Le Monde has called Life and Fate “the greatÂest RussÂian novÂel of the twenÂtiÂeth cenÂtuÂry,” and MarÂtin Amis once described its author, VasiÂly GrossÂman, as “the TolÂstoy of the USSR.” Now, if you haven’t read the novÂel, you can begin to underÂstand the reaÂson for all of the high praise.
StartÂing this week, the BBC will air an eight-hour dramaÂtiÂzaÂtion of the masÂterÂpiece that offered a sweepÂing account of the siege of StalÂinÂgrad, one of the bloodÂiÂest batÂtles of World War II. Although origÂiÂnalÂly writÂten in 1959, the book was offiÂcialÂly cenÂsored in the SoviÂet Union until 1988 because, in the estiÂmaÂtion of the appaÂratchiks, it threatÂened to do more harm to the USSR than PasterÂnak’s DocÂtor ZhivaÂgo.
KenÂneth Branagh and David TenÂnant star in the 13-episode series that will be broadÂcast from 18 to 25 SepÂtemÂber on Radio 4. You can access the audio files online or via iTues, RSS Feed, and othÂer forÂmats here.
For more dramaÂtiÂzaÂtions of litÂerÂary clasÂsics, please visÂit:
Aldous HuxÂley Reads DraÂmaÂtized VerÂsion of Brave New World
HG Wells’ The War of the Worlds NarÂratÂed by Orson Welles
Free Audio Books: DownÂload Great Books for Free
50 ClasÂsic RussÂian Films (IncludÂing Tarkovsky’s Finest) Now Online