Review: REVISITING RUSSIA OF THE OLD ORDER!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 7, 2014
This is a collection of short stories which paint a stark and naked picture about life in the Soviet Union, by a member of the White Army hiding from the Reds. It is dedicated to the memory of the millions who perished in the tragic years when the bloody hands of the Bolsheviks were building the first socialist-communist “paradise” on the soil of Russia. The author’s biography at the beginning which tells of his membership of the White Army to fight the Red Army, the Bolsheviks and how he fled to Crimea pairing up with a young woman posing as husband and wife, and later falling in love with her only to learn she is married, his perilous escape into Germany, his journey to England during the Second World War, and eventually his family’s immigration into the USA are stuffs real stories are made of.The stories give an authentic picture of life in the Soviet Union, which was firmly controlled by the KGB and the party. It is a vivid portrayal of life as a young man during the Russian Civil War that followed the 1917 Revolution. The author’s credible characterization, storyline, and showcasing of the human dimension of life makes this book a must read for anyone who is keen to understand how life was like in the Russia of that era.The world needs to hear and heed the warning issued by Olga Gladky Verro, Editor of the book: As a writer my father, Orest M. Gladky, left part of himself behind. His writings are a time capsule preserving snapshots of people’s lives under the socialist-communist dictatorship. I release his works in order to share them with today’s readers to warn that, unheeded, the socialist Soviet past could become democracy’s perilous future.The stories in Voices From The Past : A Collection of Short Stories Preserving Facts and Thoughts For Posterity to Pause and Ponder: Russia-Soviet Union: 1917-1971 by Orest M. Gladky are well-written, the history is fascinating, the characters true to life and the politics intriguing. It is a book that makes for a satisfying read.