually succumbs， but each delay and act of resistance is a moral victory。 Though he writes unsparingly of war， terror and totalitarianism， Grossman also tells of the acts of 'senseless kindness' that redeem humanity， and his message remains one of hope。 He dedicates his book， the labour of ten years， and which he did not live to see published， to his mother， who， like Viktor Shtrum's， was killed in the holocaust at Berdichev in Ukraine in September 1941。

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Reviews

Amjad Hamza ，

Beautiful。 Amazing view of what it was like at one of the turning points in history at Stalingrad but also so many piercing insights about what it is to be human。

Tim Williams ，

The sequel to Stalingrad is maybe even better written…there were several paragraphs which moved me to tears and compelled me to read them aloud to my wife。 Those who say these two books are the pinnacle of Russian literature may be correct。

Krešimir Nemec ，

Veličanstveno！

Helen ，

Not for nothing is this book compared to ‘War and Peace’。 It is a vast， sweeping Russian epic about a family in time of war。 There is an extensive list of characters who， in my copy， were handily listed according to the setting in which they appear， and they all seem to be searching for meaning and purpose in life。 However， unlike Tolstoy’s novel， ‘Life and Fate’ also contains planes and tanks， concentration camps， and bombs which fall not on a battlefield but in a city where people live and wor Not for nothing is this book compared to ‘War and Peace’。 It is a vast， sweeping Russian epic about a family in time of war。 There is an extensive list of characters who， in my copy， were handily listed according to the setting in which they appear， and they all seem to be searching for meaning and purpose in life。 However， unlike Tolstoy’s novel， ‘Life and Fate’ also contains planes and tanks， concentration camps， and bombs which fall not on a battlefield but in a city where people live and work。 A power station is targeted， and residential buildings are flattened。 The enemy is supposedly Hitler and Nazism， but if that is so， why are the Soviet Jews ostracised by their own people？ Why does everyone live in fear of inadvertently saying the wrong thing？ Is the Stalinist regime that they are fighting for really any better than Hitler’s？ The last week of February 2022 was an interesting time to be finishing this book， and many parallels can be drawn with the current situation in Ukraine， not a huge distance away from Stalingrad， where ‘Life and Fate’ is set。 This English version is expertly translated by Robert Chandler， with his usual meticulous attention to detail and flair for the English language。 。。。more

Matthew Miller ，

Life & Fate is a masterwork， wide-angle survey of a Soviet extended family over the last months of the Battle of Stalingrad。 To my pleasant surprise， it fully justifies its Tolstoyan comparisons: as a philosophical-historical novel， a family novel， and as a work of art。 Tolstoy in the World War II inevitably becomes a darker and bleaker affair， however， and Grossman attempts and succeeds at depicting things Tolstoy could never imagine: the concentration camp and the gulag， the Holocaust and Stal Life & Fate is a masterwork， wide-angle survey of a Soviet extended family over the last months of the Battle of Stalingrad。 To my pleasant surprise， it fully justifies its Tolstoyan comparisons: as a philosophical-historical novel， a family novel， and as a work of art。 Tolstoy in the World War II inevitably becomes a darker and bleaker affair， however， and Grossman attempts and succeeds at depicting things Tolstoy could never imagine: the concentration camp and the gulag， the Holocaust and Stalinist oppression。 He manages to compellingly show how life in war， fear， deprivation， and brutality can reveal the most fundamental human traits: love， kindness， freedom; and how these central traits are systematically broken down by totalitarian violence but nevertheless somehow， inexplicably and miraculously， can and do survive。 。。。more

