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The Genius Under the Table: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain
An Association of Jewish Libraries Sydney Taylor Honor Winner
With a masterful mix of comic timing and disarming poignancy, Newbery Honoree Eugene Yelchin offers a memoir of growing up in Cold War Russia.
Drama, family secrets, and a KGB spy in his own kitchen! How will Yevgeny ever fulfill his parents' dream that he become a national hero when he doesn't even have his own room? He's not a star athlete or a legendary ballet dancer. In the tiny apartment he shares with his Baryshnikov-obsessed mother, poetry-loving father, continually outraged grandmother, and safely talented brother, all Yevgeny has is his little pencil, the underside of a massive table, and the doodles that could change everything. With equal amounts charm and solemnity, award-winning author and artist Eugene Yelchin recounts in hilarious detail his childhood in Cold War Russia as a young boy desperate to understand his place in his family.
With a masterful mix of comic timing and disarming poignancy, Newbery Honoree Eugene Yelchin offers a memoir of growing up in Cold War Russia.
Drama, family secrets, and a KGB spy in his own kitchen! How will Yevgeny ever fulfill his parents' dream that he become a national hero when he doesn't even have his own room? He's not a star athlete or a legendary ballet dancer. In the tiny apartment he shares with his Baryshnikov-obsessed mother, poetry-loving father, continually outraged grandmother, and safely talented brother, all Yevgeny has is his little pencil, the underside of a massive table, and the doodles that could change everything. With equal amounts charm and solemnity, award-winning author and artist Eugene Yelchin recounts in hilarious detail his childhood in Cold War Russia as a young boy desperate to understand his place in his family.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published October 5, 2021
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4,247 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 449 reviews
December 4, 2021
Illustrated/graphic memoirs are my favourite kind. I guess this is supposed to be middle grade, but I think the story has a lot of crossover appeal-- simple enough for kids to understand, but with some grown-up themes.
Yelchin shares what it was like growing up in the Soviet Union, feeling like neighbours are watching and listening to you, whilst also facing discrimination for being Jewish. I can't say I'm surprised, but I hadn't really considered before how different ethnoreligious groups might be treated under Stalinism. Often it is treated like all experiences of soviet hardship were the same.
In addition, it is also a coming-of-age story about a young boy trying to find his "talent" while his loving but pushy parents desperately try to get him into various sports and arts out of worry for his future.
Devoured it in a single day.
Yelchin shares what it was like growing up in the Soviet Union, feeling like neighbours are watching and listening to you, whilst also facing discrimination for being Jewish. I can't say I'm surprised, but I hadn't really considered before how different ethnoreligious groups might be treated under Stalinism. Often it is treated like all experiences of soviet hardship were the same.
In addition, it is also a coming-of-age story about a young boy trying to find his "talent" while his loving but pushy parents desperately try to get him into various sports and arts out of worry for his future.
Devoured it in a single day.
November 23, 2021
I was skeptical going into this book. As someone who also grew up behind the iron curtain, I sometimes find that books catering to the western audience tend to be overly negative, sarcastic or just plain ridiculous. Some descriptions in this book do border on the absurd and many of the characters are caricatures of certain types rather than representations of real people. That being said, this is a great (and accurate) depiction of what life was like in late 1950s-early 1960s in the Soviet Union.
My mother is only two years older than the author of this book, and her experiences were similar in some ways and very different in others. For one, she did not grow up in a big city. Eugene as a little boy had access to museums, art teachers, ballet, libraries etc. People in provinces did not enjoy the same privileges. So as you read and get horrified by the conditions his family lives in, just imagine that this is the lifestyle the majority of people in the USSR did not get to "enjoy". For example, the house my mother grew up in (and where I also spent the first three years of my life), had no central heat, plumbing, or running water. On the upside, my family had a small vegetable garden so at least we could grow potatoes. But dreams of trips to foreign countries or access to black market goods like blue jeans and records were definitely off the table for anyone living in the provinces.
I also really appreciated that the Soviet state-sponsored anti-Semitism is such a big focus in this book. Viewed through the eyes of a six-year old boy, it is particularly disgusting and outrageous, and needs to be talked about. This book made me angry, outraged, sad. And even then, I kept thinking that this is a glimpse into the life of a Soviet family that was relatively successful (and was able to emigrate in the early 80s). For many people life was even harder. To sum up, I highly recommend this book. 5 out of 5 stars.
