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袪褍褋褋泻懈泄 写薪械胁薪懈泻

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"袪褍褋褋泻懈泄 写薪械胁薪懈泻" 谢邪褍褉械邪褌邪 袩褍谢懈褌褑械褉芯胁褋泻芯泄 锌褉械屑懈懈 锌懈褋邪褌械谢褟 袛卸芯薪邪 小褌械泄薪斜械泻邪 懈 懈蟹胁械褋褌薪芯谐芯 胁芯械薪薪芯谐芯 褎芯褌芯谐褉邪褎邪 袪芯斜械褉褌邪 袣邪锌褘 - 褝褌芯 泻谢邪褋褋懈泻邪 褉械锌芯褉褌邪卸邪 懈 锌褍褌械胁褘褏 蟹邪屑械褌芯泻. 小芯褉芯泻邪写薪械胁薪邪褟 锌芯械蟹写泻邪 写胁褍褏 屑邪褋褌械褉芯胁 锌芯 小芯胁械褌褋泻芯屑褍 小芯褞蟹褍 胁 1947 谐芯写褍 斜褘谢邪 褝泻褋锌械写懈褑懈械泄 谢褞斜芯锌褘褌薪褘褏. 袣邪锌邪 懈 小褌械泄薪斜械泻 "褏芯褌械谢懈 蟹邪锌械褔邪褌谢械褌褜 胁褋械, 薪邪 褔褌芯 褍锌邪写械褌 谐谢邪蟹, 懈 褋芯芯褉褍写懈褌褜 懈蟹 薪邪斜谢褞写械薪懈泄 懈 褉邪蟹屑褘褕谢械薪懈泄 薪械泻褍褞 褋褌褉褍泻褌褍褉褍, 泻芯褌芯褉邪褟 锌芯褋谢褍卸懈谢邪 斜褘 屑芯写械谢褜褞 薪邪斜谢褞写邪械屑芯泄 褉械邪谢褜薪芯褋褌懈". 小褌褉褍泻褌褍褉邪, 泻芯褌芯褉褍褞 芯薪懈 胁褘斜褉邪谢懈 写谢褟 褋胁芯械泄 泻薪懈谐懈 - 邪 薪邪 褋邪屑芯屑 写械谢械 写芯屑懈薪懈褉褍褞褖邪褟 屑械褌邪褎芯褉邪 "袪褍褋褋泻芯谐芯 写薪械胁薪懈泻邪" - 褝褌芯 锌芯褉褌褉械褌 小芯胁械褌褋泻芯谐芯 小芯褞蟹邪. 袩芯褉褌褉械褌 胁 褉邪屑泻械. 袨薪懈 褍胁懈写械谢懈 懈 褋 薪械褉邪胁薪芯写褍褕懈械屑 蟹邪锌械褔邪褌谢械谢懈 薪邪 斜褍屑邪谐械 懈 薪邪 锌谢械薪泻械 褌芯, 褔褌芯 小褌械泄薪斜械泻 薪邪蟹胁邪谢 "斜芯谢褜褕芯泄 写褉褍谐芯泄 褋褌芯褉芯薪芯泄 - 褔邪褋褌薪芯泄 卸懈蟹薪褜褞 褉褍褋褋泻懈褏 谢褞写械泄". "袪褍褋褋泻懈泄 写薪械胁薪懈泻" 懈 锌芯薪褘薪械 芯褋褌邪械褌褋褟 蟹邪屑械褔邪褌械谢褜薪褘屑 屑械屑褍邪褉薪褘屑 懈 褍薪懈泻邪谢褜薪褘屑 懈褋褌芯褉懈褔械褋泻懈屑 写芯泻褍屑械薪褌芯屑.

320 pages, ebook

First published April 1, 1948

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About the author

John Steinbeck

981books25.1kfollowers
John Ernst Steinbeck was an American writer. He won the 1962 Nobel Prize in Literature "for his realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humor and keen social perception". He has been called "a giant of American letters."
During his writing career, he authored 33 books, with one book coauthored alongside Edward F. Ricketts, including 16 novels, six non-fiction books, and two collections of short stories. He is widely known for the comic novels Tortilla Flat (1935) and Cannery Row (1945), the multi-generation epic East of Eden (1952), and the novellas The Red Pony (1933) and Of Mice and Men (1937). The Pulitzer Prize鈥搘inning The Grapes of Wrath (1939) is considered Steinbeck's masterpiece and part of the American literary canon. By the 75th anniversary of its publishing date, it had sold 14 million copies.
Most of Steinbeck's work is set in central California, particularly in the Salinas Valley and the California Coast Ranges region. His works frequently explored the themes of fate and injustice, especially as applied to downtrodden or everyman protagonists.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 479 reviews
Profile Image for Piyangie.
593 reviews705 followers
October 26, 2022
"We found as we expected that Russian people are people. And as with other people, they are very nice. The ones we met had a hatred of war. They want the same things that all people want: Good lives, increased comforts, security, and peace."

John Steinbeck's 1947 journey to the Soviet Union had one goal. And that is to "do honest reporting, to set down what we saw and heard without editorial comment, without drawing conclusions about things we didn't know sufficiently". So far as humanely possible, that's what he's done. Occasionally, some of Steinbeck's personal views have crept onto his account, but this is to be accepted. No one can do a 100% job of detached, objective reporting.

Steinbeck's account of his journey through the Soviet Union post-war is non-political. It is only a social account based on what he observed. Coupled with his and his photographer friend Robert Capa's own experiences during their stay, this humourous account is an attempt to tell the world that all people are much more the same no matter where in the world they live.

Through his visits to Moscow, Kiev (Ukraine), Stalingrad, and Georgia, Steinbeck together with the aid of Capa, records the lives and living of the ordinary people in Russia in the aftermath of the war. He reports the massive destruction caused by the war, and the people's struggle to live as normally as possible, their attitudes, wishes, and hopes for the future. He compares the people of the different cities, their attitudes, and their lifestyles. He also compares the similarities and the differences between these Russian people and those at home. I was much amused by Steinbeck's comparison of the literary men in both countries: "Although Starlin may say that the writers are the architects of the soul, in America, the writer is not considered the architect of anything, and is only tolerated at all after he is dead and carefully put away for about twenty-five years". Steinbeck explains that this dissimilarity stems from the difference in the system of governance in each country and the peoples' attitude toward their government. "The Russians are taught, and trained, and encouraged to believe that their government is good, that every part of it is good, and that their job is to carry it forward, to back it up in all ways. On the other hand, the deep emotional feeling among Americans and British is that all government is somehow dangerous, that there should be as little government as possible, that any increase in the power of government is bad, and that existing government must be watched constantly, watched and criticized to keep it sharp and on its toes."

While A Russian Journal is mainly a report of his observance of the people in Russia, this hasn't prevented Steinbeck from blending it with his and Capa's personal experiences during their stay. And it hasn't also prevented him from slight criticism on Russian bureaucracy. All these different elements made reading this journal interesting.

I was much impressed by Steinbeck's style of writing this journal. The whole report was done in a humourous tone. Even the most serious facts were recorded with a slight undertone of humour. But the fact is he is not resorted to this style to satirize them but only to make them interesting. That was just incredible! Steinbeck has yet again proved that he is indeed a master of writing art.

This journal, however, is not an in-depth account of the Russian people, nor the Soviet Union as was then. It was just an account of what they had seen and heard. As Steinbeck admits, "it is superficial. How could it be otherwise? We have no conclusions to draw except Russian people are like all other people in the world."
Profile Image for Metodi Markov.
1,659 reviews410 followers
May 22, 2025
Review on English, followed by the Bulgarian one. 袪械胁褞褌芯 薪邪 邪薪谐谢懈泄褋泻懈 械 锌褗褉胁芯, 褋谢械写胁邪 褌芯胁邪 薪邪 斜褗谢谐邪褉褋泻懈.

After one third of this read I give up, I'm feeling really sick.

I cannot believe that the author of this pamphlet full of lies and Bolshevik propaganda is the same person who wrote "The Moon Is Down" only a few years before. And that Robert Capa himself is his complicit in this abomination...

Absolute disappointment and the bottom of the reporting memoir has been successfully reached - you can read here only superficial and staged impressions and accordingly to that we receive clumsy and false conclusions about the real situation and life in the USSR at this period!

The book starts badly - the foreword author, some Susan Shillinglaw is a typical Western useful idiot. In a few pages, she managed to gather a lot of nonsense and garbage...

In the text itself, Steinbeck unsuccessfully but persistently pretends to be a dull and supposedly neutral observer, but he does not fail to praise the Bolshevik regime in any possible ocasion and thus to deceive and mislead his readers. Those kindly people - he and Capa didn't wont to get involved in politics you see. But they don't mind spreading Russian lies and propaganda somehow. I hope that the photographer was at least a little ashamed, but hardly...

Here is some of the Soviet propaganda in this text and bear in mind that I haven't time end elan to bring out all the lies and nonsense I have read:

馃ぁ Nobody knew they were arriving in Moscow. No one followed them, no one asked them anything, they were allowed to live in the room of an acquaintance of theirs in a hotel without any problems, from there Capa photographed people through the windows and he was photographed by a man from the opposite building, where this man supposedly repaired radios. Because of his hobby, he took pictures probably, not for KGB at all.

馃ぁ Russians had private lives...

馃ぁ No one relies on past successes or the successes of their father or grandfather. At all...

馃ぁ They got an idea of 鈥嬧€媤hat the young people in Moscow were thinking and saying from their translator, the daughter of an army colonel...

馃ぁ Russians used to have private! plots during WWII and grew potatoes and cabbage there. In Moscow鈥�

馃ぁ And my dear author, the buildings in Kiev were destroyed not by the Germans, but by the brave Bolsheviks, fleeing before them.

P.S. Steinbeck was once with his wife in Moscow before this visit - exactly in the famous year of 1937. He somehow failed to mention it, I wonder why? It would not be surprising for me, if a KGB incident happened to him than and this perhaps explains the above falsehoods and absurdities. Which, of course doesn't justify him...

It is not clear to me why this book is praised so much even now by so many people as something significant and worthy of trust? With so much information available about this period, this seems dumb and lazy!

鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌�

小谢械写 械写胁邪 械写薪邪 褌褉械褌邪 锌褉芯褔械褌械薪邪 褋械 芯褌泻邪蟹胁邪屑, 谐邪写懈 屑懈 褋械.

袧械 屑芯谐邪 写邪 锌芯胁褟褉胁邪屑, 褔械 邪胁褌芯褉 薪邪 褌芯蟹懈 锌褗谢械薪 褋 谢褗卸懈 懈 斜芯谢褕械胁懈褕泻邪 锌褉芯锌邪谐邪薪写邪 锌邪屑褎谢械褌 械 褋褗褖懈褟 褔芯胁械泻, 薪邪锌懈褋邪谢 械写胁邪 薪褟泻芯谢泻芯 谐芯写懈薪懈 锌褉械写懈 褌芯胁邪 "袥褍薪邪褌邪 蟹邪谢械蟹械". 袠 褔械 褋褗褍褔邪褋褌薪懈泻 胁 褌邪蟹懈 屑褍 谐薪褍褋芯褌懈褟 械 褋邪屑懈褟褌 袪芯斜褗褉褌 袣邪锌邪鈥�

袗斜褋芯谢褞褌薪芯 褉邪蟹芯褔邪褉芯胁邪薪懈械 懈 写褗薪芯褌芯 薪邪 褉械锌芯褉褌邪卸薪懈褟 屑械屑芯邪褉 褍褋锌械褕薪芯 械 写芯褋褌懈谐薪邪褌芯 - 褋邪屑芯 锌芯胁褗褉褏薪芯褋褌薪懈 懈 褉械卸懈褋懈褉邪薪懈 胁锌械褔邪褌谢械薪懈褟 懈 褋褗芯褌胁械褌薪芯 薪械褋泻芯锌芯褋邪薪懈 懈 薪械胁械褉薪懈 懈蟹胁芯写懈 蟹邪 褉械邪谢薪邪褌邪 褋懈褌褍邪褑懈褟 懈 卸懈胁芯褌邪 胁 小小小袪!

