Oleg Pavlov's 'Récits des derniers jours' Examines Soviet Decay
Oleg Pavlov's 'Récits des derniers jours' (translated from Russian by Anne-Marie Tatsis-Botton, published by Ed. Noir sur Blanc) compiles three stories set in the 1980s, depicting the decay of the USSR through military and prison contexts. The narratives follow a captain planting potatoes in the Kazakh steppe, a young volunteer Matiouchine, and a funeral parade in 'Le Banquet du neuvième jour.' Pavlov, born in 1970, is a leading contemporary Russian author who writes in the tradition of Solzhenitsyn and Shalamov, focusing on the losers and camp guards from the other side of the barbed wire. The book oscillates between macabre dance and ode to filth, yet achieves great humanity by giving voice to every degraded individual. Nils C. Ahl reviewed the work.
Key facts
- Oleg Pavlov is the author of 'Récits des derniers jours'.
- The book was translated by Anne-Marie Tatsis-Botton.
- Published by Ed. Noir sur Blanc.
- Contains three stories set in the 1980s.
- Themes include military context, empire's confines, camps, and degraded humanity.
- One story features a captain planting potatoes in the Kazakh steppe.
- Another story involves a young volunteer named Matiouchine.
- The third story is 'Le Banquet du neuvième jour'.
- Pavlov was born in 1970.
- He is considered one of the best contemporary Russian authors.
- His work echoes Solzhenitsyn and Shalamov.
- The narrative focuses on losers and camp guards, not prisoners.
- The book is reviewed by Nils C. Ahl.
Entities
Artists
- Oleg Pavlov
- Anne-Marie Tatsis-Botton
- Nils C. Ahl
- Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
- Varlam Shalamov
Institutions
- Ed. Noir sur Blanc
- artpress
Locations
- Kazakhstan
- Karaganda
- Kolyma
Sources
- artpress —