Life And Fate

Robert Chandler's updated and revised translation brings to light Grossman's monumental work, "Life and Fate." Often likened to the 20th century's "War and Peace," this novel provides a sweeping portrayal of an era, capturing a profound vision of Stalinist Russia. Focusing on the Shaposhnikov family, the narrative explores their disparate lives across various settings — the army, the gulag, a physics institute, a power station, and a concentration camp — depicting both the bleakness and the poetry of their existence. Deemed so contentious by Soviet authorities that it was seized upon completion in 1960, Grossman’s magnum opus was eventually spirited away to the West and saw publication in 1980. The Vintage Classic Russians Series celebrates the centenary of the 1917 Russian Revolution with elegantly crafted editions of six ground-breaking works. These masterpieces, having endured controversy and censorship, continue to shape thoughts and artistic endeavors for generations.