Russel Henderson ，

With a cast of at least two dozen major characters and as many minor ones， Grossman sets out to follow in the footsteps of his 19th Century literary forebears， specifically Tolstoy in War and Peace。 While he isn't the writer Tolstoy is， it works in its own way because he's far more of a military mind than Tolstoy ever was。 His account of Stalingrad， which he observed firsthand， has a touch of Pyle's sympathy for the common soldier， but he manages to write senior leaders perceptively too。 His fem With a cast of at least two dozen major characters and as many minor ones， Grossman sets out to follow in the footsteps of his 19th Century literary forebears， specifically Tolstoy in War and Peace。 While he isn't the writer Tolstoy is， it works in its own way because he's far more of a military mind than Tolstoy ever was。 His account of Stalingrad， which he observed firsthand， has a touch of Pyle's sympathy for the common soldier， but he manages to write senior leaders perceptively too。 His female characters， from soldiers to widows to mothers and wives， may lack the endurance of Tolstoy's or Pushkin's heroines， but they are well-drawn and sited in a world where gender roles and expectations are in clear flux。 He even writes Germans with the respect due a formidable foe; they are appropriately monstrous， but they are human monsters。 While the firsthand accounts of the concentration and death camps （Levi， Weisel） are undoubtedly superior， Grossman's fictionalized account is plenty moving in its own right。 And because this is so vivid and personal to Grossman， born a Ukrainian Jew and writing in the wake of the abortive postwar persecutions， he manages to weave it together into a sweeping， realistic narrative that connects the machinations of physicists， soldiers， widows， and Ukrainian Jews left in the residue of a shtetl。 A massive accomplishment as a narrative alone。Beyond that though， Grossman shines as a great critic of the Soviet system。 The parallels between Nazism and Stalinism are inescapable。 The petty bureaucratic dead ends that so consume the lives of ordinary Soviet citizens are on vivid display。 The gap between the expectations of the Soviet people， sacrificing unto death for the Motherland， and the system's stubborn resistance to change during and after the war is staggering。 Though the narrative ends shortly after Paulus's surrender， one can sense in it a foreshadowing of the anti-Jewish persecutions that only subsided with Stalin's death， and the horrific postwar treatment of the non-Vlasov POWs who were victims of both Hitler and Stalin in the first 18 months of the war。 Grossman's Shtrum displays the moral cowardice necessary for so-called great men to triumph under Stalin， while Krymov shows that even revolutionary zeal is no defense when senior leaders deem you worthy of destruction。 The book is haunted by the Holodomor and the purges in and around 1937 as much as by 1941 and 1942。 It serves as a fitting epitaph to Stalinism; so realistic a portrait was it that it could not even be published during Khruschev's thaw。 It does not have much of a plot - if anything the war is the plot， moving the action along and forcing the characters to react。 Some storylines die out （Sofya and her charge in the camp， Katya and Serozha in the fog of war） but that seems like a conscious and rather effective plot device， mirroring a war in which annihilation of both life and the physical body was a well-placed shell or a canister of gas and a crematorium away。 As literature it is not the equal of Tolstoy， but it belongs alongside Solzhenitsyn and Pasternak as epics of Soviet life。 。。。more

Bianca ，

Immenso。

Sara Setti ，

Una storia di gesti， fragilità e umanità。 Una grande opera che racconta cosa rende le persone umane durante il periodo più disumano del secolo scorso。

Brad Dickter ，

Fascinating perspective from within Soviet Russia。 I don't think I've ever read any material that was written behind the Iron Curtain so this book provides extraordinary insight into a very different world。 And yet so much is familiar。 The references to specific events in world history， the quest for scientific advancements， the Jewish experience。 In particular， this book examines the Jewish experience pre WWII to post WWII in Soviet Russia and that is a heartbreakingly familiar story。 From hear Fascinating perspective from within Soviet Russia。 I don't think I've ever read any material that was written behind the Iron Curtain so this book provides extraordinary insight into a very different world。 And yet so much is familiar。 The references to specific events in world history， the quest for scientific advancements， the Jewish experience。 In particular， this book examines the Jewish experience pre WWII to post WWII in Soviet Russia and that is a heartbreakingly familiar story。 From hearing rumors of Nazi atrocities to the Battle of Stalingrad to post war purges， Jews are always persecuted。 It's unfair to ever "compare" Jewish suffering under the Nazis to Stalinism， but this book sheds light on the lose lose position Jews are trapped in。 Simultaneously the book provides an extraordinary view from with Soviet Russia of communism。 All characters are trapped within the contradictions of being good proletariat and worshipping Stalin while living with the trauma of an oppressive regime。 No wonder the Soviets banned this book。I'm afraid the version I "read" （listened to） was the BBC production。 I have no idea if that is an actual literal reading of the book or a loose adaptation。 The audio format with very little navigation and heavy reliance on dialogue likely obscured nuances and depth in a written form。 。。。more

