Necropolis

Necropolis is a literary memoir by Vladislav Khodasevich that memorializes significant figures of Russia's literary Silver Age, including Alexander Blok, Sergey Esenin, Fyodor Sologub, and Maxim Gorky. It explores the lives and artworks of these artists, including a tumultuous love triangle, and the power of Symbolism to turn one's life into a work of art. The memoir deals with revolution, disillusionment, emigration, suicide, the vocation of the poet, and the place of the artist in society.

Format: Hardback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 28 May 2019
Publisher: Columbia University Press

Necropolis, an unconventional literary memoir by Vladislav Khodasevich, has garnered immense praise from Vladimir Nabokov, who hailed him as "the greatest Russian poet of our time." Spanning nine chapters, this remarkable work serves as a poignant tribute to prominent figures of Russia's literary Silver Age, while also providing an insightful obituary of the era. Crafted at various times throughout the 1920s and 1930s, following the untimely passing of its subjects, Necropolis emerges as a literary graveyard, where the entire movement of Russian Symbolism finds its final resting place. Khodasevich vividly recalls the lives and artistic contributions of figures such as Alexander Blok, Sergey Esenin, Fyodor Sologub, and the socialist realist Maxim Gorky, weaving a captivating narrative that explores their intertwined experiences, including a notorious love triangle involving Nina Petrovskaya, Valery Bryusov, and Andrei Bely. Through his poignant testimony, Khodasevich sheds light on the seductive and often devastating allure of the Symbolist movement, which aimed to transform one's existence into a work of art. Moreover, he delves into the aftermath of these artists' deaths, leaving him with the solemn task of memorializing their legacies.

Necropolis' portraits delve into a myriad of themes, encompassing revolution, disillusionment, emigration, suicide, the vocation of the poet, and the artist's place in society. This exceptional memoir stands as one of the finest works in Russian literature, offering a fresh and intimate perspective on the early twentieth-century Russian literary scene. Khodasevich's remarkable gifts for observation and irony shine through, illuminating the complexities and nuances of the era with profound insight and emotional depth.

Weight: 492g
Dimension: 165 x 223 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231187046