袣薪懈谐邪褌邪 蟹邪锌芯褔胁邪 蟹谢械 - 锌懈褋邪谢邪褌邪 锌褉械写谐芯胁芯褉邪 泻褗屑 薪械褟 小褞蟹褗薪 楔懈谢懈薪谐谢芯褍 械 褌懈锌懈褔械薪 蟹邪锌邪写械薪 锌芯谢械蟹械薪 懈写懈芯褌. 袙 薪褟泻芯谢泻芯 褋褌褉邪薪懈褔泻懈 械 褍褋锌褟谢邪 写邪 褋褗斜械褉械 写芯褋褌邪 褌褗锌芯褌懈懈鈥�

袙 褋邪屑懈褟 褌械泻褋褌 小褌邪泄薪斜械泻 薪械褍褋锌械褕薪芯, 薪芯 褍锌芯褉懈褌芯 褋械 锌褉邪胁懈 薪邪 褌褗锌 懈 褍卸 斜械蟹锌褉懈褋褌褉邪褋褌械薪 薪邪斜谢褞写邪褌械谢, 薪芯 薪械 锌褉芯锌褍褋泻邪 写邪 褔械褌泻邪 斜芯谢褕械胁懈褕泻懈褟 褉械卸懈屑 懈 写邪 蟹邪斜谢褍卸写邪胁邪 褔懈褌邪褌械谢懈褌械 褋懈. 袧械 懈褋泻邪谢懈 屑懈谢懈褌械 褌械 褋 袣邪锌邪, 写邪 褋械 蟹邪薪懈屑邪胁邪褌 褋 锌芯谢懈褌懈泻邪. 袧芯 锌褗泻 薪褟屑邪褌 薪懈褖芯 锌褉芯褌懈胁 写邪 锌褉械写邪胁邪褌 斜械蟹芯谐谢械写薪芯 褉褍褋泻懈褌械 谢褗卸懈 懈 锌褉芯锌邪谐邪薪写邪. 袛邪薪芯 锌芯薪械 褎芯褌芯谐褉邪褎褗褌 写邪 谐芯 械 斜懈谢芯 屑邪谢泻芯 褋褉邪屑, 薪芯 薪邪写邪谢懈鈥�

袝褌芯 懈 屑邪谢泻芯 芯褌 锌褉芯锌邪谐邪薪写邪褌邪, 薪褟屑邪褏 卸械谢邪薪懈械 写邪 胁邪写褟 胁褋懈褔泻懈褌械 谢褗卸懈 懈 斜械蟹褋屑懈褋谢懈褑懈:

馃ぁ 袧懈泻芯泄 薪械 蟹薪邪械谢, 褔械 锌褉懈褋褌懈谐邪谢懈 胁 袦芯褋泻胁邪. 袧懈泻芯泄 薪械 谐懈 褋谢械写懈谢, 薪懈泻芯泄 薪懈褖芯 薪械 谐懈 锌芯锌懈褌邪谢, 锌褍褋薪邪谢懈 谐懈 写邪 卸懈胁械褟褌 胁 褋褌邪褟褌邪 薪邪 锌芯蟹薪邪褌 褌械褏械薪 胁 褏芯褌械谢, 芯褌 褌邪屑 袣邪锌邪 褋薪懈屑邪谢 锌褉械蟹 锌褉芯蟹芯褉褑懈褌械, 邪 薪械谐芯 谐芯 褋薪懈屑邪谢 褔芯胁械泻 芯褌 芯褌褋褉械褖薪邪褌邪 褋谐褉邪写邪, 写械褌芯 褍卸 锌芯锌褉邪胁褟谢 褉邪写懈芯邪锌邪褉邪褌懈. 袟邪褉邪写懈 褏芯斜懈褌芯 褋懈, 胁械褉芯褟褌薪芯.

馃ぁ 袪褍褋薪邪褑懈褌械 懈屑邪谢懈 谢懈褔械薪 卸懈胁芯褌鈥�

馃ぁ 袧懈泻芯泄 薪械 褉邪蟹褔懈褌邪 薪邪 屑懈薪邪谢懈 褍褋锌械褏懈 懈谢懈 薪邪 褍褋锌械褏懈褌械 薪邪 斜邪褖邪 褋懈 懈谢懈 写褟写芯 褋懈. 袦邪 胁褗芯斜褖械鈥�

馃ぁ 袛芯斜懈谢懈 锌褉械写褋褌邪胁邪 泻邪泻胁芯 屑懈褋谢械谢懈 懈 谐芯胁芯褉械谢懈 屑谢邪写懈褌械 褏芯褉邪 胁 袦芯褋泻胁邪 芯褌 锌褉械胁芯写邪褔泻邪褌邪 褋懈, 写褗褖械褉褟 薪邪 锌芯谢泻芯胁薪懈泻 芯褌 邪褉屑懈褟褌邪鈥�

馃ぁ 袠屑邪谢懈 褉褍褋薪邪褑懈褌械 褔邪褋褌薪懈! 锌邪褉褑械谢懈 锌芯 胁褉械屑械 薪邪 袙小袙 懈 褋懈 谐谢械写邪谢懈 褌邪屑 泻邪褉褌芯褎懈 懈 蟹械谢械. 袙 袦芯褋泻胁邪鈥�

馃ぁ 袠 写褉邪谐懈 屑懈 邪胁褌芯褉械, 褋谐褉邪写懈褌械 胁 袣懈械胁 褋邪 褉邪蟹褉褍褕械薪懈 薪械 芯褌 薪械屑褑懈褌械, 邪 芯褌 斜褟谐邪褖懈褌械 锌褉械写 褌褟褏 褋屑械谢懈 斜芯谢褕械胁懈泻懈.

P.S. 小褌邪泄薪斜械泻 械 斜懈谢 褋 卸械薪邪 褋懈 胁 袦芯褋泻胁邪 懈 锌褉械写懈 褌邪蟹懈 褋懈 胁懈蟹懈褌邪 - 褌芯褔薪芯 锌褉械蟹 蟹薪邪屑械薪懈褌邪褌邪 1937 谐芯写懈薪邪. 袩褉芯锌褍褋薪邪谢 械 薪褟泻邪泻 写邪 谐芯 褋锌芯屑械薪械, 蟹邪褖芯 谢懈? 袧械 斜懈 斜懈谢芯 褔褍写薪芯, 写邪 屑褍 褋械 械 褋谢褍褔懈谢邪 袣袚袘 褋谢褍褔泻邪 懈 褌芯胁邪 屑芯卸械 斜懈 芯斜褟褋薪褟胁邪 谐芯褉薪懈褌械 薪械懈褋褌懈薪懈 懈 薪械谢械锌懈褑懈. 袣芯械褌芯, 械褋褌械褋褌胁械薪芯 薪懈泻邪泻 薪械 谐芯 芯锌褉邪胁写邪胁邪鈥�

袧械 屑懈 械 褟褋薪芯, 蟹邪褖芯 褌邪蟹懈 泻薪懈谐邪 褋械 胁褗蟹锌褉懈械屑邪 懈 褋械谐邪 芯褌 屑薪芯谐芯 褏芯褉邪 泻邪褌芯 薪械褖芯 蟹薪邪褔懈屑芯 懈 蟹邪褋谢褍卸邪胁邪褖邪 写芯胁械褉懈械? 袩褉懈 薪邪谢懈褔懈械褌芯 薪邪 褌芯谢泻芯胁邪 屑薪芯谐芯 写芯褋褌褗锌薪邪 懈薪褎芯褉屑邪褑懈褟 蟹邪 褌芯蟹懈 锌械褉懈芯写, 褌芯胁邪 屑懈 褋械 褋褌褉褍胁邪 谐谢褍锌邪胁芯 懈 屑褗褉蟹械谢懈胁芯!
Profile Image for Chrissie.
2,811 reviews1,430 followers
September 16, 2020
This is a book definitely worth reading, but I wouldn't put it up there with Steinbeck's best.

It has clear prose, spiced with humor, pathos and wonderful descriptions of places and people. But the book is short and much was off limits.

In itself it is amazing that Steinbeck and the famed photographer Robert Capa were even allowed into Russia in 1947, two years after the war and with the Cold War in full swing. Steinbeck was employed as a war correspondent by the New York Herald Tribune and he continued to work for them. The aim of the book was to draw a picture of ordinary Russian people; the focus was not politics.

How well does he capture "the Russian people"? That which Steinbeck tells us and which Capa shows through his photos are interesting but the visit is too brief to give a full picture. Bureaucracy and state restrictions hampered the endeavor. Neither did they plan the trip that well. They flew via Stockholm to Moscow, where no rooms awaited them. Finally, installed first at the Metropol and then later at the Savoy, they seek permission to leave Moscow, to take photos and to talk to people. Who was to sponsor them was even up for grabs. Eventually with papers and permission slips in order they make separate trips from Moscow to Kiev, to Stalingrad/Volgograd and to Georgia visiting both Tiflis/Tbilisi and Batum/Batumi. Each time returning to Moscow to bathe and to sleep, but in reality to drink and to converse with Western correspondents and Russian officials. To go to the Bolshoi. Capa was incessantly fretting over his photos; would they be allowed out? The two were only there a couple of weeks. Yes, they spent time with ordinary Russian people, but the time spent was limited and often restricted.

The book shows vividly the destruction of the Patriotic War. Gifts were given to the City of Stalingrad from foreign nations, but what were needed were artificial limbs, housing and a whole new infrastructure. Each morning in the square outside their hotel window the two saw the Russian people, mostly women, creep out from the cellars, all that remained from before. It is quite a feat to go to work in clean clothes. Women, because the men were crippled or killed. Steinbeck鈥檚 writing is sharp, vivid and moving.

Outside Kiev the two men visited collective farms. The people were generous with that which they had. There was laughing and good food and dancing and music, always music and dancing and vodka and brown bread and cucumbers and tomatoes. Not fancy but generous, singing, happy people, hopeful for the future. Curious people, always asking questions and carefully evaluating the given replies. Rarely could Steinbeck or Capa give adequate answers. Do Americans like poetry? Does the state help farmers with equipment, new techniques and advice about experimental seeds? It is the questions posed by the ordinary Russians and then their replies to the answers given that are the most telling. Yet any reader must question whom were they allowed to meet and talk with. Not just anyone!

In Georgia, what the men saw is lyrically depicted. Georgia was never destroyed by the war. Always generous people, dancing and music and food. This section reads almost as a tourist guide. I continually looked at images of places visited on internet.

I wish I had seen Capa鈥檚 photos. Only a few are to be found on the web. I listened to the audiobook reasonably well narrated by Richard Poe. He tends to dramatize, but his dramatization does fit the intent of Steinbeck鈥檚 lines. You could hear the humor. You could hear the exasperation that intermittently arose between Capa and Steinbeck. Capa would disappear into the bathtub for hours, with his stolen/鈥漛orrowed鈥� books. Steinbeck has his own little quirks we learn of too.

I am certainly glad I read this. You have to take it for what it is and be happy for that we have been allowed to glimpse. I would recommend reading the paper version so you see the photos; they are half of the story.
Profile Image for Jason Koivu.
Author听7 books1,382 followers
February 6, 2017
Right after WWII people in America were curious about the Soviet Union in a big way. It coincided with a time when author John Steinbeck and world-renowned photographer Robert Capa were at a loss for what to do next. A scheme was hatched up to do a bit of light investigative journalism and see what was up with post-war Russia.

This wasn't political, so much as a social call. Steinbeck and Capa really just wanted to see what was going on in the lives and minds of the people.

They went to Moscow...

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And they visited farmers in the provinces...

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One thing you'll notice from the above photos (besides the ubiquitous recurrence of Stalin) is the general lack of men. A generation of males had been lost to war and the remaining women were left to carry on.

Impressions:

The people of Moscow came off as cold and officious. Everything needed to be categorized and catalogued. Steinbeck describes one meal in which hours elapsed before food hit the table, not because the cooks were slow. Rather, the paperwork that needed to be filled out and distributed to the proper authorities delayed the kitchen from even beginning.

The country farmers, though less educated, seemed freer and happier, even if they were worked ragged due to a lack of mechanization that had been available to them pre-war. However, they were welcoming and generous.

As it turns out, right after WWII, just about all people in Russia were curious about Americans in a big way and they had many questions for Steinbeck and Capa, so many that at times it seemed the journalists were becoming the story. Those interested in either gentlemen will enjoy some of the slight insights given herein. I've noted in his other autobiographical work that Steinbeck comes off as an impish trickster at times...though his friends might just flat out call him evil. Nonetheless, his sense of fun brings a welcome lightness to the text.