My mother is only two years older than the author of this book, and her experiences were similar in some ways and very different in others. For one, she did not grow up in a big city. Eugene as a little boy had access to museums, art teachers, ballet, libraries etc. People in provinces did not enjoy the same privileges. So as you read and get horrified by the conditions his family lives in, just imagine that this is the lifestyle the majority of people in the USSR did not get to "enjoy". For example, the house my mother grew up in (and where I also spent the first three years of my life), had no central heat, plumbing, or running water. On the upside, my family had a small vegetable garden so at least we could grow potatoes. But dreams of trips to foreign countries or access to black market goods like blue jeans and records were definitely off the table for anyone living in the provinces.
I also really appreciated that the Soviet state-sponsored anti-Semitism is such a big focus in this book. Viewed through the eyes of a six-year old boy, it is particularly disgusting and outrageous, and needs to be talked about. This book made me angry, outraged, sad. And even then, I kept thinking that this is a glimpse into the life of a Soviet family that was relatively successful (and was able to emigrate in the early 80s). For many people life was even harder. To sum up, I highly recommend this book. 5 out of 5 stars.
December 24, 2021
Wonderful illustrated memoir shelved in the children’s section of my library, but make no mistake, this is a book for adults as well. It’s funny, charmingly illustrated, and heartbreaking.
February 11, 2023
I absolutely LOVED this book. Funny, sad, and poignant all at once. Loved, loved, loved.
November 20, 2021
I don't know what it says about me that I love stories of the Cold War behind the Iron Curtain but I find these stories endlessly fascinating and disturbing. I've never read a child's story of this time, though--all I've read are adult books. Yelchin's memoir of growing up Jewish in Cold War Russia is a great, kid-appropriate story of what his life was like. It will be unimaginable to many American kids (I am definitely going to use the story of his brother nursing a stick of Juicy Fruit gum for WEEKS in book talks), but in a way they will find relatable and interesting. There's humor, and horror (the anti-Semitism his family faces is awful), and the ever-relatable arc of finding out who one is.
I just really, really loved this, and loved the illustrations, and I hope it's the first in a series about Yelchin's life and he writes another about what came next.
I just really, really loved this, and loved the illustrations, and I hope it's the first in a series about Yelchin's life and he writes another about what came next.
April 5, 2022
I slid into the non-fiction quarter of Reading Envy Russia with a short illustrated memoir of a childhood under the "iron curtain." I loved the illustrations, particularly of the mother, always shown in one ballet position or another. These were difficult times and moreso for this family, being Jewish. There is no indication of what happened later on in his life, so it just feels like a capture of a moment in time.
October 28, 2022
I really enjoyed this one. The writing was heartfelt and honest. Humorous in some places, and rather heartbreaking in others. But I won't spoil it. :) Go read.
February 8, 2022
Wow! Loved this. Made me laugh and also felt SO sad when his Dad put on his Comrade face.
Was the drawing or the copy print better? Truthfully, they were both 5 stars. Some of the words were out of order or overcast themselves in the Kindle read. Which was PERFECT for the meaning and the Russian context forms/ issues- all of it. Masterful.
Loved the ballet drawings and all the context of inspirational desire that his parents felt for the artistic and the "better". So rarely met presently in print or in any form. Also the "listener" roomie was done perfectly.
Strongly recommend. On the other side of the Cold War, there were lots of "group think" know betters too. That's exactly way WE are so aware of incessant loss of individual freedoms. Those of us who remember it well. And the waiting lines too.
So remember when Misha defected. We were all in love with him. Almost as much as Yevgeny's Mom was.
Was the drawing or the copy print better? Truthfully, they were both 5 stars. Some of the words were out of order or overcast themselves in the Kindle read. Which was PERFECT for the meaning and the Russian context forms/ issues- all of it. Masterful.
Loved the ballet drawings and all the context of inspirational desire that his parents felt for the artistic and the "better". So rarely met presently in print or in any form. Also the "listener" roomie was done perfectly.
Strongly recommend. On the other side of the Cold War, there were lots of "group think" know betters too. That's exactly way WE are so aware of incessant loss of individual freedoms. Those of us who remember it well. And the waiting lines too.
So remember when Misha defected. We were all in love with him. Almost as much as Yevgeny's Mom was.
