D. S. Likhachov (1906–1999)

Memoir is the key word. This is a set of reminiscences of a Russian literary scholar from St. Petersburg (Leningrad), Dmitry Likhachov, who lived from 1906 to 1999.

Arrested for no good reason (the overwhelming norm), Likhachov experienced months in prison and several years in a Soviet labor camp on the White Sea where Stalin had decided in 1931 to build in a hurry, with forced manual camp labor, a canal from the White Sea to Lake Onega, so connecting the White Sea indirectly to the Baltic Sea. Around 15,000 of the workers died thus. Likhachov also survived the 872-day siege of Leningrad, which was isolated by the Germans during WW2, resulting in up to 100,000 deaths per month from starvation. He somehow maintained his good morals and strength of character. His survival was largely a matter of luck.

During these experiences Likhachov met many other intellectuals, 95% of whom even the well-read in Russian literature and history will never have heard of. It seems that much of the book was about those people and so was of minor interest. (Of the remaining 5%, little of note is reported.)

Likhachov's experiences in the labor camp and the Leningrad siege were of interest, but there are a number of books about those that are more absorbing and informative. Thus this book is apparently of substantial interest only to Russian readers familiar with the Russian intellectuals whom Likhachov reminisces about. They may read it in Russian.

Thus I don't understand why this was translated into English. As to the writing style, for a memoir it is satisfactory, but for a book of possible interest to the general reader, it is as if composed by a commonplace writer in serious need of an editor. There is very little about Old Russian literature, the writer's primary academic interest, or about the author's other considerable work, dedicated to preserving the best in Russian culture.
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