Stefy Spano ，

Russia， seconda guerra mondiale。 Il romanzo copre l'arco temporale dal 1941 al 1943， seguendo l'evoluzione del conflitto ed in particolare dell'assedio di Stalingrado。 Il romanzo si muove attraverso varie luoghi e varie linee di trama。 Vediamo prigionieri politici rinchiusi nei gulag， prigionieri ebraici deportati dall'Ucraina e condotti nelle camere gas， un gruppo di soldati russi che resistono all'attacco dei tedeschi， seguiamo le strategie del governo russo per sorprendere e battere l'esercit Russia， seconda guerra mondiale。 Il romanzo copre l'arco temporale dal 1941 al 1943， seguendo l'evoluzione del conflitto ed in particolare dell'assedio di Stalingrado。 Il romanzo si muove attraverso varie luoghi e varie linee di trama。 Vediamo prigionieri politici rinchiusi nei gulag， prigionieri ebraici deportati dall'Ucraina e condotti nelle camere gas， un gruppo di soldati russi che resistono all'attacco dei tedeschi， seguiamo le strategie del governo russo per sorprendere e battere l'esercito nemico。 Vediamo anche l'oppressione del regime sovietico che mentre combatte per la libertà e contro la dittatura nazista al contempo affligge i propri cittadini con la censura， la delazione e la presenza asfissiante della polizia politica。 Nessun cittadino è al sicuro， non lo sono i bolscevichi storici fedeli al partito sin dalla prima ora e che hanno solo la colpa di aver detto una parola di troppo， non lo sono gli scienziati accusati di essere troppo teorici e non lo è il direttore della celebre idroelettrica di Stalingrado che nonostante resti al suo posto in una città che cade a pezzi per i bombardamenti vieni accusato di codardia。Il libro racconta talmente tante vicende con talmente tanti personaggi che è davvero impossibile anche solo accennare a tutto。 Anche durante la lettura la difficoltà principale è stata infatti quella di districarsi tra tutti i personaggi e le linee di trama che spesso venivano abbandonate per centinaia di pagine。 Per questo motivo è stato difficile affezionarsi ai personaggi ed empatizzare in modo profondo con le loro tragedie。 Nonostante ciò il giudizio del romanzo non può che essere positivo perché è uno spaccato di quella che era la vita in un determinato contesto storico enormemente difficile e drammatico per tutto il mondo ma forse ancora di più per il popolo russo stretto tra comunismo e nazismo。Un libro che merita non solo di essere letto ma soprattutto di essere riletto per capirlo davvero ed apprezzarlo a tutti i livelli。 。。。more

Antonio Varone ，

"Vita e destino"， Vasilij Grossman，1980。 Ci sono libri che posseggono la capacità di cambiare la Vita ed il Destino dei lettori。 Questo libro è fuori scala。È fuori scala per formato: 750 pagine nella più grande delle edizioni Adephi。È fuori scala per numero di personaggi: decine e decine， tutti tratteggiati con precisione tolstojana。È fuori scala per la storia raccontata: dall'assedio di Stalingrado （città doppia: "simbolo di difesa e libertà contro la violenza nazista e insieme luogo-emblema de "Vita e destino"， Vasilij Grossman，1980。 Ci sono libri che posseggono la capacità di cambiare la Vita ed il Destino dei lettori。 Questo libro è fuori scala。È fuori scala per formato: 750 pagine nella più grande delle edizioni Adephi。È fuori scala per numero di personaggi: decine e decine， tutti tratteggiati con precisione tolstojana。È fuori scala per la storia raccontata: dall'assedio di Stalingrado （città doppia: "simbolo di difesa e libertà contro la violenza nazista e insieme luogo-emblema dell'Urss staliniana） ai lager sovieti ed ai mattatoi nazisti， da Mosca alla provincia russa。È fuori scala per il messaggio che lascia: tra le rovine della guerra， tra macerie fisiche e spirituali， tra le strada dove i morti sono di fianco ai vivi， nell'ora più oscura bisogna credere nella bontà。 Quella bontà che non si trova "nella natura， non è e prediche degli apostoli e profeti né nelle teorie di grandi sociologi o capi di Stato"。。。 ma è nel cuore della gente comune。 Il Bene cui fa riferimento Grossman si trova nel soldato che fa bere dalla sua borraccia un nemico ferito， nella gioventù che ha pietà e rispetto della vecchiaia， nelle guardie che， a rischio della loro stessa libertà， fanno avere a mogli e madri le lettere dei prigionieri。È "la bontà dell'uomo per l'altro uomo， una bontà senza testimoni， piccola， senza teorie。"Infine， questo libro è fuori scala per il coraggio di denunciare del suo autore: il nazismo， ovviamente。 Ma anche il comunismo。 Grossman terminò di scrivere questo testo nel 1960， ignorando che in quei momenti il manoscritto della sua epopea era già all'esame del Comitato Centrale。 Nel 1961， il KGB lo confischerà。 Due copie dattiloscritte sfuggiranno al sequesto， fortunatamente per tutti。Vasilij aveva presente una cosa che ancora oggi sfugge a molti: non esistono totalitarismi "buoni"。 Possiamo stare a parlare per giorni di quanto l'ideale comunista possa essere diverso， e più condivisibile， di quello nazista e fascista; ma la verità è che si finisce a sputare sangue nelle stanze senza sole della Lubjanka。 Imprescindibile。Immancabile。Imprerdibile。 "Ma perché， perché？ Era davvero paura？ O forse viltà？Gli uomini sanno vincerla， la paura: i bambini azzardano qualche passo nel buio， i soldati vanno in battaglia， qualcuno decide persino di saltare nel vuoto col paracadute。Quella， però， era una paura speciale， pesante， insormontabile per milioni di persone， una paura scritta a orride lettere rosso cangiante nel piombo del cielo di Mosca: Gosstrach。。。（paura di Stato）"。 。。。more

