Dreams of My Russian Summer, by Andrei Makine

Delycia and I are members of two book clubs (we're sort of swamped with reading these days), both of which meet at a bookstore in Madison, CT, and today I've been reading a wonderful novel by Andrei Makine -- "Dreams of My Russian Summers".  It was first published in French in 1995, and won the two most prestigious literary prizes in France. It's a novel, but it seems likely that most of it is based on Makine's on life as a Russian who emigrated to France. 

It is a remarkable book, filled with passionate accounts of the barbarism and beauty of the 20th century in Europe, including both world wars and the Russian revolution. Makine wrote the novel in French after having learned the language only a few years before, and the translation by Geoffrey Strachan seems to be a work of art. 

Here is just one example of the lyricism of the writing:
"A train whistle sounded in the distance. Its tone, softened by the warm air of the evening, had something of a sigh, a lament about it."

This book may even  interfere with my watching of the World Series tonight!