This is not to say the text is particularly heavy. In fact, this is quite a light read. Steinbeck seems to strike a good balance of post-war doom and gloom with hope and promise for a brighter future while relating it all in the easy-going manner of a master storyteller. This may be outdated and not give you an idea of what Russia's like today, but it's a nice sample of a recent historical time and place. Highly recommended!


A Capa and Steinbeck selfie...
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(I apologize if not all photos are from this book, as websites like Pinterest have begun to make online photo attribution rather difficult.)
Profile Image for Mike.
352 reviews223 followers
December 22, 2019

I started reading A Russian Journal with a blank slate in terms of my thoughts on John Steinbeck- never read The Grapes of Wrath, never read East of Eden- except knowing vaguely that Steinbeck had been harassed by the FBI for his supposedly leftist/Socialist leanings. It might also be relevant to note that I read it during the first couple of weeks after I'd moved to Russia, admittedly for the nakedly emotional reason that I didn't know anyone there, and thought that a fellow American who'd made the same trip, albeit 70 years previously, would be good company. Of course, time sometimes makes for a larger gulf than geographic distance. Moscow, at least for me, bore an uncanny resemblance to DC (both capitals of countries with...ahem...imperial characteristics, the size and grandeur of the buildings seem to communicate that absolute power resides in man-made institutions, in the systems of government that each country has established...drive oh let's say I-40 from Flagstaff to Vegas however, through the desert, and you get a very different sense of the limitations of civilization). Steinbeck's world, on the other hand, felt more alien. There are plenty of writers of his day who don't strike me as antiquated at all, but there's something about Steinbeck's music that makes it impossible to forget the dislocations of time: Stalin and Truman are alive and in power, the hydrogen bomb hasn't yet been developed, the best way to correspond between Moscow and New York is the post, swing music still seems deliciously decadent, and you can feel rather pleased with yourself when you end a chapter in your book with the phrase "...a man does not drink another man's whisky."

Something that might strike contemporary readers as familiar, however, is the attitude of suspicion and obsessiveness over Russia. That's how Steinbeck describes the atmosphere in the U.S., anyway. At the time he went to Russia, in 1947, the Cold War was just beginning; as he says in the book, he wanted to get away from what he considered partisan bickering and hysteria, and write down only what he saw in the USSR. 鈥淚n the papers every day鈥�, he writes, 鈥渢here were thousands of words about Russia.鈥�
What Stalin was thinking about, the plans of the Russian General Staff, the disposition of troops, experiments with atomic weapons and guided missiles, all of this by people who had not been there, and whose sources were not above reproach. And it occurred to us that there were some things that nobody wrote about Russia鈥hat do the people wear there? What do they serve at dinner? Do they have parties? What food is there? How do they make love, and how do they die? What do they talk about? Do they dance, and sing, and play? Do the children go to school?鈥e wanted to get to the Russian people if we could.
This might have been when I started to notice something weirdly sentimental and childlike about Steinbeck's writing (do they play?), but I can't fault his intention. He makes a point that resonates with my sense today that a lot of the news we get here in the U.S. about the rest of the world is presented in a dramatic context, relevant only insofar as it plays a role in our reality show. Not everything has to be screamingly relevant to be interesting...or maybe a better point is that most of what's presented to us as relevant really isn't, and that with some patience and subtlety we might find the most unexpected and striking relevance in stories of ordinary human experience. I'm with Steinbeck there. And to be sure, his general approach to traveling seems wise:
We knew there would be many things we couldn鈥檛 understand, many things we wouldn鈥檛 like, many things that would make us uncomfortable. This is always true of a foreign country. But we determined that if there should be criticism, it would be criticism of the thing after seeing it, not before.
He refers to "we" and "us" throughout, by the way, in order to include his partner on the journey, war photographer Robert Capa; it鈥檚 clear that Steinbeck wants to mirror in his prose the objectivity that he believes Capa has achieved with his photographs. Capa's most famous photo is The Falling Soldier, taken during the Spanish Civil War, although there's some controversy over whether or not it was staged. Impossible as true objectivity may be, Steinbeck demonstrates an openness to the common people of the USSR, a trait that couldn't have been taken for granted in his time (nor today, for that matter). On this journey, those people are mostly Russians, Ukrainians and Georgians, because Moscow, Stalingrad (now Volgograd), Kyiv, Tiflis (now Tbilisi) and Gori, as well as a few collective farms in Ukraine, are the places the Soviets want Steinbeck and Capa to see. And it鈥檚 this quality of curiosity about everyday life that allows Steinbeck to take note of interesting characters like the customs official who inspects his belongings:
The customs man was very polite, and very kind鈥ut, as he proceeded, it became clear to us that he was not looking for anything in particular, he was just interested. He turned over our shining equipment and fingered it lovingly. He lifted out every roll of film but he did nothing about it and he questioned nothing. He just seems to be interested in foreign things鈥�
But it's also this same quality- or at least an adjacent quality, a certain lack of cynicism and skepticism- that prevents Steinbeck from wondering about what might become of this very polite customs official, so kind to foreigners and so interested in foreign things. My guess is nothing good.听

Steinbeck's attempts to be objective inevitably yield interpretations of their own. Sometimes this results in powerful passages that move organically from either observation or background research to interpretation:
[Kyiv] at one time must have been a beautiful city. It is much older than Moscow. It is the mother of Russian cities. Seated on its hill beside the Dnieper, it spreads down into the plain. Its monasteries and churches and fortresses date from the 11th century...now it is a semi-ruin. Every public building, every library, every theater, destroyed, not with gunfire, not through fighting, but with fire and dynamite.

Counting soldiers, there would be many more, but six million out of forty-five million civilians have been killed...Every piece of machinery in the Ukraine has been destroyed or removed, so that now, until more can be made, everything must be done by hand. Every stone and brick of the ruined city must be lifted and carried with the hands, for there are no bulldozers. And while they are rebuilding, the Ukrainians must produce food, for theirs is the great granary of the nation.听

Here in white plaster [in the museum] was a model of the new city. A grandiose, fabulous city to be built of white marble, the lines classical, the buildings huge...the people come through the wreckage...to look at the plaster cities of the future. In Russia it is always the future that is thought of. It is the crops next year, it is the comfort that will come in ten years, it is the clothes that will be made very soon.
"In Russia it is always the future that is thought of" isn't an objective fact of course, it's an impression, but that's fine with me. It's an insightful and poetic passage that shows me Steinbeck was a great observer- at least about certain things. "It is like a religious thing" is also an impression, but a perspicacious one:
Later we went to Red Square, where a queue of people at least a quarter of a mile long stood waiting to go through Lenin鈥檚 tomb鈥ll afternoon, and nearly every afternoon, a slow thread of people marches through the tomb to look at the dead face of Lenin in his glass casket鈥t is like a religious thing, although they would not call it religious.

--------

Incidentally, in 1942, Steinbeck wrote a work of propaganda called The Moon is Down. I've never read it, although one line that sticks out to me on the book's Wikipedia page is "...the text never names the occupying forces as Germans." Not-naming seems to be a trait of propaganda, and was something I noticed in Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk as well- no specifics, no real content, just well-choreographed aerial battles, and archetypes of courage on one side vs. archetypes of evil on the other. Likewise, we get some vague glimpses of German POWs in A Russian Journal, hard at work on canals and metro tunnels; Steinbeck doesn't have much sympathy for them, and perhaps understandably so. And to be clear, I don't blame Steinbeck for doing it while the war was going on (Nolan's reductive sentimentality from the vantage of the 21st century is another matter), but I do wonder if it's possible to write propaganda- even for one of the most justified causes in human history- and then simply walk away from it, unchanged as a writer. Take the following passage from A Russian Journal, for example:
In nothing is the difference between the Americans and the Soviets so marked as in the attitude, not only toward writers, but of writers towards their system. For in the Soviet Union the writer鈥檚 job is to encourage, to celebrate, to explain, and in every way to carry forward the Soviet system. Whereas in America, and in England, a good writer is the watch-dog of society. His job is to satirize its silliness, to attack its injustices, to stigmatize its faults. And this is the reason that in America neither society nor government is very fond of writers. The two are completely opposite approaches toward literature. And it must be said that in the time of the great Russian writers, of Tolstoi, of Dostoevski, of Turgenev, of Chekhov, and of the early Gorki, the same was true of the Russians. And only time can tell whether the architect of the soul approach to writing can produce as great a literature as the watch-dog of society approach. So far, it must be admitted, the architect school has not produced a great piece of writing.
The most skilled propagandist couldn't have done much better than this unconscionable paragraph. It's not the obliteration of individual expression and thought through torture and mass murder, it's merely...a cultural difference. Granted, Steinbeck almost certainly didn't know just how bad the repression really was, but if he didn't find the idea he expresses here deeply suspicious, he wasn't much of the watchdog he seems to regard himself as existing in the tradition of. A real watchdog would be skeptical of all governments, and wouldn't spare foreign governments out of politeness, or the politically correct dogma that we can't pass judgment on them because they're foreign. Whom does Steinbeck think made the decision that the "job" of Soviet writers is to celebrate their system? Doesn't he sense that the Soviet relationship between writer and government is a version of the American one in which the government has crushed the watchdogs? Steinbeck may have set the artistic parameters that he didn't want to offer interpretation, but he is interpreting, and his attempt to sound fair and objective in this case instead makes him sound naive at best. The passage is also a profound insult to every Soviet writer who had the courage to write the truth about what was happening in their country.

Nor could Stalin have been too displeased with the following paragraph. It鈥檚 true that it occasionally yields interesting results for Steinbeck to play dumb (if that's what he's doing) and bend over backwards to be judicious in trying to intuitively explain the phenomena of totalitarianism, but it also makes him sound, again, either naive or insincere:
To Americans, with their fear and hatred of power invested in one man, this is a frightening thing...at public celebrations the pictures of Stalin outgrow every bound of reason. We spoke...to a number of Russians and had several answers. One was that the Russian people had been used to pictures of the czar and the czar's family...another was that the icon is a Russian habit of mind, and this was a kind of an icon. A third, that the Russians love Stalin so much that they want him ever present. A fourth, that Stalin himself does not like this and has asked that it be discontinued. But it seems to us that Stalin's dislike for anything else causes its removal...
But Steinbeck either fails to acknowledge or doesn't realize that any Soviet citizen who valued their health would have stayed far away from him, or offered only the blandest of cliches. Whether he has any inkling of this or not, he proceeds as if he doesn't, and I think that's what ultimately makes his approach untenable. In his effort to get away from political bickering, he forgets that every aspect of the society he's encountering is informed by politics and power. The answers that he receives from people are not representative of their uncensored, individual thoughts (as Orwell would suggest a couple of years later in 1984, one of the ultimate goals of a totalitarian society is to eliminate not just individual expression but individual thought)- they're perverted by the terror of Soviet life. In one of his last interviews, Anthony Bourdain told a story about eating with a man from Laos who was missing both his legs. When Bourdain asked him what had happened, the man told him that when he was younger he'd stepped on unexploded American ordinance...and just like that, a conversation about something seemingly individual had become a conversation about something seemingly world-historical. It's hard to keep these concepts separate for very long at all, and when we try, the results tend to be grotesque.