Alma ，

“A principal mudança nas pessoas consistia em que o sentimento da sua individualidade estava a enfraquecer， enquanto o sentimento de destino estava a crescer。”“E o sentimento da sua vida passada – particular， especial， individual – tapou-lhe， por um instante， o presente， aquela beira do abismo da vida。O mais estranho de todos os sentimentos！ É inexprimível， é impossível partilhá-lo com a pessoa mais próxima， a mulher， a mãe， o irmão， o filho， o amigo， o pai， é um segredo da alma， e a alma， mesmo “A principal mudança nas pessoas consistia em que o sentimento da sua individualidade estava a enfraquecer， enquanto o sentimento de destino estava a crescer。”“E o sentimento da sua vida passada – particular， especial， individual – tapou-lhe， por um instante， o presente， aquela beira do abismo da vida。O mais estranho de todos os sentimentos！ É inexprimível， é impossível partilhá-lo com a pessoa mais próxima， a mulher， a mãe， o irmão， o filho， o amigo， o pai， é um segredo da alma， e a alma， mesmo desejando-o loucamente， não pode revelar o seu segredo。 O homem levará consigo o sentimento da sua vida， sem o ter partilhado com ninguém。 O milagre de uma pessoa particular， especial， em cujas consciência e subconsciência vive junto tudo o que é bom e mau， o cómico， o querido， o vergonhoso， o humilde， o pudico， o carinhoso， o tímido， o espantado， o que existiu desde a infância até à velhice – fundido， unido no sentimento mudo e secreto da sua vida única。” 。。。more

Juan Luis ，

Sin duda la mejor novela que he leído， y releído， nunca。

Antonio Galicia ，

Sinceramente hay mucho que decir de éste libro， tal vez lo más importante sería decir que es una libro magistral。Sin duda es uno de los mejores libros que he leído en la vida。 Un clásico en toda regla， es sin duda indispensable

Ruth ，

This is a Russian novel about World War II， centered mainly around the Battle of Stalingrad， but also encompassing the deaths of individual Jews in the Holocaust。 Grossman was a journalist who was one of the first to document the facts of Nazi genocide， and who was personally affected by it。 Every character in this novel is based on a person or several people whom Grossman met or knew。 What can a novel do that journalism and history cannot？ Sometimes， they can help put the reader into someone el This is a Russian novel about World War II， centered mainly around the Battle of Stalingrad， but also encompassing the deaths of individual Jews in the Holocaust。 Grossman was a journalist who was one of the first to document the facts of Nazi genocide， and who was personally affected by it。 Every character in this novel is based on a person or several people whom Grossman met or knew。 What can a novel do that journalism and history cannot？ Sometimes， they can help put the reader into someone else's head。 Surprisingly for such a long， complex book， some of the most moving passages for me were the pauses to reflect on the nature of death。 "The universe inside a person has ceased to exist。" I don't know how better to encapsulate the more than 800 pages of a major work of world literature than with that line。 。。。more

Shawn ，

In spite of the fact that the primary focus is on Stalingrad， I really do feel that this is the "War and Peace" of WWII。 In addition to Stalingrad， locations include prisoner of war camps in both Germany and the USSR， German death camps， the Gulag， Moscow and a refuge for Soviet scientists in the Urals region。 Grossman captures so well the psychology of intellectuals trapped in a totalitarian state but still feeling some remnants of allegiance to that state even in the face of persecution。 "Life In spite of the fact that the primary focus is on Stalingrad， I really do feel that this is the "War and Peace" of WWII。 In addition to Stalingrad， locations include prisoner of war camps in both Germany and the USSR， German death camps， the Gulag， Moscow and a refuge for Soviet scientists in the Urals region。 Grossman captures so well the psychology of intellectuals trapped in a totalitarian state but still feeling some remnants of allegiance to that state even in the face of persecution。 "Life and Fate" also includes perhaps the most horrible and moving depiction of a death camp that I've read。 A long but very rewarding novel。 。。。more

Bruno Carriço ，

Numa obra desta dimensão， é quase impossível manter o leitor agarrado com a mesma intensidade durante toda a leitura。 Mas isso não pode manchar um livro que traz tanta vida lá dentro。 E é tão necessário acreditar que o que de bom há no ser humano resistirá ao que de mais desumano houver。。。

Elena Vinarsky ，

It’s a masterpiece。

Tom Bennett ，

Good grief this book is amazing。 A classic。 It should be famous for so many reasons。