April 10, 2022
4.5⭐️
A wonderful illustrated memoir that I devoured in one sitting! This was a random library find and I'm surprised I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere before. Pick it up if you can because it's one of the most unforgettable memoirs I've ever read.
This book not only provides a realistic glimpse into what life was like for a Jewish family in the Soviet Union during the 60s, but also follows an adolescent Yelchin trying to make sense of his family history, politics and more during the Cold War.
Watching Yelchin struggle with feelings of inadequacy and living in the shadow of his older brother broke my heart, but I love how is he is eventually recognised for his talent. In fact, the illustrations in this book are the same pictures that Yelchin drew under the family table during his childhood. Under the table was also where he used to sleep due to a lack of space and poverty.
I'll have to admit that my knowledge on this part of history is rather lacking, but the Yelchin made things easy to understand. Think of it as a quick but illuminating and engaging history lesson.
A funny, sad, heartbreaking and endearing read all at once. What a gem.
�"Life seemed an enormous puzzle to me then, and drawing helped order the pieces: Mom, Dad Victor, Grandma, Lenin, the Americans, even Baryshnikov. Each piece was a different shape. I was a puzzle piece, too, but I was made in such a wrong shape that I was convinced I would never fit in anywhere. The only place I fit in well was under Grandma's table, drawing to the soft squeak of the stolen pencil."
� "Our past - my family's pat as well as the past of my country - had so many terrible secrets that my questions caused nothing but fear in people I loved. I saw that fear in the eyes of my dad, and my mom, and my grandma, but also in the eyes of strangers I passed in the streets every day. Our Soviet citizens' eyes were often half-shut and glossed over, as if they would rather stare inside their frightened selves than at the menacing world outside."
A wonderful illustrated memoir that I devoured in one sitting! This was a random library find and I'm surprised I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere before. Pick it up if you can because it's one of the most unforgettable memoirs I've ever read.
This book not only provides a realistic glimpse into what life was like for a Jewish family in the Soviet Union during the 60s, but also follows an adolescent Yelchin trying to make sense of his family history, politics and more during the Cold War.
Watching Yelchin struggle with feelings of inadequacy and living in the shadow of his older brother broke my heart, but I love how is he is eventually recognised for his talent. In fact, the illustrations in this book are the same pictures that Yelchin drew under the family table during his childhood. Under the table was also where he used to sleep due to a lack of space and poverty.
I'll have to admit that my knowledge on this part of history is rather lacking, but the Yelchin made things easy to understand. Think of it as a quick but illuminating and engaging history lesson.
A funny, sad, heartbreaking and endearing read all at once. What a gem.
�"Life seemed an enormous puzzle to me then, and drawing helped order the pieces: Mom, Dad Victor, Grandma, Lenin, the Americans, even Baryshnikov. Each piece was a different shape. I was a puzzle piece, too, but I was made in such a wrong shape that I was convinced I would never fit in anywhere. The only place I fit in well was under Grandma's table, drawing to the soft squeak of the stolen pencil."
� "Our past - my family's pat as well as the past of my country - had so many terrible secrets that my questions caused nothing but fear in people I loved. I saw that fear in the eyes of my dad, and my mom, and my grandma, but also in the eyes of strangers I passed in the streets every day. Our Soviet citizens' eyes were often half-shut and glossed over, as if they would rather stare inside their frightened selves than at the menacing world outside."
December 8, 2021
This is one of my favorite books of all time. I was in Indiana during the Cold War. I remember the race to beat Russia and to win over its stars. like Mikhail Baryshnikov. Now, through the author's eyes as a little Russian Jew, I can see what it was like on his side.
Eugene Yelchin excels in brilliant humor. writing and drawing. I am so impressed with this book that I want to loan to my son who lives in China (will have to wait until Co-vid eventually ends) and my best friend in California.
He relates about living with his father, mother, grandmother and older brother in a one-room apartment with a tiny bathroom. No bedroom, can you imagine? Just to sleep, his fatherspent the evening moving their furniture.The dining room table was big. Grandmother slept on the couch to one side of the table. His older brother slept on three chairs near the table. his parents as per his drawing may have slept on a day bed on the other side of the table. When he was six, the author slept on a cot that had springs that stretched the fabric tight like a trampoline. He had to be careful to be still and not bounce to the floor. After he was in the cot, his father pushed him under the table. The tablecloth gave him privacy that the others did not have.