Furthermore, while it's commendable that Steinbeck wants to serve as a corrective to what he calls "Moscowitis" and what we now know became McCarthyism, he fails to make a crucial distinction. He fails to understand that writing about the Soviet government鈥檚 atrocities is not mutually exclusive with his appreciation of the Soviet people- it would in fact conceivably be to their benefit, at least in the court of public opinion, and this is because they are in the majority not Stalin鈥檚 accomplices but his victims.听

(Review continued in comment #1, below)
Profile Image for Banu Y谋ld谋ran Gen莽.
Author听2 books1,297 followers
June 23, 2024
steinbeck鈥檌n 鈥渞usya g眉nl眉臒眉鈥� m眉thi艧 bir kitap. 2. d眉nya sava艧谋n谋n hemen sonras谋, 1947鈥檇e, steinbeck ve foto臒raf莽谋 arkada艧谋 robert capa, uzun izin s眉re莽lerinin ard谋ndan rusya鈥檡a gidiyorlar. ama莽 politik de臒il, kim bu insanlar, ne yer ne i莽erler, a艧谋k olurlar m谋, dans ederler mi, canavarlar m谋鈥� sorular谋n谋 cevaplamakt谋r. bu arada so臒uk sava艧 枚ncesi olmadu臒u i莽in iki devlet birbirine gayet temkinli ama daha paranoyak莽a d眉艧man de臒il.
en sevdi臒im t眉r kitaplardan biri: insan hikayeleri. bu nedenle s谋k s谋k svetlana aleksiyevi莽鈥檌n 眉topyadan sesler鈥檌 olu艧turan kitaplar谋 geldi akl谋ma. bir hayalin nas谋l mahvoldu臒unu g枚rmek鈥� misler gibi i艧leyecek bir d眉zenin nas谋l berbat edildi臒ini oradan biliyorum. steinbeck daha sscb鈥檔in en ideal y谋llar谋nda orada, kamplarda, konuk evlerinde, kiral谋k evlerde hak yemeler ba艧lamam谋艧, 眉st d眉zey memurlar zenginle艧memi艧.
kiev b枚l眉m眉 aleksiyevi莽鈥檇en 枚臒rendi臒im 鈥渟ovyet insan谋鈥漬谋 枚yle bir anlat谋yor ki鈥� k枚ylerini, evlerini kollektif bir bi莽imde yeniden yapan, umutlu insanlar. hi莽bir 艧eyleri olmamas谋na ra臒men. baya臒谋 g枚zlerim doldu. sonra leningrad b枚l眉m眉nde yine o a莽l谋臒谋 aleksiyevi莽 kitaplar谋ndan, insanlar谋n evcil hayvan谋n谋 yedi臒ini bildi臒imden y谋k谋nt谋lar谋n, deliklerin aras谋ndan 莽谋k谋p i艧e giden gen莽 k谋za 莽ok 艧a艧谋rmad谋m. o insanlar谋n nas谋l hayatta kald谋臒谋n谋 bilince鈥�
g眉rcistan b枚l眉m眉 kitab谋n en m眉kemmel b枚l眉m眉, g眉rc眉lerin nas谋l farkl谋 oldu臒unu anlat谋rken dinden, co臒rafyadan, 莽aydan her 艧eyden bahsediyor steinbeck. yiyip i莽tikleri hele鈥� kitapta en 莽ok bahsedilen 艧ey ge莽irilen mide fesatlar谋 ve s谋k s谋k a艧谋r谋 yemekten bozduklar谋 ba臒谋rsaklar谋.
steinbeck ve capa鈥檔谋n ili艧kileri de, mihmandarlar谋 da 枚yle tatl谋, esprili bir bi莽imde anlat谋l谋yor ki. steinbeck鈥檛eki bu humour鈥檃 bay谋ld谋m. sonra bir yerde capa kendi 艧ikayetlerini yaz谋yor :)) hadi bakal谋m g眉venilmez anlat谋c谋 oldu mu bize steinbeck.
orada kald谋klar谋 2 ayda hi莽bir bi莽imde kom眉nizm yermedikleri, bu insanlar谋 sadece devlete tapan ki艧iler olarak resmettikleri (en 莽ok sanat莽谋lardaki bu tapmaya 艧a艧谋r谋yorlar), alman esirlerinin bile gayet insani 艧artlarda 莽al谋艧t谋r谋ld谋klar谋n谋 s枚yledikleri i莽in eminim ki 莽ok ele艧tirilmi艧lerdir. capa zaten 10 y谋l sonra vietnam鈥檇a maalesef hayat谋n谋 kaybediyor.
sscb鈥檡i, sovyet insan谋n谋 anlamak i莽in 莽ok 枚nemli bir kitap bence. deniz keskin 莽evirisi tertemiz, ak谋p gidiyor. ve ayr谋ca cidden 莽ok komik.
Profile Image for Benjamin.
270 reviews10 followers
April 20, 2012
Two things:

a) I wish Penguin would've gotten hold of some more hi-res versions of Capa's photos. You can find some of them at , and they're much better quality than the images in the book.

b) I wish Steinbeck had published an addendum to this journal after Khrushchev's Secret Speech exposing Stalin's crimes -- I know JS wasn't trying to be political or anything, but I would've been interested to see his interpretation of that time period with retrospective knowledge.

That said, I can't tell you how much I love Steinbeck. He's so perceptive and honest and funny. And powerfully emotive when the occasion calls for it. But mostly, his point is that people are people all over the world and deserve all the respect and dignity that we can afford, at all times, no matter who they are. Bums, communists, workers, socialites, farmers, migrants, orphans, they should live as human beings. And he's not afraid to say as much to people who don't let them do so. Or to shame them for it.

I love you, John Steinbeck.
Profile Image for Steven R. Kraaijeveld.
548 reviews1,913 followers
January 9, 2018
Steinbeck met photographer Robert Capa and together they decided to take a trip to the Soviet Union. They sought to discover the people of the Soviet Union not in the way that the popular, prejudiced, propaganda-heavy media had done and were doing (this was right at the cusp of the Cold War), but through their own eyes鈥攖o portray the truth of how ordinary people live, as Steinbeck puts it. In A Russian Journal, published in 1948, Steinbeck recounts, chronologically, his trip with Capa and the various people and places they encountered as they made their way through the Soviet Union鈥攆rom Moscow to Kiev, and from Stalingrad to Georgia. The result is not the 'truth', which is, of course, impossible, but at least an honest and fair account of both the bad and the good among the Russians, the latter being significantly more numerous and the first being no worse than what one may find among Americans. This conclusion is ultimately reached through Steinbeck's storytelling鈥攆ortified and made more compelling by his idiosyncratic wit and humor鈥攁s well as through the inclusion of Capa's wonderful photographs.
Profile Image for Jacob Seb忙k.
211 reviews8 followers
September 26, 2020
One of the books I deliberately took in in small doses ... I just did not want it to end!

Not because it was a "Steinbeck classic", in style it is quite far from his masterpiece novels, but because Steinbeck works his way around the topic in an impressible humble way.

"We will report only what we see and hear" was the objective and indeed this is mostly the case.
In the beginning of the Cold War era when most information was based on highly biased rumors from both sides of the Iron Curtain, Steinbeck and Capa went on a reporting tour to see for themselves and report just what they saw, document it with Capa麓s photos and share their experience with the public.

What they saw - apart from the strict communist party regulations - was the daily life life of the Russian people. People with the same needs and wants as an American, and foremost a strong inclination to "No More War".
They met the hospitality and the red tape, the bureaucracy and the collective farms and everything in between - and they provided me with a happy revisit to a Georgia not so different from what I have experienced myself.

Profile Image for Paolo.
157 reviews188 followers
January 1, 2021
Ultimissima lettura del 2020 ed in un certo senso emblematica e salutifera.
John Steinbeck e Robert Capa si recano per un reportage nella Russia dell'immediato dopoguerra (siamo nel 1947).
Per una fortunata combinazione non vengono considerati cronisti, ma incaricati di uno "scambio culturale" e cos矛 sono pi霉 liberi di spaziare nell'Unione Sovietica per due mesi, documentando la vita a Mosca, nelle campagne ucraine, nella fertile Georgia. E soprattutto Stalingrado !
Vengono descritte (e fotografate) la Russia in cui evidenti sono le devastazioni della guerra e la sua gente che ha sofferto lutti e privazioni, ma la cui dignit脿 e intatta, grande l'entusiasmo con cui lavora alla ricostruzione e sconfinata la fiducia in un futuro migliore.
Non c'猫 pressoch猫 alcuna pretesa letteraria e la scrittura 猫 elementare in modo quasi disarmante, ma proprio per questo 5 stelle: ci si immagina la famiglia Joad che incontra i superstiti di Vita e Destino e condivide con loro la grandezza degli esseri umani che lottano per la propria sopravvivenza e la propria dignit脿.
Non si pu貌 non guardare avanti, buon 2021 a tutti.
Profile Image for Andrei Tama艧.
448 reviews347 followers
October 16, 2016
John Steinbeck, una dintre cele mai proeminente figuri ale literaturii americane din secolul XX, este unul dintre scriitorii care, prin 卯nsu葯i felul lor de a fi, iau atitudine 卯mpotriva pragmatismului caracteristic 葯colii de literatur膬 din care au f膬cut parte. De aceea, Robert Capa, fotograful care l-a 卯nso葲it 卯n c膬l膬toria 卯ntreprins膬 卯n Uniunea Sovietic膬 卯n anii de dup膬 cel de-al Doilea R膬zboi Mondial, afirma c膬, de fapt, Steinbeck 鈥欌€檈ste un sentimental ascuns 卯n propria cochilie鈥欌€�.
Asa-intitulatul Jurnal rusesc prezint膬, panoramic, via葲a din Uniunea Sovietic膬, existen葲a aceea 鈥欌€檃 lucrurilor mici鈥欌€� despre care vorbea Tolstoi 卯n 鈥欌€橰膬zboi 葯i pace鈥欌€�, atunci c芒nd 卯ncerca s膬 caracterizeze poporul rus. De葯i se observ膬 inten葲ia clar膬 a autorului de a nu surprinde aspecte din via葲a politic膬, este -葯i pe drept cuv芒nt!- absolut imposibil s膬 nu sesizezi un portret al lui Stalin de 100x50 metri ancorat la fiecare col葲 de strad膬.
Unul dintre cele mai pregnante aspecte care se impun 卯nc膬 de la 卯nceput este reprezentat de contrastul tragic dintre stilul de via葲膬 american 葯i sobrietatea impus膬 de sovietici cet膬葲enilor (aparent, un cod de conduit膬 bine pus la punct): 鈥欌€橢ra ceva ce nu 葲inea neap膬rat de limbaj, ci de traducerea dintr-un mod de g芒ndire 卯n altul鈥欌€�. Totu葯i, via葲a ru葯ilor de sub bocancul comunismului nu se rezum膬 doar la Moscova (a葯a cum am fost deprin葯i a vedea lucrurile 卯n urma citirii studiilor de specialitate), tot ceea ce este 卯n afara capitalei p膬str芒ndu-葯i nuan葲a aceea rudimentar膬 cu care ne-am obi葯nuit la Gogol (de asemenea, Kievul 葯i 卯mprejurimile reprezinta un alt obiectiv c膬ruia autorul 卯i dedic膬 un 卯ntreg capitol).
Cea mai... literar膬 (s膬-i spunem a葯a!) parte a jurnalului este reprezentat膬 de descrierea poporului georgian: 鈥欌€橵orbeau despre georgieni ca despre ni葯te supraoameni - mari b膬utori, mari dansatori, mari c芒nt膬re葲i, mari iub膬re葲i 葯i muncitori de frunte. Chiar 卯ncepuser膬m s膬 credem c膬 majoritatea ru葯ilor sper膬 c膬 dac膬 vor duce un trai virtuos vor ajunge nu 卯n paradis, ci 卯n Georgia鈥欌€�. Dac膬 a葯 putea alege acum o destina葲ie de vacan葲膬, aceea ar fi, f膬r膬 葯ov膬ire, Georgia. Ce frumos e numai s膬-葲i imaginezi confluen葲a culturii occidentale cu cea oriental膬, darmite s膬 te g芒nde葯ti c膬 bine葲ea poporului georgian este asem膬n膬toare cu pacea pe care o eman膬 Tibetul...
De asemenea, jurnalul a fost scris 卯n preajma anului 1947, c芒nd Uniunea Sovietic膬 卯nc膬 nu 卯葯i revenise dup膬 r膬zboi, 卯ns膬 cu toate acestea, 卯ntreaga popula葲ie sovietic膬 (sub ochii aparent divini ai conduc膬torilor s膬i), munce葯te pentru ca ziua de m芒ine s膬 fie mai bun膬. Episoadele descrise 卯n acest sens sunt numeroase, autorul afirm芒nd chiar c膬 鈥欌€檇ac膬 a existat vreodat膬 un popor care s膬-葯i trag膬 energia din speran葲膬, acela e poporul rus.鈥欌€�
Cu toate c膬 am afirmat faptul c膬 scriitorul care a fost distins cu premiul Nobel pentru literatur膬 a 卯ncercat s膬 se 葲in膬 departe de politizarea scrierii, sunt fragmente care condamna subtil regimul sovietic. De pild膬, 卯n Ucraina, la vederea 鈥欌€檃mericanilor鈥欌€�, un copil a alergat spre mama lui strig芒nd: 鈥欌€橫am膬, mam膬, americanii 膬葯tia sunt oameni ca noi鈥欌€�, iar nervii lui Robert Capa, 卯nso葲itorul fotograf al scriitorului, sunt surprin葯i 卯n scena 卯n care trebuia sa ofere spre cenzurare rolfilmele pe care le f膬cuse: 鈥欌€橨um膬tate din timp Capa a pus la cale o contrarevolu葲ie, 卯n caz c膬 se alegea praful de filmele lui, iar 卯n cealalt膬 jum膬tate de timp s-a g芒ndit cum s膬 se sinucid膬.鈥欌€�
脦n fine, opera are o uria葯膬 valoare moral膬, motiv care a tras greu, cred eu, la acordarea Nobelului 卯n 1962: condamn膬, at芒t din perspectiva scriitorului american, c芒t 葯i din aceea a poporului sovietic, orice forma a r膬zboiului, 卯ndemn芒nd la 卯nfr膬葲irea popoarelor.

