Black Square by Sophie Pinkham
'Lively and engaging' Financial Times 'Empathetic and deeply humanising' Peter Pomerantsev, author of This is Not Propaganda Each time Ukraine has rebuilt itself over the last century, it has been plagued by the same conflicts: corruption, poverty, and most of all Russian aggression. Sophie Pinkham saw all this and more over ten years in Ukraine and Russia, a period that included the Maidan revolution of 2013-14, Russia's annexation of Crimea, and the ensuing war in Donbass. With a keen eye for the dark absurdities of post-Soviet society, Pinkham presents a dynamic account of contemporary Ukrainian life. She meet a charismatic doctor helping to smooth the transition to democracy even as he struggles with drug dependence; a band of Ukrainian, Russian, and Belarusian hippies in a Crimean idyll; and a Jewish clarinetist agitating for Ukrainian liberation. These fascinating personalities deliver an indelible impression of a country on the brink. Black Square is necessary reading for anyone who wishes to learn the roots of the current Russo-Ukrainian war and the personal stories of the people who live it every day. ___ 'Elegant, suggestive, ominous, beautiful, and deceptively simple . . . Perhaps the only thing more impressive than the sheer number and diversity of people Sophie Pinkham has spoken to is how deftly she has woven their stories into a single compulsively readable narrative.' Elif Batuman, author of The Idiot
Sophie Pinkham is a wry, erudite observer of human foibles, political illusions, and funny hatsIn Ukraine and its complex and tragic confrontation with Russia (and itself), she has found the perfect subject. Anyone who wants an explanation of Ukraine's recent history that goes beyond Kremlin propaganda and Western media oversimplification should read this book. -- Keith Gessen, translator of 'Voices from Chernobyl'
Essential reading. What makes Black Square superb, to my mind, is Pinkham's keen eye for the dark comedy and tragedy that mark so many of her subjects. Her portraits of individual Ukrainians and Russians are as rich and nuanced as her synthesis of their national histories and politics. The result is a book whose literary achievement will outlast its timeliness. -- Anthony Marra, author of 'A Constellation of Vital Phenomena'
Black Square is as elegant, suggestive, ominous, beautiful, and deceptively simple as, well, a black square. Perhaps the only thing more impressive than the sheer number and diversity of people Sophie Pinkham has spoken to is how deftly she has woven their stories into a single compulsively readable narrative. -- Elif Batuman, author of 'The Possessed'
An empathetic and deeply humanising look at troubled times and dangerous, revolutionary days. -- Peter Pomerantsev, author of 'Nothing is True and Everything is Possible'
Black Square is a remarkable historical memoir: humane, shocking and full of brilliant insight. Sophie Pinkham never succumbs to easy judgement. Her book is essential reading for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the tragic and dangerous confrontation between Ukraine and Russia. -- Rachel Polonsky, author of 'Molotov's Magic Lantern'
Essential reading. What makes Black Square superb, to my mind, is Pinkham's keen eye for the dark comedy and tragedy that mark so many of her subjects. Her portraits of individual Ukrainians and Russians are as rich and nuanced as her synthesis of their national histories and politics. The result is a book whose literary achievement will outlast its timeliness. -- Anthony Marra, author of 'A Constellation of Vital Phenomena'
Black Square is as elegant, suggestive, ominous, beautiful, and deceptively simple as, well, a black square. Perhaps the only thing more impressive than the sheer number and diversity of people Sophie Pinkham has spoken to is how deftly she has woven their stories into a single compulsively readable narrative. -- Elif Batuman, author of 'The Possessed'
An empathetic and deeply humanising look at troubled times and dangerous, revolutionary days. -- Peter Pomerantsev, author of 'Nothing is True and Everything is Possible'
Black Square is a remarkable historical memoir: humane, shocking and full of brilliant insight. Sophie Pinkham never succumbs to easy judgement. Her book is essential reading for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the tragic and dangerous confrontation between Ukraine and Russia. -- Rachel Polonsky, author of 'Molotov's Magic Lantern'
Sophie Pinkham lives in New York. Her writing on Russia and Ukraine has appeared in the New Yorker, the New York Times, n+1, the London Review of Books and Foreign Affairs, among other publications.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780434023516 |
| ISBN 10 | 0434023515 |
| Title | Black Square |
| Author | Sophie Pinkham |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Cornerstone |
| Year published | 2016-08-25 |
| Number of pages | 336 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |