Soviet Fiction since Stalin: Science, Politics and Literature

Soviet Fiction since Stalin provides a comprehensive overview of the literature of the post-Stalin period in the Soviet Union, reflecting the rapid advances in science and technology. It covers topics such as de-Stalinization, nationalism, anti-Semitism, Lysenko, scientific charlatanism, the Soviet rejection of relativity theory and quantum mechanics, the atom bomb, secrecy, careerism, and bureaucracy. The book is of interest to students and researchers of Soviet literature, Russian literature, and literature in general.

Format: Hardback
Length: 350 pages
Publication date: 15 March 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Soviet Fiction since Stalin, first published in 1986, offers a comprehensive exploration of the literature that emerged in the Soviet Union after Stalin's reign. The post-Stalin period witnessed remarkable advancements in science and technology, which are reflected in the themes of many prominent novelists such as Pasternak, Solzhenitsyn, Sinyavsky, Daniel, and Grossman. Scientific subjects often serve as a platform for delving into broader socio-political, moral, and philosophical ideas. However, as the period progressed, literature began to express skepticism towards scientific progress, indirectly questioning Soviet policy as a whole.

Rosalind J. Marsh employs a broad definition of "science" to encompass a wide range of topics, including de-Stalinization, nationalism, anti-Semitism in science, Lysenko and scientific charlatanism, the Soviet rejection of relativity theory and quantum mechanics, the atom bomb, and more general issues such as secrecy, careerism, and bureaucracy. The book primarily focuses on the Khrushchev years, but it also provides ample discussion of recent writing by authors like Zinoviev and Voinovich. This work will be of interest to students and scholars of Soviet literature, Russian literature, and literature in general.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032216676