Andrei Tama葯, 16 octombrie 2016
Profile Image for Katya.
429 reviews
Read
November 14, 2022
"And谩vamos deprimidos, n茫o tanto com as not铆cias como com a forma como eram dadas. Porque as not铆cias j谩 n茫o s茫o not铆cias, pelo menos aquelas que atraem mais aten莽茫o. As not铆cias transformaram-se em mat茅ria de opini茫o especializada. Um homem sentado a uma secret谩ria em Washington ou Nova Iorque l锚 os telegramas das ag锚ncias e reformula-os de acordo com o seu pr贸prio quadro mental e d谩-lhes um t铆tulo. Aquilo que muitas vezes lemos como not铆cia n茫o 茅 mais do que a opini茫o de um entre meia d煤zia de especialistas sobre o que essa not铆cia significa."

Que Steinbeck 茅 um grande escritor, 茅 algo de que ningu茅m duvida. Com este seu Di谩rio Russo confirma-se que esse grande escritor tem uma veia de jornalista - embora tenha tamb茅m uma avers茫o ao jornalismo convencional e contempor芒neo, pelo que acaba por fazer uma reportagem que se l锚 mais como um romance do que qualquer outra coisa.
O seu mote, de dar a conhecer aquilo que os olhos v锚em, mais do que aquilo que a cabe莽a processa ap贸s esse momento 茅 genu铆no, acredito, embora impratic谩vel na sua totalidade. Mas a premissa b谩sica foi cumprida: percorrer terras russas e olhar 脿s pessoas que as habitam; procurar perceber quem 茅 o povo russo. Claro que pelo caminho 茅 inevit谩vel que se cruze e acabe por descrever aquela que era a m谩quina burocr谩tica sovi茅tica (t茫o semelhante a outras m谩quinas burocr谩ticas - todas inerentes a regimes conservadores e com certa queda para as ditaduras e os fascismos); 茅 inevit谩vel que denuncie a prepot锚ncia do regime; mas o seu foco n茫o est谩 nunca a铆.
Steinbeck perde-se nas descri莽玫es da terra e das gentes, da hospitalidade de russos, ucranianos, georgianos - come e bebe a sua conta, festeja como se n茫o houvesse amanh茫 e d谩 a conhecer toda uma faceta humana do povo, sem [pre]conceitos expressos.

"O mais dif铆cil do mundo para qualquer pessoa 茅 provavelmente a simples observa莽茫o e aceita莽茫o daquilo que acontece. Deformamos sempre as nossas imagens com as nossas expectativas, esperan莽as ou receios."

O seu sentido de humor t铆pico polvilha aqui e ali todo o texto, proporcionando momentos de comic relief que ajudam a suportar o retrato de um pa铆s devastado pela guerra, uma popula莽茫o a cicatrizar da barb谩rie a que "foi" duramente sujeita. Esse humor ajuda o leitor a tragar imagens duras, muito duras, do p贸s-Guerra e consequente Cortina de Ferro: os seus efeitos naquela que 茅 a personalidade de uma na莽茫o, os seus efeitos na vida de cada indiv铆duo.

"脌 tarde atravess谩mos a pra莽a e fomos at茅 um pequeno parque perto do rio e a铆, debaixo de um grande obelisco de pedra, havia um jardim de flores vermelhas, e debaixo do jardim estava sepultado um grande n煤mero de defensores de Estalinegrado. Havia pouca gente no parque, mas estava uma mulher sentada num banco e um rapazinho de cinco ou seis anos de p茅 encostado 脿 veda莽茫o, a olhar para as flores. Esteve ali tanto tempo que n贸s dissemos a Chmarski que quer铆amos falar com ele.
Chmarski perguntou-lhe em russo: 芦Que est谩s aqui a fazer?禄 E o rapazinho, sem sentimentalismo, com uma voz natural, disse: 芦Vim visitar o meu pai. Venho v锚-lo todas as noites.禄
Sem dramatismo, sem sentimentalismo, era uma simples constata莽茫o de facto, e a mulher sentada no banco levantou os olhos, confirmou com a abe莽a e sorriu. E pouco depois ela e o rapazinho atravessaram o parque de regresso 脿 cidade em ru铆nas."

Lamentavelmente, claro, muito fica por dizer e mostrar. N茫o s贸 o trabalho 茅 sint茅tico por vontade dos autores, como mais sint茅tico se torna por imposi莽茫o pol铆tica - ficam de fora as imagens mais cruas, de esp茅cie liter谩ria ou outra, dos estropiados, dos presos de guerra, dos famintos, e da reconstru莽茫o e "limpeza" operada pelo regime estalinista.

"(...)na Uni茫o Sovi茅tica, o papel do escritor 茅 estimular, glorificar, explicar e de todas as formas poss铆veis promover o sistema pol铆tico sovi茅tico. Ao passo que na Am茅rica, e na Inglaterra, um bom escritor 茅 o c茫o de guarda da sociedade. O seu papel 茅 satirizar-lhe os desconchavos, atacar-lhe as injusti莽as, estigmatizar-lhe as falhas. E 茅 por isso que, na Am茅rica, nem a sociedade nem o governo simpatizam muito com os escritores. S茫o duas formas diametralmente opostas de encarar a literatura. E conv茅m dizer que, no tempo dos grandes escritores russos, de Tolst贸i, de Dostoievski, de Turgu茅nev, de Tch茅khov e do jovem Gorki, acontecia o mesmo com os russos."

脡 o di谩rio poss铆vel, e satisfatoriamente imparcial, por parte de um escritor com not贸rias preocupa莽玫es sociais e de um fot贸grafo destemido, exigente e curiosamente tr谩gico - uma excelente combina莽茫o de for莽as.

"E pronto. Era mais ao menos isto que quer铆amos ver. Verific谩mos, como t铆nhamos suspeitado, que os russos s茫o pessoas, e, como pessoas que s茫o, s茫o muito simp谩ticos. Aqueles com quem fal谩mos odiavam a guerra, queriam o mesmo que todas as pessoas querem - boas vidas, mais conforto, seguran莽a e paz.
Sabemos que este di谩rio n茫o vai agradar 脿 esquerda ortodoxa nem 谩 direita bo莽al. A primeira vai dizer que ele 茅 anti-russo, a segunda que pr贸-russo. Superficial 茅, sem d煤vida, e n茫o podia ser de outra maneira. N茫o temos conclus玫es a tirar, a n茫o ser que o povo russo 茅 como todos os outros povos do mundo. Alguns s茫o certamente maus, mas na sua grande maioria s茫o muito boas pessoas."
Profile Image for Daria.
170 reviews42 followers
January 13, 2021
Reading A Russian Journal reminded me of why I used to love Steinbeck鈥檚 writing so much, and that I still do.

There is so much humor in this book, and honest curiosity, and compassion, and candor. I really looked forward to see how one of my favorite places in the world would look like through the eyes of one of my favorites writers, and I was not disappointed.
Profile Image for Arupratan.
220 reviews356 followers
September 8, 2023
唳︵唳唳む唳 唳唳多唳Ο唰佮Ζ唰嵿Η唰囙Π 唳犩唳� 唳Π唰囙 唳椸唳熰 唳班唳多唳唳距Ω唳� 唳唳班唳� 唳囙唳班唳� 唳溹唳∴唰� 唳氞唳侧 唳灌Ο唳监唳涏唳� 唳班唳粪唳熰唳班唳� 唳︵唳唳班 唳膏唳班唳唳� 唳唳侧唳多 唳ㄠ唳班Ζ唳距Π唳苦Π 唳唳Μ唳膏唳ム啷� 唳︵唳多唳� 唳溹Θ唳膏唳о唳班Γ唰囙Π 唳︵唳ㄠΘ唰嵿Ζ唳苦Θ 唳溹唳Θ唳曕 唳唳Θ 唳曕Α唳监 唳唳灌唳班唳 唳班唳栢 唳灌Ο唳监唳涏唳�, 唳唳囙Π唰囙Π 唳︵唳ㄠ唳唳距Π 唳ム唳曕唳� 唳ㄠ唳溹唳︵唳� 唳嗋Α唳监唳� 唳曕Π唰� 唳班唳栢唳涏唳� 唳班唳多唳唳� 唳忇Μ唳� 唳班唳多唳唳距Ω唳傕Σ唳椸唳� 唳︵唳多唰佮Σ唰嬥イ 唳唳侧Δ 唳唳距Ξ唳距Θ唳� 唳溹唳膏唳� 唳膏唳熰唳唳侧唳ㄠ唳� 唳ㄠ唳む唳む唳 唳多唳班 唳灌Ο唳监唳涏唳� 唳樴唳唳距Π 唳むΣ唳距Ο唳� 唳忇 唳栢唳唳唳� 唳ㄠ唳む唳イ 唳嗋Π唰囙唳溹Θ 唳唳距Ξ唳距Θ唳� 唳夃唳ㄠΩ唰嵿唳� 唳氞唳班唳氞唳� (唳溹唳膏唳唳� 唳唳班唳むΘ 唳Θ唰嵿Η唰�) 唳班唳多唳唳距Π 唳忇 唳⑧唳� 唳⑧唳� 唳椸唳∴ 唳椸唳∴ 唳膏唳Ν唳距Μ唰囙Π 唳ㄠ唳唳班Γ 唳曕Π唰囙唳苦Σ唰囙Θ : "唳嗋Ο唳监Π唳� 唳曕唳班唳熰唳�", 唳呧Π唰嵿Ε唳距 唳侧唳灌唳� 唳む唳班 唳Μ唳ㄠ唳曕啷� 唳班Δ唳ㄠ 唳班Δ唳� 唳氞唳ㄠ, 唳多唳唰嬥Π唰� 唳氞唳ㄠ 唳曕唰佮イ

唳忇 唳唳多唳� 唳呧唰嵿唳侧唳� 唳唳ㄠ唳� 唳忇Μ唳� 唳膏Ξ唳距唳唳Μ唳膏唳ム唳� 唳唳唳唳班 唳膏唳班 唳唳多唳唳� 唳唳ㄠ唳� 唳唳班唳 唳曕唳涏唳� 唳溹唳ㄠΔ唰� 唳唳班唳苦Σ 唳ㄠ啷� 唳膏Δ唰嵿Ο唳� 唳曕Ε唳距Π 唳唳多唳唳多 唳涏Α唳监唳唰� 唳Α唳监唳涏唳� 唳灌Π唰囙 唳班唳� 唳椸唳溹Μ啷� 唳唳唰囙Π 唳多唳班唳む唳� 唳溹Θ 唳膏唳熰唳囙Θ唳唳� 唳多Κ唳� 唳曕Π唰� 唳ㄠ唳唰囙唳苦Σ唰囙Θ, 唳む唳ㄠ 唳膏唳唳唰囙Δ 唳︵唳多 唳唳む 唳氞唳� 唳唳班唰冟Δ 唳呧Μ唳膏唳ム 唳Π唰嵿Ο唳唳曕唳粪Γ 唳曕Π唳む啷� 唳む唳ㄠ 唳侧唳栢唳涏唳�, 唳ㄠ唳溹唳� 唳氞唳栢 唳 唳︵唳栢Μ唰� 唳む唳� 唳侧唳栢Μ唰嬥イ 唳曕唳ㄠ唳む 唳曕Ε唳� 唳︵唳唰� 唳む唳ㄠ 唳曕Ε唳� 唳班唳栢Δ唰� 唳唳班唳ㄠΘ唳苦イ 唳多唳班唳� 唳︵唳曕 唳唳ㄠΟ唳监 唳灌唳唳距Π 唳氞唳粪唳熰 唳曕Π唰囙唰囙Θ, 唳曕唳ㄠ唳む 唳 唳Δ 唳忇唳苦Ο唳监唳涏 唳о唳班 唳о唳班 唳栢Ω唰� 唳Α唳监唳涏 唳唳ㄠΟ唳监唳� 唳唳栢唳多イ 唳膏唳曕唳粪唳� 唳む唳氞唳涏唳侧唳唳� 唳膏唳� 唳⑧唳曕 唳Α唳监唳涏 唳Π唰嵿Γ唳ㄠ唳啷� 唳膏Π唳距Ω唳班 唳唳班唳距Χ 唳曕Π唳� 唳︵Ξ唰嵿Ν唰囙Π 唳氞唳唰� 唳涏Ζ唰嵿Ξ-唳唳ㄠΟ唳� 唳唳多 唳呧Ω唰嵿Μ唳膏唳む唳曕Π啷� "唳膏唳� 唳︵唳多唳� 唳班唳ㄠ 唳膏 唳 唳唳︵唳� 唳嗋Ξ唰囙Π唳苦唳�" 唳椸唳ㄠ唳苦Π 唳唳班Ν唳距Μ 唳ム唳曕 唳唳曕唳� 唳灌Δ唰� 唳唳班唳ㄠΘ唳� 唳溹Θ 唳膏唳熰唳囙Θ唳唳曕唳� 唳Δ唰� 唳唳ㄠΜ唳む唳唳︵ 唳膏唳灌唳む唳唳曕!

