In 1945 Isaiah Berlin, working in Russia for the British Foreign Office, met Anna Akhmatova almost by chance in what was then Leningrad. Their time together, only 14 hours in all, was a transforming experience for both and a cardinal moment in literary history. For Akhmatova, Berlin was a "guest from the future" where her work would survive beyond the nightmare of Stalinism. He had also known St Petersburg as a child before 1914 and was thus a link with that lost world - the subject of her last masterpiece, "Poem without a ...
Read More
In 1945 Isaiah Berlin, working in Russia for the British Foreign Office, met Anna Akhmatova almost by chance in what was then Leningrad. Their time together, only 14 hours in all, was a transforming experience for both and a cardinal moment in literary history. For Akhmatova, Berlin was a "guest from the future" where her work would survive beyond the nightmare of Stalinism. He had also known St Petersburg as a child before 1914 and was thus a link with that lost world - the subject of her last masterpiece, "Poem without a hero", on which she was already at work. For Berlin, the encounter was the most memorable of his life, a return to his homeland and a spur to his ideas on liberty and on history. It had tragic consequences, however. To the Soviet authorities Berlin was a British spy, and Akhmatova became ideological enemy number one. From that moment she was constantly watched by the KGB, isolated and expelled from the Writer's Union. Members of her family were sent to the camps. She herself was convinced that the Cold War dated from her meeting with Berlin, yet she remembered it with emotion for the rest of her life, and it led to some of the finest love poems of the 20th century. While writing this book, Gyorgy Dalos interviewed Isaiah Berlin and other contemporaries who knew Akhmatova well, and had access to hitherto secret Politburo and KGB files. His book throw light on the bitter conflict between dissident writers and the Soviet state.
Read Less
Add this copy of The Guest From the Future: Anna Akhmatova and Isaiah to cart. $3.83, good condition, Sold by Gulf Coast Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Memphis, TN, UNITED STATES, published 1999 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Add this copy of The Guest From the Future: Anna Akhmatova and Isaiah to cart. $4.01, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Atlanta rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Brownstown, MI, UNITED STATES, published 2000 by Farrar, Strauss & Giroux-3pl.
Add this copy of The Guest From the Future: Anna Akhmatova and Isaiah to cart. $4.06, very good condition, Sold by Books From California rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Simi Valley, CA, UNITED STATES, published 1999 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Add this copy of The Guest From the Future: Anna Akhmatova and Isaiah to cart. $4.16, very good condition, Sold by Ezekial Books, LLC rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Manchester, NH, UNITED STATES, published 1999 by Farrar Straus Giroux.
Add this copy of The Guest From the Future: Anna Akhmatova and Isaiah to cart. $4.25, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Atlanta rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Brownstown, MI, UNITED STATES, published 1999 by Farrar Straus Giroux.
Add this copy of The Guest From the Future: Anna Akhmatova and Isaiah to cart. $4.25, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Baltimore rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Halethorpe, MD, UNITED STATES, published 1999 by Farrar Straus Giroux.
Add this copy of The Guest From the Future: Anna Akhmatova and Isaiah to cart. $4.25, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Dallas rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 1999 by Farrar Straus Giroux.
Add this copy of The Guest From the Future: Anna Akhmatova and Isaiah to cart. $5.80, very good condition, Sold by BooksRun rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Philadelphia, PA, UNITED STATES, published 2000 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Add this copy of Guest From the Future to cart. $7.14, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Ruby rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2001 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of The Guest From the Future: Anna Akhmatova and Isaiah to cart. $8.50, very good condition, Sold by Clovis Book Barn rated 3.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Clovis, CA, UNITED STATES, published 1999 by Farrar Straus Giroux.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Collectible-Very Good. 1999-First American Edition. Hardback with dustjacket is in very good condition. Very light shelf wear. Free tracking with domestic orders. MD SKU-8705414 Bio.