Cristina G ，

Affresco russo di 750 pagine che ruota intorno all'assedio di Stalingrado。 Mi rendo conto che come premessa potrebbe spaventare， annoiare， respingere， allontanare。 E se invece vi dicessi "l'opera che più mi ha toccata finora nella mia carriera di lettrice"？A mio parere qualunque recensione riguardante questo libro non riuscirebbe mai a trasmettere fino in fondo ciò che è Vita e destino; l'unica soluzione è leggerlo， innamorarsi della prosa di Grossman， calarsi all'interno delle trincee o dei lag Affresco russo di 750 pagine che ruota intorno all'assedio di Stalingrado。 Mi rendo conto che come premessa potrebbe spaventare， annoiare， respingere， allontanare。 E se invece vi dicessi "l'opera che più mi ha toccata finora nella mia carriera di lettrice"？A mio parere qualunque recensione riguardante questo libro non riuscirebbe mai a trasmettere fino in fondo ciò che è Vita e destino; l'unica soluzione è leggerlo， innamorarsi della prosa di Grossman， calarsi all'interno delle trincee o dei lager insieme ai personaggi。 E' una lettura densa， che richiede i suoi tempi， e che anche una volta chiuso il libro non smette di abitare i pensieri del lettore。 L'unico punto che mi sento di sottolineare è che， nonostante gli orrori perpetrati durante la seconda guerra mondiale， la crudeltà， la violenza， il continuo stato di tensione e paura a cui è sottoposta la maggior parte dei personaggi， quello che in fondo affiora dalle pagine （o almeno quello che vi ho trovato io） è comunque la speranza。 In quest'epoca tremenda， un'epoca di follie commesse nel nome della gloria di Stati e nazioni o del bene universale， e in cui gli uomini non sembrano più uomini ma fremono come rami d'albero e sono come la pietra che frana e trascina con sè le altre pietre riempiendo fosse e burroni， in quest'epoca di terrore e di follia insensata， la bontà spicciola， granello radioattivo sbriciolato nella vita， non è scomparsa Leggetelo， leggetelo， leggetelo。 。。。more

WeltDeLibros ，

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 Vida y Destino está considerada una de las grandes obras del s。XX。 Y no le faltan motivos。 Sus 1100 páginas se enredan en varias historias que giran entorno a una familia rusa en plena Segunda Guerra Mundial y que muestra la tragedia de toda Rusia。 Escrito en 1959 este libro estuvo secuestrado hasta 1980 cuando se publica en Suiza。 No sería hasta 1988 cuando se pública en territorio ruso。El autor sin embargo aprovecha ésta vicisitud histórica para hacer una magistral crítica al fascismo alemán p Vida y Destino está considerada una de las grandes obras del s。XX。 Y no le faltan motivos。 Sus 1100 páginas se enredan en varias historias que giran entorno a una familia rusa en plena Segunda Guerra Mundial y que muestra la tragedia de toda Rusia。 Escrito en 1959 este libro estuvo secuestrado hasta 1980 cuando se publica en Suiza。 No sería hasta 1988 cuando se pública en territorio ruso。El autor sin embargo aprovecha ésta vicisitud histórica para hacer una magistral crítica al fascismo alemán pero también al nacimiento del fascismo estalinista。 Y es que tras la victoria rusa en Stalingrado nace en Rusia un nacionaliamo de Estado sin precedentes， que más tarde derivaría en un Estado represor y paranoico。 Dejándose atrás la revolución de octubre vemos como el Estado Comunista aprovecha todo aquello contra lo que lucha para crear su propia lucha interna， desvirtuado así a la histórica revolución rusa。La Rusia de los pueblos se ve ensombrecida por la Rusia del Estado Comunista。Todo ello se desglosa en una maraña de historias y personajes que convergen en un mismo destino: la guerra。 Relatos desgarradores。 Historias donde el corazón se te hiela， con un derrame de sensibilidad y empatía con todos/as aquellos/as que sufrieron ésta época。 Totalitarismos enfrentados y algunos personajes que ya vislumbran que no son tan diferentes el uno del otro。 Una lección sobre los horrores y errores continuos del s。 XX。 。。。more

Shelley ，

（Chapter outline at the bottom of the review） It wasn't until halfway through the book that the title's meaning is revealed: "A man may be led by fate， but he can refuse to follow。" Fate: the deterministic State; Life: individual free will and choices within a deterministic state。 Heroism arises from the exertion of free will against the state。 Grossman's description of heroism is gendered; he's much better at describing the male variety （e。g。 Aburchuk's testimonial， Grekov's House 6/1， Novikov' （Chapter outline at the bottom of the review） It wasn't until halfway through the book that the title's meaning is revealed: "A man may be led by fate， but he can refuse to follow。" Fate: the deterministic State; Life: individual free will and choices within a deterministic state。 Heroism arises from the exertion of free will against the state。 Grossman's description of heroism is gendered; he's much better at describing the male variety （e。g。 Aburchuk's testimonial， Grekov's House 6/1， Novikov's eight-minute stall） than the female variety which is usually in relation to some man （father， spouse or children）。 This book is definitely the offspring of a more "male" mind， to borrow Virginia Woolf's theory of artistic creativity。I enjoy this book for the War chapters， in contrast to my experience with War and Peace （unless you're talking about the 1960s Soviet film production available on HBO in which the war sections [filmed with support from the Red Army] are absolutely bomb）。 There's nothing I've read that approaches Grossman's chapters on the Red Army in Stalingrad （especially those of House 6/1， read Chapters 2。22 & 2。23 if nothing else）; the last stands in Hadji Murat and For Whom the Bell Tolls come close， but the refrain of "damned Seryozha" and the scene of Byerozkin et al singing in the rubbles truly touch the sublime。Chapter OutlineLyudmilla and Viktor in Kazan and later Moscow1。15-1。20 Enter Lyudmila and Viktor。 Viktor’s mother’s letter from the ghetto。 Lyudmila sets off to see her son。 Physics & totalitarianism （p94）。1。26-1。34 Lyudmila’s trip to Samara: Tolya’s death; guilt and a mother’s grief， also “stone by stone” （p154）。1。62-1。64 Viktor and Lyudmila: “Life went on like an iceberg” （p267）。 A free conversation at the Sokolov’s: Chekhov the Russian democrat （p283）; Dostoyevsky as an analog of the current culture wars （p284-5）！ Karimov thinks Madyarov an informer。2。6-2。9 Viktor’s scientific breakthrough; plans for return to Moscow， but Jewish names are not included on the return list。 Brief encounter with Karimov: a Jew and a Tartar。 Madyarov thinks Karimov an informer。 News of Dmitri in the camps。2。24-2。27 Viktor’s family returns to Moscow。 Change of leadership and stiflingness of the Institute。2。51-2。56 （Racial and class） politics trumps science at the Institute。 Viktor resigns; says goodbye to Marya。3。20-3。21 Viktor in trouble。3。24 Viktor visits the （forcibly） retired Chepyzhin。 Can humanity’s moral development catch up with its technologic development？3。25-3。27 Viktor says goodbye to Marya。3。30 Interrogations begin in Kazan （Karimov and Alexandra Vladimirovna）。3。40-3。41 Stalin phones Viktor。3。52-3。55 Viktor’s days “in the sun”; signs the open letter; alienation from his own soul。The Red Army: Stalingrad， Krymov， and Yevgenia1。7-1。9 Night of the burning oil-tanks （POV: Gen。 Krylov）。1。10-1。12 Krymov joins Com。 Rodimtsev’s division to rout a storming party。 “Stepson of time” （p51）。1。13 Yeremenko visits Chuykov。1。14 Maj。 Byerozkin visits Cap。 Podchufarov and warns him of coming attack。1。54-1。56 Krymov in Stalingrad。 Batyuk’s sniper meeting。 Gen Guryev at the Red October Factory likes Tolstoy。1。57-1。60 Katya arrives at House 6/1， “the Paris Commune”。 Grekov goes rogue。 Seryozha makes a report at HQ and reflects on his comrades at House 6/1。2。16-2。17 Grekov sends Seryozha and Katya back to HQ。2。18-2。20 Maj。 Byerozkin is ill。 Commissars Krymov attempts to reclaim House 6/1; is shot by （Grekov’s？） bullet。2。21 Maj。 Byerozkin is ill on the eve of a major German offensive。2。22-2。23 German assault on the tractor factory。 Polyakov and Klimov are the only survivors of House 6/1。 