唳呧Θ唰囙 唳曕唳涏 唳溹唳ㄠΔ唰� 唳唳班唳涏 唳Ζ唳苦啷� 唳Ω唰嵿唰�-唳侧唳侧唳ㄠ唰嵿Π唳距Ζ 唳曕唳ㄠ唳︵唳班唳� 唳唳班唳侧唳� 唳唳班Ξ唳`Π唰€唳む唳� 唳唳囙Π唰� 唳唳班唳唰� 唳む唳ㄠ 唳樴唳班Δ唰� 唳椸唳涏唳� 唳囙唳曕唳班唳� 唳忇Μ唳� 唳溹Π唰嵿唳苦Ο唳监唳む啷� 唳︵唳唳む唳 唳唳多唳Ο唰佮Ζ唰嵿Η唰囙Π 唳犩唳� 唳Π唰囙 唳忇唳膏Μ 唳︵唳多唳� 唳Π唳苦Ω唰嵿Ε唳苦Δ唳苦Π 唳唳Π唳� 唳曕唳ㄠ 唳唳む 唳唳囙Θ唳� 唳嗋唰囙イ 唳膏唳熰唳囙Θ唳唳曕唳� 唳Π唰嵿Γ唳ㄠ唳� 唳氞唳唰囙 唳嗋Ξ唳距Π 唳曕唳涏 唳唳多 唳唳侧 唳侧唳椸唳涏 唳唳唰囙Π 唳唳粪唳犩唳 唳唳︵唳班唳� 唳唳栢唳唳� 唳唰嬥唰嵿Π唳距Λ唳距Π 唳班Μ唳距Π唰嵿 唳曕唳-唳� 唳む唳侧 唳呧唳膏唳� 唳膏唳︵唳曕唳侧 唳涏Μ唳苦イ 唳唳班Ω唳權唳椸Δ, 唳班唳多唳唳� 唳唳班Ξ唳` 唳膏唳熰唳囙Θ唳唳曕唳� 唳膏唰嵿唰€ 唳涏唳侧唳� 唳膏唳Ο唳监 唳曕唳啷�

唳多Μ唰嵿Ζ唰囙Π 唳氞唳唰� 唳涏Μ唳苦Π 唳多唰嵿Δ唳� 唳唳多鈥� 唳忇 唳曕Ε唳距唳距Ο唳�, 唳唳班唳唳班 唳ㄠ 唳灌Σ唰囙, 唳曕唳涏唳熰 唳膏Δ唰嵿Ο唳む 唳嗋唰�! 唳膏唳熰唳囙Θ唳唳曕唳� 唳栢唳佮唳�-唳︵唳撪Ο唳监 唳椸Ζ唰嵿Ο唰囙Π 唳氞唳唰� 唳曕唳-唳� 唳涏Μ唳� 唳︵唳栢 唳班唳多唳唳距唰� 唳唳多 唳唳侧 唳氞唳ㄠΔ唰� 唳唳班唳涏 唳嗋Ξ唳苦イ 唳唳熰 唳侧唳栢 唳灌Ο唳监唳涏 唰оН唰Л 唳膏唳侧啷� 唳班唳多唳唳距Π 唳唳ㄠ唳粪唳� 唳膏Π唰嵿Μ唳ㄠ唳多唳� 唳膏唳む唳距唳� 唳む唳� 唳膏Μ唰� 唳多唳班 唳灌Ο唳监唳涏, 唳 唳多唳� 唳灌Δ唰� 唳唳曕 唳嗋Π唰� 唳唳佮 唳︵Χ唳�! 唳忇Μ唳� 唳犩唳ㄠ唳∴ 唳唳︵唳� 唳多唳� 唳灌Δ唰� 唳灌Δ唰�, 唳︵唳多唳� 唳溹Θ唳椸Γ唰囙Π 唳夃Κ唳� 唳班唳多唳唳距Π 唳忇 唳ㄠ唳班Ζ唳距Π唳苦Π 唳膏唳Ν唳距Μ 唳嗋Ο唳监Δ唰嵿Μ 唳曕Π唰� 唳唳侧Μ唰� 唳嗋Ξ唰囙Π唳苦唳� 唳ㄠ唳溹唳撯€� 唳ㄠ唳班Ζ唳距Π唳苦唰� 唳ㄠ唳唰� 唳唳 唳多唳侧唳唳� 唳夃唰嵿唳む唳!


(唳溹Π唰嵿唳苦Ο唳监唳� 唳氞 唳唳椸唳�, 唳嗋Σ唰嬥唳氞唳む唳班 - 唳班Μ唳距Π唰嵿 唳曕唳)
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July 19, 2024
袧械褖芯写邪胁薪芯 褟 胁懈锌邪写泻芯胁芯 写褨蟹薪邪谢邪褋褜 锌褉芯 褌械, 褖芯 袛卸芯薪 小褌械泄薪斜械泻 写胁褨褔褨 斜褍胁邪胁 褍 袣懈褦胁褨.
袙锌械褉褕械 褑械 胁褨写斜褍谢芯褋褜 1948 褉芯褑褨. 孝芯写褨 锌褨写褉邪写褟薪褋褜泻褍 校泻褉邪褩薪褍 胁褨写斜褍写芯胁褍胁邪谢懈 锌褨褋谢褟 袛褉褍谐芯褩 褋胁褨褌芯胁芯褩 胁褨泄薪懈, 邪 褉芯泻芯屑 褉邪薪褨褕械 胁谢邪写邪 胁褨写褨斜褉邪谢邪 褍 褋械谢褟薪 蟹邪谢懈褕泻懈 蟹械褉薪邪, 褔懈屑 胁泻芯褌褉械 褋锌褉懈褔懈薪懈谢邪 屑邪褋芯胁懈泄 谐芯谢芯写.
袨褋褜 褍 褌邪泻懈泄 褔邪褋 小褌械泄薪斜械泻 褨 胁懈褉褨褕懈胁 胁褨写胁褨写邪褌懈 袪邪写褟薪褋褜泻懈泄 褋芯褞蟹. 袡芯谐芯 芯褎褨褑褨泄薪芯褞 屑械褌芯褞 斜褍谢芯: 锌芯斜邪褔懈褌懈 卸懈褌褌褟 蟹胁懈褔邪泄薪懈褏 谢褞写械泄 褌邪 蟹褉芯斜懈褌懈 锌褉芯 褑械 褉械锌芯褉褌邪卸. 袩懈褋褜屑械薪薪懈泻邪 褋褍锌褉芯胁芯写卸褍胁邪胁 褎芯褌芯谐褉邪褎 袪芯斜械褉褌 袣邪锌邪 (褨 胁 屑械褉械卸褨 屑芯卸薪邪 蟹薪邪泄褌懈 褑褨 褎芯褌芯谐褉邪褎褨褩).
些芯写械薪薪懈泻 薪邪写蟹胁懈褔邪泄薪芯 褑褨泻邪胁懈泄, 邪谢械 写芯 芦蟹胁懈褔邪泄薪懈褏禄 谢褞写械泄 锌懈褋褜屑械薪薪懈泻邪 泄 褎芯褌芯谐褉邪褎邪 薪邪褋锌褉邪胁写褨 屑邪泄卸械 薪械 锌褨写锌褍褋泻邪谢懈 (泻芯卸械薪 褩褏薪褨泄 褉褍褏 斜褍胁 锌褨写 薪邪谐谢褟写芯屑 褉邪写褟薪褋褜泻懈褏 褋锌械褑褋谢褍卸斜). 袉 薪邪胁褨褌褜 褌褨 写胁邪 褍泻褉邪褩薪褋褜泻褨 泻芯谢谐芯褋锌懈, 锌褉芯 褟泻褨 蟹谐邪写褍褦褌褜褋褟 胁 泻薪懈蟹褨 褋锌械褑褨邪谢褜薪芯 锌褨写谐芯褌褍胁邪谢懈 写芯 锌褉懈褩蟹写褍 邪屑械褉懈泻邪薪褋褜泻懈褏 谐芯褋褌械泄, 褌芯写褨褕薪褟 胁谢邪写邪 锌芯褌褍褉斜褍胁邪谢邪褋褟, 褖芯斜 蟹邪 锌懈褕薪懈屑懈 蟹邪褋褌褨谢谢褟屑 薪褨褏褌芯 蟹 谐芯褋褌械泄 薪械 锌芯屑褨褌懈胁 薪械褋褌邪褔褨 褩卸褨.
孝邪泻芯卸 胁邪卸谢懈胁芯 褌械, 褖芯 小褌械泄薪斜械泻 锌褨写 褔邪褋 褋胁芯谐芯 胁褨蟹懈褌褍 写芯 袣懈褦胁邪 锌褨写屑褨褌懈胁, 褖芯 褍泻褉邪褩薪褑褨 泄 褉芯褋褨褟薪懈 写褍卸械 褉褨蟹薪褨 薪邪褉芯写懈. 笑械 胁懈写薪芯 褨 蟹 褎芯褌芯谐褉邪褎褨泄 袣邪锌懈 (褟泻褨 褉械泻芯屑械薪写褍褞 锌芯写懈胁懈谢懈褋褜) 褨 蟹褨 褋锌芯谐邪写褨胁.
孝芯屑褍 褟泻褖芯 薪械 褔懈褌邪谢懈, 褌芯 褉械泻芯屑械薪写褍褞 芯蟹薪邪泄芯屑懈褌懈褋褜.
Profile Image for Dobre Cosmin.
98 reviews25 followers
June 9, 2024
John Steinbeck a primit aprobarea regimului sovietic pentru o vizit膬 卯n URSS 葯i, 卯nso葲it de un celebru fotograf, Robert Capa, au petrecut 卯mpreun膬 patruzeci de zile de peregrin膬ri prin ora葯ele care se ref膬ceau dup膬 r膬zboi. Fotograful Robert Capa a fost prezent 葯i la Debarcarea din Normandia, pe 6 iunie 1944. Avea s膬 moar膬 卯n Vietnam peste pu葲ini ani, 卯n 1953, dup膬 ce a p膬葯it pe o min膬.

Fiind anul 1947 ruinele Stalingradului 卯nc膬 zac 卯n mormanele lor, iar oamenii tr膬iesc printre acele d膬r芒m膬turi. Moscova e auster膬 葯i ne卯ncrezatoare, iar Kievul poate pu葲in mai deschis fa葲膬 de str膬ini, prin curiozit膬葲ile localnicilor 葯i desele 卯ntreb膬ri despre americani. Tancurile inamice folosesc acum ca materie prim膬, care dup膬 topire se transform膬 卯n alte ma葯in膬rii 葯i tractoare ce vor lucra p膬m芒ntul.
Micu葲a Georgie, evitat膬 de r膬zboi, se deosebe葯te u葯or de vecinele sale prin deschiderea c膬tre dansuri, petreceri 葯i m芒ncare bun膬 卯ntr-un Tbilisi plin de via葲膬.
Solda葲ii armatei germane, prizonieri acum, au devenit figuri cenu葯ii pe str膬zile Stalingradului. 脦mbr膬ca葲i 卯n acelea葯i uniforme, zdren葲uite 葯i murdare, sunt 卯ncolona葲i c膬tre locurile de munc膬. Au devenit o armat膬 fantom膬, iar
localnicii le ofer膬 o crunt膬 pedeaps膬, 卯i ignor膬 葯i-i condamn膬 la uitare.