This reminded me of when our family had relatives come to visit, and I slept on two chairs. It was comfortable, painful in fact.
We also get a peek into the lack of food available, the anti-Semitism that the family endured, and the government's pervasive indoctrination to follow the rules.
I love this and want to read anything more that I can find by the author, I think it is an overlooked masterpiece.
I received an Uncorrected proof of this book from the publishers as a win from LibraryThing. My thoughts and ideas in this review are entirely my own.
Eugene Yelchin excels in brilliant humor. writing and drawing. I am so impressed with this book that I want to loan to my son who lives in China (will have to wait until Co-vid eventually ends) and my best friend in California.
He relates about living with his father, mother, grandmother and older brother in a one-room apartment with a tiny bathroom. No bedroom, can you imagine? Just to sleep, his fatherspent the evening moving their furniture.The dining room table was big. Grandmother slept on the couch to one side of the table. His older brother slept on three chairs near the table. his parents as per his drawing may have slept on a day bed on the other side of the table. When he was six, the author slept on a cot that had springs that stretched the fabric tight like a trampoline. He had to be careful to be still and not bounce to the floor. After he was in the cot, his father pushed him under the table. The tablecloth gave him privacy that the others did not have.
This reminded me of when our family had relatives come to visit, and I slept on two chairs. It was comfortable, painful in fact.
We also get a peek into the lack of food available, the anti-Semitism that the family endured, and the government's pervasive indoctrination to follow the rules.
I love this and want to read anything more that I can find by the author, I think it is an overlooked masterpiece.
I received an Uncorrected proof of this book from the publishers as a win from LibraryThing. My thoughts and ideas in this review are entirely my own.
April 25, 2023
"The only place I fit in well was under Grandma’s table, drawing to the soft squeak of the stolen pencil."
✧･�: *✧･�:*
Genre: History, memoir, nonfiction, middle grade 📜🎤🌿🏫
Content Warnings:🚨Mention of war, death 🚨
•❅┶┶┶┶┶┶✧❅✦❅✧┶┶┶┶┶❅�
if i was interested in the subject, i probably would’ve enjoyed this more, but since this genre/subject isn’t really that interesting to me, it wasn’t my favorite
✧･�: *✧･�:*
Genre: History, memoir, nonfiction, middle grade 📜🎤🌿🏫
Content Warnings:🚨Mention of war, death 🚨
•❅┶┶┶┶┶┶✧❅✦❅✧┶┶┶┶┶❅�
if i was interested in the subject, i probably would’ve enjoyed this more, but since this genre/subject isn’t really that interesting to me, it wasn’t my favorite
April 28, 2023
see ei olnud otseselt naljakas ega isegi rõõmus raamat, see oli üsna realistlik lugu ühe juudi poisi üleskasvamisest Leningradis nõukogude ajal. kuigi siin juhtus jaburaid ja isegi naljakaid asju, oli taustal ikkagi see... mis oli.
aga ma olen ka nõukogude ajal kasvanud laps ja päris karastunud nende lugudega, ma tean, et isegi blokaadist või partisanisõjast saab huvitavaid lasteraamatuid kirjutada, mida teistel siis hiljem tore lugeda on. seda siin kindlasti oli. (kuigi kas see just lasteraamat on, ei tea, ei usu - st need, kes lastena oleks sellest kõigest aru saanud, on vist kõik juba suureks kasvanud.)
ja toredad pildid on juures ja mind kõige rohkem vist kõnetaski see liin, kuidas lapses otsiti annet, mida tükk aega keegi üles ei leidnud, sest kodused ei taibanud ta pilte laua alt otsima minna ja kooli kunstitunni kogemus tuli jälle mu oma lapsepõlvest tuttav ette - kui sa ei joonista nii, nagu PEAB ja nagu KÄSTI ja nagu on ÕIGE, siis on sul VALESTI ja mingist andest pole selle kõige juurde muidugi enam juttugi.
aga ma olen ka nõukogude ajal kasvanud laps ja päris karastunud nende lugudega, ma tean, et isegi blokaadist või partisanisõjast saab huvitavaid lasteraamatuid kirjutada, mida teistel siis hiljem tore lugeda on. seda siin kindlasti oli. (kuigi kas see just lasteraamat on, ei tea, ei usu - st need, kes lastena oleks sellest kõigest aru saanud, on vist kõik juba suureks kasvanud.)