Byerozkin is promoted by Chuykov。2。36-2。38 Krymov reflects on Grekov and the state as he moves from command post to a Party celebration to the Central Power Station。 Vera had left。3。1-3。6 Krymov is arrested and interned at Lubyanka。3。22-3。23 Yevgenia in Moscow for Krymov。3。39 Yevgenia the small female dog。3。42-3。43 Krymov is interrogated。3。56-3。57 Krymov talks with Katsenelenbigen， a fellow inmate: the Purge as flaying （p841）， the Gulags; receives Yevgenia’s parcel。3。61 Spring arrives （for Dyrkin？）。The Red Army: Novikov， Getmanov and Yevgenia1。21-1。22 Enter Getmanov’s circle （party insiders， dark morality）; reference to Krymov who is in danger with the party。 Getmanov sets off to join the tank corp of Novikov。1。23-1。25 Enter Yevgenia。 Arrest of Jenny Genrikhovna， her old governess。 Misadventures to obtain a residence permit in Kuibyshev。 Sexual tension with Shargorodsky （blue blood） and Limonov （party intellectual）。1。52-1。53 Getmantov joins Novikov’s tank corp。 The tank corp sets off。1。65-1。66 The Kalmyk Steppe。 Darensky has an one-night affair with Alla。2。1-2。4 Novikov visits Yevgenia in Kuibyshev。 His anger at men like Getmanov and Nyeudobnov; lets slip to Getmanov the line about Trotsky praising Krymov’s articles as “pure marble”。2。5 Yevgenia is torn between Krymov and Novikov。2。13 Darensky talks to Bova （a drunk soldier） about bureaucracy。2。32 Plan for Soviet encirclement。2。33-2。35 Novikov in the SE front: visits his brigade commanders; is visited by his neighbors; finally visits Yeremenko。2。57-2。59 Beginning of the Soviet counterattack: Darensky joins Novikov。3。7-3。18 Operation Uranus。 Novikov’s heroism （the 8-minute delay）: Getmanov files a report。 Stalin and Hitler make cameo appearances。3。28-3。29 Darensky and Novikov drink。3。49-3。51 Novikov disagrees with Getmanov about halting vs pressing on; receives Yevgenia’s letter; is removed from command。The Red Army: Viktorov and the Spiridonovs1。35-1。38 Enters Lieutenant Viktorov and his pilot squadron， reserve with many a local affairs。 Life of the forest （p159-160）。 The incident of the Jew （Commissar Berman） looks out for the Jew （Lieutenant Korol）。 Squadron is deployed to Stalingrad。1。61 Vera， pregnant， stays at the Central Power Station and waits for Viktorov。2。60-2。62 Spiridonov “deserts” the Central Power Station and joins Vera and her newborn on the left bank。2。63 Lieutenant Viktorov dies in action， along with Commissar Berman and Lieutenant Korol。3。58-3。60 The Spiridonovs return to Stalingrad; are sent East as a reprimand。 “It doesn’t matter。 It’s life。"The Wehrmacht2。12 General Paulus is unsure about the point of continuing to besiege Stalingrad。2。10-11 Enters Lieutenant Bach: similar thoughts as Viktor， especially regarding universal laws （p377）， only in a sociologic context。3。19 Birth of state nationalism in Stalingrad: a foreboding of something sinister。3。31-3。33 The Germans eat horsemeat。3。34-3。38 Bach’s men celebrate Christmas。 Bach & Zina。3。44-3。48 The Sixth Army surrenders。 The kindness of a random Russian woman。Prison Camps， German and Soviet1。1-1。6 German prison camp: setting the scene。 Aging & alienation （p32）。1。39-1。41 Abarchuk （Lyudmila’s ex-husband） at the labor camp: rule by criminals and murder of Rubin; death speech of Magar （p193）; off-stage murder of Abarchuk。1。42-1。51 History break: Final Solution。 Journalistic account of individuals in a death train ride。1。67-1。71 Mostovsky & Chernetsov argue about the dissolution of the Comintern; reception of Stalingrad; Yershov the Kulak’s plan and Party’s distrust of him。1。14-1。15 Camp Commander Liss interrogates Mostovsky re: Ikonnikov’s papers; instills doubt。 “[i]t’s not on the battlefield that the future is decided。” （p402）。 Ikonnikov’s papers: Public Good vs Private Kindness; nature red in tooth and claw （p407）。2。28-2。30 Eichmann visits Liss’s camp。2。31 History break: history of the Jews and anti-Semitism。2。39-40 The fates of Mostovsky， Yershov， and Ikonnikov。2。41-2。49 History break: The gas chambers。 Life and Fate， or individual responsibilities under Totalitarianism （p537）。2。50 Soviet vs German hunger: Semynov and Khristya Chunyak。 。。。more