Peste toate aceste ora葯e 葯i 卯mprejurimi se v膬d din avion traumele r膬zboiului; tran葯ee, cratere, urme de gloan葲e, copaci lovi葲i 葯i, odat膬 ajun葯i la sol, g膬sesc drame 卯n fiecare familie. 脦n cele c芒teva zboruri peste URSS ale autorului, Steinbeck reu葯e葯te s膬 creioneze un crochiu al fiin葲ei umane sub cortina sovietic膬, departe de stereotipurile cunoscute acas膬.

Bine卯n葲eles c膬 dincolo de cortin膬 葯tim cu to葲ii ce regim crunt ascundea Stalin. 脦n spatele acestei potemkinade, jurnalul descrie oamenii 葯i obiceiurile lor. Vizitele sunt mereu aprobate de la centru 葯i nimic nu e l膬sat la 卯ndem芒na sau alegerea liber膬 a autorului. Colhozurile, satele, ora葯ele, fabricile, muzeele au avut nevoie cu toatele de aprobare. P芒n膬 葯i fotografierea unor locuri trebuia s膬 primeasc膬 acceptul.

Autorul evoc膬 existen葲a oamenilor simpli, bucuriile 葯i nefericirile lor. Dincolo de diferen葲ele 葯i stereotipurile inevitabile, Steinbeck concluzioneaz膬 c膬 oamenii vor acela葯i lucru peste tot, s膬 卯葯i tr膬iasc膬 vie葲ile 卯n lini葯te, s膬 z芒mbeasc膬, s膬 aib膬 parte de tihn膬 葯i s膬 卯葯i hr膬neasc膬 spiritul prin religie, teatru 葯i muzic膬.

Ce nu a v膬zut 卯ns膬 Steinbeck a reu葯it s膬 vad膬 cu mult 卯nainte Panait Istrati, cel care a crezut 卯n socialismul marxist. A fost totu葯i mai pu葲in naiv c芒nd, dup膬 vizitele 卯n URSS, 卯n anii dinaintea r膬zboiului, a putut vedea iluzia ce acoperea marea utopie. A scris 葯i el o carte pe care a numit-o "Spovedania unui 卯nvins" unde nu 葯i-a ascuns am膬r膬ciunea 卯n fa葲a minciunii, s膬r膬ciei, cenzurii 葯i tuturor aspectelor nocive ale regimului, unul 卯n care el crezuse c膬 va restaura demnitatea uman膬.
Profile Image for Don Gagnon.
36 reviews39 followers
February 2, 2020
Words and Images

Steinbeck鈥檚 鈥淎 Russian Journal,鈥� first published in April 1948, was in a significant way similar to 鈥淭he Log from the Sea of Cortez,鈥� originally published three years later, in 1951--both books were collaborative efforts. Whereas Cortez was a collaboration between a journalist and a scientist, the earlier Russian adventure was that of writer and photographer. Although an eyewitness account of journalist Steinbeck鈥檚 and photographer Capa鈥檚 travels through Russia, Ukraine, and Georgia at the cusp of the Cold War, 鈥淎 Russian Journal鈥� is a work of art and literature, beautifully written and wonderfully documented with images of historical significance and everyday life. It is educational, fun, and inspiring. I enjoyed comparing Capa鈥檚 photos and Steinbeck鈥檚 descriptions of the photos. All of the real people in the book were described with such skill by Steinbeck, that they resembled well developed characters from a novel. Wherever Steinbeck journeyed, he captured the spirit of the times and the spirit of place brilliantly. After I finished reading the book, I felt like I had been to all the places and met all the people.
Profile Image for Ryan.
1,165 reviews56 followers
March 8, 2024
My last unread Steinbeck. Steinbeck and his photographer pal were determined to see life in (Soviet) Russia through the eyes of farmhands and factory workers rather than politicians. His exactitude comes at the expense of flow and sharpness, it鈥檚 true, but that鈥檚 to say it refuses to sacrifice truth for style or a need to caricature. Consequently, it educates.
Profile Image for Louise.
1,797 reviews368 followers
January 1, 2015

Nobel Prize winning John Steinbeck and his photographer friend visit Moscow, the Ukraine, (what was then) Stalingrad, and Georgia in 1947. They stick to their mission which is to find out about everyday people: 鈥淲hat do people wear there? What do they serve for dinner? Do they have parties? 鈥�.鈥� They did not find out about how they make love or how they die (also in the mission). They are not interested in important people, politics or 5 year plans.

Destruction and the remnants of war are all around. In Moscow, there is an event where people congregate to inspect the military equipment the Germans left behind. In Stalingrad people are living in the rubble. They see German POWs at work rebuilding cities. Steinbeck notes the differences in cities that have been bombed or sieged in battle.

At a Ukraine collective farm, they eat a hearty breakfast and observe the team work in the fields. With so many men lost or wounded in war, the women shoulder this burden. It is hard to believe their cheerfulness as described by Steinbeck. There is simple entertainment in the evening and beautiful places to swim. Georgia has been relatively unscathed by the war and Georgians have adopted Ukrainian orphans.

They are feted as important guests everywhere. The meetings of writers鈥� groups sound deadly as 20 page manuscripts are read aloud ...and then the translation is read! There is a so much food and drinking, the authors are frequently sick/hung over. Steinbeck gets so he can鈥檛 handle vodka.

Airports are frustrating. The episode in leaving Georgia is only funny when the story is told... must have been awful to live through.

While Stalin鈥檚 portraits abound this seems to be an extreme bureaucracy and more than a police state. People speak to them freely and no one takes them aside to complain about the government. Outside of Moscow, besides being with their translator/guide/minder, there is no hint of their being watched. All the photos show well fed people, often well dressed and usually happy, but these were probably self-censored since Capa got all his photos back.

On the minus side, the prose, like most of the 1950鈥檚 travel literature, is stilted. For a short book, too much space is devoted to the strained relations between the writer and the photographer, and the two of them with their Russian minder. While the pictures are not labeled, they are placed appropriately. Sometimes it is hard to know what you are looking at. For instance the photo on p. 34 must be of Lenin Hills, but the vista hardly looks like Moscow which the Hills are said to overlook; the photo on p. 43 appears to be a fashion show or maybe a quality control examination of clothing. Other photos, such as the 4 portraits on 78-79 would be better in an art gallery than a travel book.

This book fills an important niche because so little exists on daily life in Russia just after the devastation of WW2. Like many plans, the idea originated in a bar by two artists with nothing to do, but unlike most bar-hatched ideas, this one was followed up on.
Profile Image for Bettie.
9,982 reviews6 followers
December 5, 2015


Description: Just after the iron curtain fell on Eastern Europe John Steinbeck and acclaimed war photographer, Robert Capa ventured into the Soviet Union to report for the New York Herald Tribune. This rare opportunity took the famous travellers not only to Moscow and Stalingrad - now Volgograd - but through the countryside of the Ukraine and the Caucasus. A RUSSIAN JOURNAL is the distillation of their journey and remains a remarkable memoir and unique historical document. Steinbeck and Capa recorded the grim realities of factory workers, government clerks, and peasants, as they emerged from the rubble of World War II. This is an intimate glimpses of two artists at the height of their powers, answering their need to document human struggle.

oooh, I am So going to buck the trend here - he(Steinbeck) offed the responsibility of reporting anything worthwhile here: some have attributed the woolly approach to the fact that he and his wife were having problems, others state that it was the strict guidelines laid down by the soviets. I just see it as a wasted journey. The two1/2 stars reflect the 'at least he got there' dictum.







4* Of Mice and Men
5* East of Eden
4* The Grapes of Wrath
1* The Pearl
4* Cannery Row
2* The Red Pony
4* The Moon is Down
CR The Russian Journey
Profile Image for Numidica.
468 reviews8 followers
October 30, 2018
I loved this book about Steinbeck's trip through Russia after WW2, and what he saw. It was one of the last trips through Russia by a writer or journalist before the Cold War got going in earnest.
Profile Image for 脰锄驳眉谤.
160 reviews159 followers
September 2, 2023
Vaat etti臒ini veren bir kitap olmu艧, g枚rd眉臒眉n眉 anlatm谋艧 Steinbeck.
Sava艧谋n insanlar ve kent 眉zerindeki etkisini, y谋k谋c谋l谋臒谋n谋 anlatt谋臒谋 k谋s谋mlar en 莽ok ilgimi 莽eken yerler oldu.
Steinbeck'in T眉rkiye ve T眉rklere dair 枚nyarg谋s谋n谋 anlamad谋m.
Profile Image for Stef Rozitis.
1,639 reviews77 followers
May 1, 2020
A good friend loaned me this book, insisting that I read it because it was a favourite of hers. I hope she does not read this review because I appreciate her friendship and intelligence and have no desire to cast stones at one of her sacred things. But when I read a book I do review it here and I may not be thorough, polished or even particularly interesting in my reviews but I am honest. My honesty has bias, I write about what I like and what I want to read and people are free to disagree鈥ut this friend in particular I hope will not read this review.

鈥渨e spoke to businesswomen, actresses, students鈥� claims Steinbeck toward the end of the book (p 207). To what end? asks the reader since the book is singularly free from any female perspective. We see Steinbeck and Capa sitting down to meals with men, listening to speeches by men, travelling with men, sending presents to men, stealing books from men, playing darts with men. Women appear as beautiful, or tragically under-ornamented and as good cooks. They have husbands who speak for them or they are loose women but dismissed for not being beautiful. Steinbeck and Capa have escaped from their wives and their domestic spheres to be in cosy relationships with men, consumers of female beauty and domestic labour.

I suppose this is why I avoid reading male writers these days, that when they represent women, they represent them for the heterosexual male gaze or from the point of view of catering to male agendas and make 鈥渘eeds鈥�. They are depicted as wanting to be this, to be beautiful and nurturing and taking pride in their servitude. Strangely enough real women are not that way.

I had myriad issues with this book- in particular the American tone of superiority (even when humble bragging) and the toxic masculinities in it. The idea that this book goes below the surface to show some common-place shared humanity is a romantic one but not one that came across to me in the 212 pages of bullying, overeating, lecherous gazing, mocking and othering. I get that Steinbeck and Capa are seen as super-stars of their world (American literature and photography of the early C20th) but all I can say is any world that fetes them makes no space for the likes of me.