ja toredad pildid on juures ja mind kõige rohkem vist kõnetaski see liin, kuidas lapses otsiti annet, mida tükk aega keegi üles ei leidnud, sest kodused ei taibanud ta pilte laua alt otsima minna ja kooli kunstitunni kogemus tuli jälle mu oma lapsepõlvest tuttav ette - kui sa ei joonista nii, nagu PEAB ja nagu KÄSTI ja nagu on ÕIGE, siis on sul VALESTI ja mingist andest pole selle kõige juurde muidugi enam juttugi.
May 14, 2022
A beautifully written, honest memoir about life growing up behind the Iron Curtain that reads like a novel. I heard a Russian expat being interviewed the other day making a claim that as the Soviet Union never had to truly acknowledge the horrors of their dictators, thus history is repeating itself. This book works to highlight the extreme hardship, particularly among Jewish people who suffered additional layers in the Soviet Union post WW2. I appreciate that Yelchin kept the plot honest at the cost of what one might consider holes in the plot, although I think this mystery adds an extra layer of loss. This book highlights the power of the arts and totalitarian regimes� desire to control them. Also, beautiful elements of family, from both a young child as well as glimpses into what it must be like to be a parent in a country where you have no say in your child’s life. A very touching, engaging, informative, and sadly all too relevant read. Highly recommended!
December 14, 2021
This was an interesting look into Eugene Yelchin's life growing up in the USSR. I enjoyed the realness with which the story was told. It was a very brief story yet effective. Overall enjoyed and would recommend.
December 19, 2022
This book was interesting, informative, funny, sad, and thoroughly engaging. I learned about daily life during the later part of the Soviet regime, how there was still Anti-semitism despite the "no religion" policy of the Party, the heart-breaking secrets and lost family members, and the pressure to discover your "talent" so that you can represent the USSR's superiority to the rest of the world (and hopefully earn a private apartment instead of sharing one with multiple families). Sleeping under the dining room table every night, Eugene draws images from his life with a pencil stolen from his father on the underside of the table, unbeknownst to his family. Written and generously illustrated by Eugene Yelchin, this is one of my favorite books of the year.
March 6, 2024
Eugene Yelchin's illustrated memoir about his childhood in Cold War Russia is a wonderful gem of a book. I love the authorial voice, the illustrations, and the family dynamics. The dialogue between the children, parents, and grandmother had a lot of dry humor and several times made me laugh out loud. This is one of my favorite types of books- historical with a strong sense of setting and an author who deftly handles heavy topics. I love this.
December 14, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this book.; and, I've given it to a granddaughter to read.
January 27, 2022
A frank, honest, and kid-friendly look at growing up in 1960s Communist Russia. I do think this book struggled to find a real theme and the ending felt abrupt.
January 21, 2024
Having lived in Russia for five years, my interest is piqued by most any book, news article, etc, that has to do with Russia. This book did not disappoint. I enjoyed his account of life growing up in the USSR - his perspective as a kid was very interesting and funny in points. I also enjoyed his style of writing.
I listened to this book on hoopla thanks to my local public library - read by the author and his accent just added to the story, putting me in Russia right alongside him.
I listened to this book on hoopla thanks to my local public library - read by the author and his accent just added to the story, putting me in Russia right alongside him.
January 22, 2022
This is a brilliant book of a young boy’s coming of age in Cold War Russia. Very tough life to be poor, be constantly monitored by the KGB and be harassed for being Jewish. But the author also shows the love and goodness he grew up with as well, in such a funny and charming way. The horror is mixed in with humor and family warmth. His Grandmother is my favorite � so very funny and dear. The illustrations are amazing and so important to understanding the story.
July 24, 2024
I loved this book. It’s a super easy read, with illustrations. Intended for a younger audience, but I think the perspective of a child living behind the Iron Curtain is so interesting and moving for any age.
October 9, 2022
Väike Jevgeni elab külma sõja aegsel Venemaal kommunaalkorteris koos oma vanemat, venna ja vanaemaga. Kuna tuba on väike, siis magab Jevgeni laua all. Vanemad on õnnetud, et tal ei ole mingit annet: ta on pigem kohmakas, nii et ta ei sobi ei sportlaseks ega balletitantsijaks. Vanemad aga ei tea, et Jevgeni joonistab õhtuti laua alumisele poolele.
