Chernobyl Prayer
Registered by 
Mary-T
of Bretzfeld, Baden-Württemberg Germany on 4/5/2022
This Book is Currently in the Wild!
Mary-T of Bretzfeld, Baden-Württemberg Germany on 4/5/2022 This Book is Currently in the Wild!
2 journalers for this copy...
By the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature
Translated by Anna Genien and Arch Tait
Blurb:
"Svetlana Alexievich was born in Ivano-Frankivsk in 1948 and has spent most of her life in the Soviet Union and present-day Belarus, with prolonged periods of exile in Western Europe. She started out as a journalist and developed her own non-fiction genre which brings together a chorus of voices to describe a specific historical moment. Her first book, The Unwomanly Face of War (1985), chronicles the experience of Soviet women during the Second World War, while her second volume, Last Witnesses (1985), focuses on the same period seen through the eyes of Soviet children. They were followed by Boys in Zinc (1991), an account of the effects of war - specifically the Soviet war in Afghanistan - on soldiers, their families and society, and Chernobyl Prayer (1997), which features a series of monologues by people who were affected by the Chernobyl disaster. Her most recent book is Second-Hand Time (2013), a chronicle of post-Soviet life. She has won numerous international awards, including the 2015 Nobel Prize in Literature for 'her polyphonic' writings, a monument to suffering and courage in our time'."
13-May-22
I haven't read much about the accident back in the 80s yet. Probably, as it was stated here in this book, because there was not much written about it?
Anyway, I do remember the news in Germany back then about the atomic cloud and acid rain. There were discussions about eating vegetable and fruits from local gardens. I remember I went on a weekend with my friend to a motocross-field where her little brother was having a competition. Her mom was talking to another mom while preparing the lunch from the food that she carried along, that she is seeing no sense on eating vegetable - this was all confusing people and provoking panic.
I also remember a movie we watched around the same time about a day after the atomic explosion. People were hiding in barricaded flats behind couches... probably to no avail, that was clear for me - anyway, I don't recall the discussions we had at class.
I didn't know much about the Chernobyl disaster in detail - and this book here has lots of details. So, it was interesting and shocking at the same time to read.
It is outrageous the way the authorities reacted, or did NOT react.
I can more relate to people that in the end decided to keep living their just what is left from their life. What they said in their comments here is making sense somehow. They are not looked at here - they are among the same people there - they can just be what they are - live their lives.
On the other hand there are so many indifferent voices, that just don't want to believe what was going on and the impact... they didn't dare to believe or didn't understand. Or - they just felt nevertheless they have to do their job, do what they're told to clean-out. Very disturbing parts to read and to bear!
In parts of this book, it is mentioned as the Russian Character, that's how they are - that's what they do, that's how they've been brought up.
This book is full of information, experiences, memories and voices not easy to digest. So, I had to read this in small bits and needed breaks in between.
I had to read this in small bits and had to take breaks in between.
Unsettling to read the last chapter in the book about the tourism, unbelievable!
This book is rapidly (hopefully) traveling now to the 2nd winner of the Ukrainian Sweepstake - I am sorry, it took me so long! I hope this is also to your interest - even though it is no light reading... ;) - Anyway: congrats!
Translated by Anna Genien and Arch Tait
Blurb:
"Svetlana Alexievich was born in Ivano-Frankivsk in 1948 and has spent most of her life in the Soviet Union and present-day Belarus, with prolonged periods of exile in Western Europe. She started out as a journalist and developed her own non-fiction genre which brings together a chorus of voices to describe a specific historical moment. Her first book, The Unwomanly Face of War (1985), chronicles the experience of Soviet women during the Second World War, while her second volume, Last Witnesses (1985), focuses on the same period seen through the eyes of Soviet children. They were followed by Boys in Zinc (1991), an account of the effects of war - specifically the Soviet war in Afghanistan - on soldiers, their families and society, and Chernobyl Prayer (1997), which features a series of monologues by people who were affected by the Chernobyl disaster. Her most recent book is Second-Hand Time (2013), a chronicle of post-Soviet life. She has won numerous international awards, including the 2015 Nobel Prize in Literature for 'her polyphonic' writings, a monument to suffering and courage in our time'."
13-May-22
I haven't read much about the accident back in the 80s yet. Probably, as it was stated here in this book, because there was not much written about it?
Anyway, I do remember the news in Germany back then about the atomic cloud and acid rain. There were discussions about eating vegetable and fruits from local gardens. I remember I went on a weekend with my friend to a motocross-field where her little brother was having a competition. Her mom was talking to another mom while preparing the lunch from the food that she carried along, that she is seeing no sense on eating vegetable - this was all confusing people and provoking panic.
I also remember a movie we watched around the same time about a day after the atomic explosion. People were hiding in barricaded flats behind couches... probably to no avail, that was clear for me - anyway, I don't recall the discussions we had at class.
I didn't know much about the Chernobyl disaster in detail - and this book here has lots of details. So, it was interesting and shocking at the same time to read.
It is outrageous the way the authorities reacted, or did NOT react.
I can more relate to people that in the end decided to keep living their just what is left from their life. What they said in their comments here is making sense somehow. They are not looked at here - they are among the same people there - they can just be what they are - live their lives.
On the other hand there are so many indifferent voices, that just don't want to believe what was going on and the impact... they didn't dare to believe or didn't understand. Or - they just felt nevertheless they have to do their job, do what they're told to clean-out. Very disturbing parts to read and to bear!
In parts of this book, it is mentioned as the Russian Character, that's how they are - that's what they do, that's how they've been brought up.
This book is full of information, experiences, memories and voices not easy to digest. So, I had to read this in small bits and needed breaks in between.
I had to read this in small bits and had to take breaks in between.
Unsettling to read the last chapter in the book about the tourism, unbelievable!
This book is rapidly (hopefully) traveling now to the 2nd winner of the Ukrainian Sweepstake - I am sorry, it took me so long! I hope this is also to your interest - even though it is no light reading... ;) - Anyway: congrats!
I think I may have been the decoy for the Ukraine Sweepstakes as this arrived today. Thank you! It's something I've wanted to read for a long time, but since the sweepstakes was run, I've accepted a new job and am moving continents! Luckily the Tbilisi English Book Swap meets tonight, so I'll bring this copy there to share and will take this out of the library at my new job (I'm sure they'll have it) and post my thoughts later.
Bringing to the Tbilisi English Book Swap meeting tonight, where I'm sure it will find an interested reader.
(Whoops, somehow got the date wrong in the planned release. It's being released July 5, for the record)
(Whoops, somehow got the date wrong in the planned release. It's being released July 5, for the record)