I feel unrepentant about my privileging of female writers in my own recreational reading.
519 reviews23 followers
October 14, 2023
4,5 stele.
Din p膬cate, din edi葲ia rom芒neasc膬 publicat膬 la Polirom 卯n anul 2015 lipsesc fotografiile lui Robert Capa din incursiunea realizat膬 al膬turi de Steinbeck 卯n spa葲iul sovietic, ceea ce scade foarte mult din impactul c膬r葲ii asupra cititorului. Cu at芒t mai mult cu c芒t 卯n text se face referire frecvent la activitatea fotografului Capa, la teama 卯ngrozitoare a ru葯ilor, at芒t a oficialit膬葲ilor, c芒t 葯i a unora dintre oamenii de r芒nd, de a fi fotografia葲i, sau de a fotografia obiective industriale sau prizonieri germani care muncesc pentru a reconstrui ceea ce au distrus 卯n timpul r膬zboiului, precum 葯i la angoasa lui Capa generat膬 de faptul c膬 rolfilmele 卯i vor fi confiscate de sovietici 葯i toat膬 munca sa se va duce pe apa s芒mbetei. Din fericire, am reu葯it s膬 g膬sesc o edi葲ie online 卯n limba englez膬 a c膬r葲ii lui Steinbeck, ce con葲ine 葯i fotografiile, 葯i lectura a c膬p膬tat un alt sens, mult mai p膬trunz膬tor.
脦n ceea ce prive葯te cartea, trebuie spus c膬 aceasta este un document jurnalistic 葯i literar extraordinar, ce pune 卯n lumin膬 via葲a "de zi cu zi a poporului rus" 卯n plin regim stalinist. Nu este o lucrare cu caracter 葯tiin葲ific, dar nici ideologic sau propagandistic, 卯ntr-un fel putem spune c膬 este o 卯ncercare de a combate fake news cu privire la ceea ce Steinbeck nume葯te "moscovit膬" ("Moscowitis" 卯n original) acut膬: "o stare care te face s膬 crezi orice absurditate 葯i s膬 ignori orice fapt evident". Timp de mai bine de dou膬 luni, Steinbeck 葯i Capa c膬l膬toresc la Moscova, Kiev, Stalingrad, Tbilisi etc.; cei doi nu vor vizita 卯ns膬 doar ora葯ele mari din Rusia, Ucraina sau Georgia, ci 葯i zonele rurale aflate 卯n plin膬 campanie agricol膬 sau culturile de ceai.
Primul 葯oc pe care 卯l au americanii apare chiar din avionul care 卯i duce la Moscova: "modul 卯n care sunt 卯nc膬rcate bagajele 卯n avioanele ruse葯ti ni s-a p膬rut ie葯it din comun. Dup膬 ce pasagerii 卯葯i ocup膬 locurile, bagajele lor sunt 卯ngr膬m膬dite pe culoar". 脦n Rusia sovietic膬 statul de葲ine monopolulul asupra economiei, iar consecin葲a este apari葲ia unei birocra葲ii infernale, ce se manifest膬 inclusiv 卯n timpul foarte mare ce dureaz膬 p芒n膬 c芒nd chelnerul aduce comanda clien葲ilor s膬i: "Astfel, chelnerul, c芒nd ia comanda, o trece cu mare aten牛ie 卯ntr-un carnet. Dar nu se duce imediat s膬-i dea comanda buc膬tarului. Se duce la contabil, care consemneaz膬 comanda 卯n registru 葯i elibereaz膬 un bon pentru buc膬t膬rie. Acolo comanda se 卯nregistreaz膬 葯i se cere necesarul de alimente. Dup膬 ce se prepar膬 alimentele, se completeaz膬 un bon cu meniul preparat, care 卯i este 卯nm芒nat chelnerului. Acesta nu duce 卯ns膬 comanda la mas膬, ci merge cu bonul la contabil, care scrie c膬 alimentele comandate au fost preg膬tite 葯i 卯i d膬 un alt bon chelnerului, care se 卯ntoarce la buc膬t膬rie 葯i aduce m芒ncarea la mas膬, not芒ndu-艧i 卯n carnet c膬 meniul care a fost comandat, care a fost 卯nregistrat 艧i care a fost adus clien牛ilor este acum, 卯n sf芒r艧it, pe mas膬. Acest sistem contabil ia foarte mult timp. Mult mai mult, de fapt, dec芒t orice are de-a face cu m芒ncarea".
Pe de alt膬 parte, nici b膬ile de la diversele hoteluri unde au fost caza葲i scriitorul 葯i fotograful nu erau deloc grozave; "absolut toate robinetele picurau - la toalet膬, la chiuvet膬, la cad膬", iar "toate 牛evile de scurgere erau complet 卯nfundate".
Cultul personalit膬葲ii este prezent la tot pasul, portrete sau busturi ale lui Stalin (eventual, al膬turi de Lenin, d芒nd impresia c膬 ambii discut膬 probleme de via葲膬 葯i de moarte, total inaccesibile cet膬葲enilor de r芒nd) afl芒ndu-se peste tot: "Magazinele v芒nd milioane 艧i milioane de portrete de-ale lui 葯i fiecare familie are cel pu牛in unul. E evident c膬 pictarea, modelarea, turnarea, forjarea 艧i brodarea lui Stalin e una dintre industriile cele mai dezvoltate din Uniunea Sovietic膬. Stalin e pretutindeni, el vede tot". Mai mult dec芒t at芒t: "脦n timpul ceremoniilor tablourile lui Stalin dep膬葯esc orice limit膬 ra牛ional膬. Ajung p芒n膬 la o 卯n膬l牛ime de opt etaje 葯i la o l膬牛ime de cincisprezece metri. Pe fiecare cl膬dire public膬 exist膬 astfel de portrete monstru". Aceia dintre noi care au amintiri din epoca lui Ceau葯escu, 卯n葲eleg foarte bine despre este vorba.
Vizita 卯n Ucraina este mult mai emo葲ionant膬, Kievul fiind 卯n葲esat de ruine: "Fiecare cl膬dire public膬, fiecare bibliotec膬, fiecare teatru, p芒n膬 葯i circul, toate sunt distruse - nu de obuze, nu de lupte, ci prin incendiere 艧i dinamitare. Universitatea e ars膬 葯i d膬r芒mat膬, iar 葯colile sunt 卯n ruine. Asta n-a fost lupt膬, a fost o nimicire smintit膬 a tuturor a葯ez膬mintelor culturale ale ora艧ului 葯i aproape a tuturor cl膬dirilor frumoase ridicate 卯n decurs de o mie de ani. Aici cultura german膬 葯i-a f膬cut treaba. Unul dintre pu牛inele acte de justi牛ie din lumea asta e c膬 prizonierii germani ajut膬 la 卯ndep膬rtarea mizeriei pe care au f岷痗ut-o". Steinbeck nu avea de unde s膬 葯tie c膬, 葯aptezeci 葯i ceva de ani mai t芒rziu, cultura rus膬 din regimul Putin va redescoperi pl膬cerea distrugerii Ucrainei. Este dezolant s膬 vezi fotografiile cu ruine 葯i mai ales pe cele 卯n care femeile danseaz膬 cu alte femei, 卯ntruc芒t au mai r膬mas foarte pu葲ini b膬rba葲i tineri. Concluzia lui Steinbeck este clar膬: ucrainenii nu trebuie confunda葲i cu ru葯ii, sunt alt fel de slavi. Tragedia lor "se datoreaz膬 bog膬牛iei 艧i fertilit膬牛ii p膬m芒ntului lor, la care au r芒vnit mul牛i cuceritori".
Destina葲ia urmatoare este Stalingrad, ce a marcat 卯nceputul sf芒r葯itului pentru Al Treilea Reich. Procesul de reconstruc葲ie a ora葯ului este 卯n plin膬 desf膬葯urare, 卯ns膬 exist膬 multe drame 卯n r芒ndul supravie葲uitorilor. Fotografiile sunt, 卯nc膬 o dat膬, pe deplin elocvente, dar nici descrierile lui Steinbeck nu sunt mai prejos.
Urm膬torul obiectiv: Georgia, pe care ru葯ii, inclusiv cei care nu au fost acolo, o descriu ca pe "un al doilea paradis". Armatele lui Hitler nu au ajuns 卯n Georgia, a葯a c膬 葲ara nu a fost afectat膬 dec芒t 卯n foarte mic膬 m膬sur膬 de r膬zboi. Oamenii de aici 卯i trezesc admira葲ia scriitorului american, 卯n Tbilisi, el 葯i Robert Capa s-au sim葲it foarte bine; de altfel, aceasta este 葯i partea cea mai luminoas膬 a c膬r葲ii. "脦n ace葯ti extraordinari georgieni ne g膬siser膬m na艧ul. M芒ncau mai mult dec芒t noi, beau mai mult dec芒t noi, dansau mai bine dec芒t noi 葯i c芒ntau mai bine dec芒t noi. Aveau veselia p膬tima艧膬 a italienilor 葯i energia fizic膬 a burgunzilor".
Cum era de a葯teptat, dat fiind c膬 Stalin era n膬scut 卯n Georgia, 葯i aici cultul personalit膬葲ii st膬 la loc de cinste. Ba chiar este ridicat la un nivel superior.
脦n final, cei doi americani se re卯ntorc la Moscova 葯i se preg膬tesc s膬 plece acas膬. Nou膬 ne-au l膬sat versiunea lor asupra Uniunii Sovietice din 1947, 卯n care exist膬, f膬r膬 卯ndoial膬, imperfec葲iuni, 卯ns膬 nimeni nu poate s膬 le repro葯eze c膬 nu au 卯ncercat de la bun 卯nceput s膬 spun膬 adev膬rul 葯i relat膬rile lor s膬 fie fidele fa葲膬 de ceea ce au observat. Lectur膬 pl膬cut膬!
Profile Image for plainzt .
847 reviews114 followers
June 18, 2023
This book is a recording of Robert Capa and John Steinbeck's journalistic trip to Russia in 1948. Their goal, as stated in the book, was to simply and impartially examine "a Russian story". I think they were successful in this aspect. Just as it was said in the introduction "we should read for what it is, not for what it fails to do."

The qualities of Steinbeck's writing that have been characterized as "a supple narrative style, a versatility of subject matter, and an almost mystical sympathy for the common human being" are in full force in this book. It was a quite pleasant read for me even though I don't like nonfiction travel books.

The reason I wanted to read this work was to learn that some details from Steinbeck's work were used in Julian Barnes' book, The Noise of Time without mentioning him. The Noise of Time will be the book I read after this.
Profile Image for AmberBug *shelfnotes com*.
477 reviews107 followers
September 8, 2015

Overall a good book. Steinbeck and Capa have a great chemistry going on that flows throughout their travels. Robert Capa (the photographer) writes a small chapter of his disgust and annoyance (more of a rant in form of a letter). It sheds some light and humor on the trip and gives a perspective different from Steinbeck. I enjoyed the dynamic between the writer and the photographer and the styles of personality that shine through while traveling in such a drastic difference of culture. They clashed, worked together and bonded.

The information gathered is unlike any other, being more of a human nature. More of a documentation viewing the life of the Russian people, not the politics. Pieces of it bored me and I found myself dragging but as I was dragging I found my interest being perked in the next section with something just as interesting. This made me easily like the book, writing and content. The bits that were dull were dreadfully dull but the interesting bits are more then enough to make up for it.

Steinbeck does a wonderful job telling the story with a varied eye. I believe this is why I find myself on this roller coaster, he makes sure there is something for everyone and doesn't miss a beat on anything he sees or experiences. It is a very thorough account of the travels. The photographs alone tell a wonderful tale and aid in the story, putting you right there and keeping you wondering about the life and times of the Russian people after the war.

Some of my favorite bits were about the obsession the Russians have over soccer (as in most Europeans). They have a great passion for the game. Point in case:
"The only really heated argument we heard during our stay in Russia concerned Soccer". I also particularly liked the parts about Georgia and the Georgians and I now find myself wanting to visit that part of the country very badly. Not to forget that I now have a desperate need to visit and try all the food that he writes about. Yum!
Profile Image for Jean.
1,795 reviews786 followers
December 4, 2014
I thought I had read all of John Steinbeck鈥檚 works needless to say; I was surprised when I came across this book published in 1948. I had never heard of it.

Steinbeck and Robert Capa, photographer, embarked on a six week Soviet Union tour during the early stages of the Cold War era. They visited Soviet Georgia, Moscow, Stalingrad, and Kiev. The report they created on life under Joseph Stalin鈥檚 command, is a highly valuable historical document.
The people portrayed in their literary and photographic archive, are seen living in totally different conditions from those in the West. They were rebuilding a war torn country with the use of only primitive tools as the Germans destroyed all mechanized equipment as they pulled out of Russia. Steinbeck and Capa tried to avoid meeting officials and ministers, but to find time to travel across the cities to speak to people and to understand the way they were living. They tried for honest reporting without drawing conclusions.

The book sort of reminds me of 鈥淭ravels with Charley鈥� because it is a non-fiction travel memoir. Steinbeck was a great observer of life, and characters. He wrote of the Russian people with great respect. Steinbeck writes very well about the humor in situations, like the nightmares of bureaucracy and the difficulties of travel. Great book and a must read for those interested in history or just a good Steinbeck story. Richard Poe narrated the book.
Profile Image for Cams.
312 reviews92 followers
July 30, 2021
I was a student of Russian language and literature in the 90s and spent some time in the former Soviet Union. I'm a big fan of John Steinbeck's novels and am surprised that it took me so long to read this.

Steinbeck and his friend, photographer Robert Capa had a project to enter the Soviet Union to document and photograph the lives of the ordinary Russian people. It's basically a slice of life of the time and documents very well not only how Russian, Ukrainian and Georgian people live, but also the huge amounts of ridiculous bureaucracy of the Soviet machine.

One scene that stands out is the description of how long it takes from ordering a meal in a restaurant to having that meal arrive at your table.

There is some good comparative writing about the difference between the cult of personality status of the Soviet Union versus the US presidential system. The esteem in which Stalin was held whilst he was in office is quite incredible and almost impossible for a non-native to comprehend.

As Steinbeck states in his monologues, he's not there to present the information in any particular way, he's just there to present the information, and this he manages to pull off very successfully.

Recommended.
Profile Image for Ty-Orion.
393 reviews127 followers
October 24, 2020
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