Lapsepõlveromaan nõukaajast. Ma ei ole tegelikult kindel, kes on sihtgrupp, kuid mulle meeldis.
Lapsepõlveromaan nõukaajast. Ma ei ole tegelikult kindel, kes on sihtgrupp, kuid mulle meeldis.
January 16, 2022
This is an interesting perspective of lives behind the Iron Curtain from the eyes of a child. Being a true story, I believe adults may understand and have a bit more background knowledge of this historical time, giving the stories a bit more depth in understanding. This, being the stories of a child through the eyes of a child, seems as though it would be relatable to a child. However, a child of Cold War Russia whose family feels that the way to societal affluence is through excellence in dance and art, is a bit hard to relate to as an American child. The book has some very funny parts in regards to Eugene becoming a ballet dancer (when he has no natural affinity for this talent). The grandmother also is a very funny minor character in the book that adds some humor. However, I believe the humor to be sarcastic or passive and may be hard for students to understand. The book does give first hand perspective to understanding a deep, and sometimes dark and disturbing history, the experiences of a child in the aftermath of these events, and the struggle and success of parents wanting the very best for their child in a communist country.
December 30, 2021
Wonderful J Bio of a young boy growing up during the Cold War in the USSR. Humor is balanced with the harsh reality of living a careful life under the watchful eye of the KGB where those with talent, who follow the rules are rewarded, while those that go against them do not survive.
April 7, 2022
THE GENIUS UNDER THE TABLE: GROWING UP BEHIND THE IRON CURTAIN
Eugene Yelchin
A memoir in graphic form! Perfect, like reading a movie! I really enjoyed Mr. Yelchin's ode to his childhood behind the Iron Curtain. I found it to be warm-hearted, endlessly fascinating, and slightly disturbing. AS an American I cannot imagine growing up under such conditions despite I know that millions and millions of people find this a normal living situation.
I totally enjoy the coming of age memoirs, a glimpse into the life of someone else.
4 stars
Happy Reading!
Eugene Yelchin
A memoir in graphic form! Perfect, like reading a movie! I really enjoyed Mr. Yelchin's ode to his childhood behind the Iron Curtain. I found it to be warm-hearted, endlessly fascinating, and slightly disturbing. AS an American I cannot imagine growing up under such conditions despite I know that millions and millions of people find this a normal living situation.
I totally enjoy the coming of age memoirs, a glimpse into the life of someone else.
4 stars
Happy Reading!
November 15, 2024
Trying to decode adults secrecy all while plotting how to get his hands on a stick of gum to escape the madness.
October 10, 2022
A Panda Book award winner which explores a child's experience growing up in Cold War Russia. I know many people who grew up this way and emigrated to the US. This is a very difficult life for young people, in addition to the challenges of being a teen or tween. I appreciated the humanity given to the people living through this time, it makes me feel closer to the Russian/Jewish immigrants I have known. The dance, sport, and artist experience is especially interesting because rather than enjoy their creative talents, young people are pushed in their field to be the very best in the world...
March 21, 2025
The author recounts his life as a Jewish boy living in Russia during the Cold War. He's largely oblivious to the history of his family and the reason for how they live. His curiosity is usually ignored or squashed and so he lived quietly, sketching under the table where he slept at night. (The book is full of illustrations by the author.)
I don't know much about this time period of history and am now inspired to read more in depth on it.
Although very simple writing (I read half of it in one sitting), personally, I recommend this for YA or adults.
I don't know much about this time period of history and am now inspired to read more in depth on it.
Although very simple writing (I read half of it in one sitting), personally, I recommend this for YA or adults.
Read
December 21, 2021I'm not sure if I got the point of this book. I sense the author's hostility and envy of Americans throughout the story; I will forgive since I am not from that time period and can understand how a Russian might conjure up those feelings for Americans in those times. This is a coming of age story about a young boy who learns about his family in the tiny apartment he shares with his parents, grandmother, and brother. Who knew so many secrets could be kept in such small spaces in Cold War Russia.
January 21, 2022
I myself have a brother-in-law who is an artist who grew up in Leningrad at around the same time as the author, which added a personal feeling to my reading of this fascinating, disturbing, and moving autobiography.
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