Coming up for a little air. I've been submerged in my reading of late, trying to make this a more productive reading month than the disaster that was February! (I blame that on the nasty weather). I am trying to squeeze in two (it would be nice to make it three to double last month's numbers--maybe a slim graphic novel?) more books by the end of this weekend so I have been mostly absent here and online generally.
Happily I have been enjoying my most recent reading--mostly carryovers from last month or my regular reading projects but I have also returned to a couple of books that I started earlier this year but have been a little neglected through no fault of their own. I have particularly been trying to make headway in a nonfiction book--a biography as last weekend I bought another true crime nonfiction read that has gotten many good words and notable mentions, and which I will tell you about next week. (Must continue to focus on what is currently in hand).
I've really drawn out reading Sofka Zinovieff's Red Princess: A Revolutionary Life about the author's grandmother who led quite an adventurous and romantic life. The book covers so much ground and is so full of interesting detail I am not sure how I will ever write about it, but I want to mention it here now as I have thoroughly enjoyed it even if it has taken me ages to work my way through it. (Typical of me and nonfiction--I always want to take in all the details so read very slowly).
The impetus for the book was a diary which her grandmother had given her when she was younger and which sat unread for some time. A decade later she pulled it out of a drawer and properly began reading and was taken up into this tragic yet very full life and she began a quest to fill in all the details that her grandmother Sofka (yes, they share the same name) left out.
Sofka, the elder, was born into a privileged and aristocratic Russian family, but the Revolution threw all their lives onto a new trajectory. Sofka spent time in Europe and England while her mother, a doctor, went off to lead a scholarly and very different life. It is perhaps not so surprising that Sofka would lead an independent life, too. To the consternation of many she left behind three children by two different husbands to live her own life--very artistic and bohemian. In part it was WWII that kept her away from her children and time spent in a French internment camp, but she never quite fit the mold of mother and housewife. She had lovers, was a Communist, worked with and was good friends with the Oliviers (She knew him well enough to call him Larry). She traveled and was unapologetically her own woman.
Sofka Dolgorouky was such a fascinating woman. She lived through world shattering events and while she suffered many losses when it comes to family and love, but in her way she was ultimately triumphant. So many considered her scandalous, and a bad mother, she had a secret government file that her granddaughter was able to gain access to. I can see where she would have been considered quite selfish and not a very good mother, but she was not born into a traditional home and the events of history had some part in shaping her life. It has felt a little voyeuristic reading about her Sofka's personal life and certainly has been entertaining. Sofka Zinovieff has several of her own books--a recent novel and a memoir of her own that I want to track down.
I like reading about strong, independent women (not apologizing for her lack of motherly inclination of course--I'll leave that open to other interpretation), and for a look at life as lived by one woman in the first half of the twentieth century I can heartily recommend this book. I have also, inspired by Sofka's life and a desire to read more biography/memoir, picked up and am getting back to Salka Viertel's The Kindness of Stranger's (my NYRB Classic from January!). I wrote about it earlier--she lived about the same time as Sofka and spent time on the stage and went to Hollywood. I forgot how much I like reading memoirs, so I will keep chipping at Salka's book and soon will move on to another nonfiction read.
I've been spending time with some other great books and will be back to tell you about them soon!