Livshits, E. (2019). ‘I am not divorcing the dead!..' Reminiscences. Diaries. Letters. Ed. by P. Nerler and P. Uspensky. Moscow: AST; Redaktsiya Eleny Shubinoy. (In Russ.)

Abstract

This review of the book of E. Livshits's reminiscences, diaries and letters considers her life story to be typical for the tragic 20th c. and dwells on the relevance of her memoirs for Russian literary history of the period. Ekaterina Livshits was married to Benedikt Lifshits, a famous poet, translator, and a friend of Osip Mandelstam's. B. Livshits was executed by Stalin's regime, and Ekaterina Livshits herself suffered political repression. Liberated from prison, she fought for many years to get her late husband's poems and memoirs published. His book of memoirs The One and a Half-Eyed Archer [Polutoraglaziy strelets] is one of the most important chronicles of the Russian Silver Age. E. Livshits managed to preserve B. Livshits's poems and memoirs and spared no effort in ensuring their publication. The review also mentions the work undertaken by P. Nerler, who compiled the book, and discusses the book's advantages and failings.