Ahmed ，

اذا كانت تولستوي يفتخر بروايته الحرب والسلم و دستيوفسكي يفخر بالاخوة كارامزوف فغروسمان يحق له ان يفخر بالحياة والمصير 。رواية القرن العشرين و رواية الحرب العالمية الثانية。 عن مجموعة جنود و ضباط روس خاضوا الحرب بكامل تفاصيلها 。عاشوا ويلات اجتياح الألمان للاتحاد السوفيتي سابقا 。و لكن بعد حياة الحرب تختلف الأمور، فهل يستطيعوا العودة إلى الحياة الطبيعية و تكوين عائلة ؟رواية مميزة لكن ما كثرة الكلام عن اليهود وأنهم مظلومون انقصت من روعة الرواية 。

saïd ，

Dans ce roman-fresque， composé dans les années 1950， à la façon de Guerre et Paix， Vassili Grossman fait revivre l'URSS en guerre à travers le destin d'une famille， dont les membres nous amènent tour à tour dans Stalingrad assiégée， dans les laboratoires de recherche scientifique， dans la vie ordinaire du peuple russe， et jusqu'à Treblinka sur les pas de l'Armée rouge。 Au-delà de ces destins souvent tragiques， il s'interroge sur la terrifiante convergence des systèmes nazi et communiste alors mê Dans ce roman-fresque， composé dans les années 1950， à la façon de Guerre et Paix， Vassili Grossman fait revivre l'URSS en guerre à travers le destin d'une famille， dont les membres nous amènent tour à tour dans Stalingrad assiégée， dans les laboratoires de recherche scientifique， dans la vie ordinaire du peuple russe， et jusqu'à Treblinka sur les pas de l'Armée rouge。 Au-delà de ces destins souvent tragiques， il s'interroge sur la terrifiante convergence des systèmes nazi et communiste alors même qu'ils s'affrontent sans merci。 Radicalement iconoclaste en son temps — le manuscrit fut confisqué par le KGB， tandis qu'une copie parvenait clandestinement en Occident —， ce livre pose sur l'histoire du XXe siècle une question que philosophes et historiens n'ont cessé d'explorer depuis lors。 Il le fait sous la forme d'une grande œuvre littéraire， imprégnée de vie et d'humanité， qui transcende le documentaire et la polémique pour atteindre à une vision puissante， métaphysique， de la lutte éternelle du bien contre le mal。 。。。more

Repix ，

Monumental pero aburrida。

Jorge Garcia ，

Una buena definición del libro sería que he leído sus 1100 páginas con música clásica triste de fondo。Un visión distinta de la segunda guerra mundial， pero igualmente amarga。 Un poco tedioso de leer en alguna ocasiones， por eso no lo valoro con 5 estrellas， pero si te gusta el género historia es recomendable 100%。

Dario Andrade ，

tFrequentemente se compara esse Vida e Destino com o Guerra e Paz， do Tolstói。 A despeito de serem livros muito diferentes em termos de estrutura e estilo， me parece que Grossman é respeitoso em relação à tradição do， digamos， “grande romance russo do século XIX”， em que por meio de grandes quadros – épicos， se pode dizer – se apresentam grandes e profundos debates intelectuais。 De certo modo， me parece que Pasternak tem também essas ambições。 É claro que estilisticamente， Grossman escreve um sé tFrequentemente se compara esse Vida e Destino com o Guerra e Paz， do Tolstói。 A despeito de serem livros muito diferentes em termos de estrutura e estilo， me parece que Grossman é respeitoso em relação à tradição do， digamos， “grande romance russo do século XIX”， em que por meio de grandes quadros – épicos， se pode dizer – se apresentam grandes e profundos debates intelectuais。 De certo modo， me parece que Pasternak tem também essas ambições。 É claro que estilisticamente， Grossman escreve um século depois de Tolstói e também depois de décadas de experimentações estilísticas na literatura。 São， pois， romances com estruturas muito diferentes。tO início do romance pode ser realmente complicado para o leitor。 São personagens que aparecem， somem， reaparecem muitos capítulos à frente。 No entanto， à medida em que a leitura avança， se começa a ter um entendimento desses vários “quadros” e de como estão interligados – em maior ou menor grau。 tÉ claro que o pano de fundo – Stalingrado， mas também os horrores da Segunda Guerra Mundial – é relevante。 As cenas em campos de extermínio ou em campos de concentração – nazistas ou soviéticos – são emocionalmente avassaladoras， perturbadoras mesmo。tMas， sempre， há um elemento fundamental que perpassa todo o livro: como o homem pode se manter íntegro em um estado totalitário？tEstado totalitário， é importante dizer， implica que existem semelhanças substanciais entre nazismo e stalinismo。 São regimes que se assemelham mais do que qualquer um dos partícipes de qualquer um dos regimes gostaria de admitir。 Grossman não tem medo de mostrar essas semelhanças。 tNesses regimes a liberdade é permitida ao Estado， que， em uma sociedade totalitária se identifica com uma pessoa。 Enfim， só é livre o autocrata absoluto。 Todos os demais são reféns – ou passageiros – das vontades alheias ou dos acidentes do destino。 Vai-se para a prisão ou para o Gulag ou para a glória em razão da sorte， do acaso， de um acidente。 Não basta ser o mais fanático comunista para se livrar da prisão stalinista e da tortura。 tA resposta à pergunta é que integridade é um luxo em um estado totalitário。 O objetivo é se manter vivo， mesmo que no mais das vezes isso não dependa da própria pessoa， mas de forças externas que estão absolutamente fora do seu controle。 Enfim， um belíssimo livro！ 。。。more

Cocogiss （scusastavoleggendo） ，

Very good but way to chonki

Andrew Scott ，

A great Russian novel - large， multi-storied， both sweeping in scope and detailed in particularity， personal and philosophical。。。 richly rewarding and a long slog！

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Life and Fate

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Life and Fate&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Life and Fate&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0