More than once on this blog I have laughed at all the history books I read, and wondered what excuse there could be for it. There are so many dry facts to wade through -- so many meaningless details!
That is even true of the excellent history book I am reading right now on the battle of Stalingrad, by Anthony Beevor. Just before reading Beevor I had read Vasily Grossman's novel of the battle of Stalingrad, "Life and Fate."
Actually it was an overly thick novel, difficult to read with all those Russian names. But at one point, towards the end, the novelist described the German retreat, during their denouement. Corpses of men, dead horses, burned out farmhouses, mud...
That is even true of the excellent history book I am reading right now on the battle of Stalingrad, by Anthony Beevor. Just before reading Beevor I had read Vasily Grossman's novel of the battle of Stalingrad, "Life and Fate."
Actually it was an overly thick novel, difficult to read with all those Russian names. But at one point, towards the end, the novelist described the German retreat, during their denouement. Corpses of men, dead horses, burned out farmhouses, mud...
Suddenly the road and the ruined house were caught in the rays of the setting sun. The empty eye-sockets of the burnt-out building seemed to fill with frozen blood.This image literally took my breath away -- and leave it to a Russian writer to come up with something like this! What point is there in reading about the battle of Stalingrad unless the writer can make that happen for you?
Comments
I actually think about this sort of thing alot. My fear is that this ability to bring a beautiful image to the horror of war is a dangerous thing. However, I think those who say that it is war that creates civilization are also correct so, in that sense, there is a sort of beauty in the destruction and horror of war for it represents the demise of what is being fought in order to make room for something new. In this particular battle, that thought would be consistent with the Russian viewpoint.
I ran across this pair of opposites the other day when reading about the Roman Empire. It was "brutally repulsive" yet "brilliantly progressive." Is it possible to have one without the other? Civilization without war?
George
I realize I forgot to answer your real question. I don't read historical fiction at all because there way too many liberties are taken (in the interests of creating a sensational account) with the facts and I end up not knowing the difference between what is factual and what isn't. Reading history is hard enough because you can find that the account depends on who wrote it, with what agenda. Would be interesting to read an account of the Battle of Stalingrad from both a Russian and German perspective.
At least with novelists I have read Russians, like Grossman, Solzhenitsyn, and Tolstoy.