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    My Life as a Russian Novel: A Memoir
    My Life as a Russian Novel: A Memoir
    My Life as a Russian Novel: A Memoir
    Audiobook7 hours

    My Life as a Russian Novel: A Memoir

    Written by Emmanuel Carrére

    Narrated by Simon Vance

    3.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    In work after work, the critically acclaimed author Emmanuel Carrere has trained his unblinking gaze on the lives of others as they fight a losing battle with that most fearsome of adversaries-the self. Now, determined to escape the bleak visions of his narratives, he takes on a film project in the heart of Russia while also embarking on a new love affair back home in Paris. But soon enough, the diversion he seeks eludes him, intimacy proves too arduous, and Carrere is left peering into the dark mirror of his own life.

    Set in Paris and Kotelnich, a small post-Soviet town, My Life as a Russian Novel traces Carrere's pursuit of two obsessions-the disappearance of his Russian grandfather and his erotic fascination with a woman he loves but cannot keep from destroying. In prose that is elegant and passionate, Carrere weaves the strands of his story into a travelogue of a journey inward. Road trip, confession, erotic tour de force-this fearless reckoning illuminates the schemes we devise to evade ourselves and the inevitable payment they exact.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateAug 3, 2010
    ISBN9781400188482
    Author

    Emmanuel Carrére

    Emmanuel Carrère (París, 1957) se ha impuesto internacionalmente como un extraordinario escritor con seis celebradas novelas de no ficción. Así, El adversario: «Novela apasionante y reflexión de escalofrío» (David Trueba); Una novela rusa: «Un relato original, multidireccional y perturbador» (Sergi Pàmies); De vidas ajenas (el mejor libro del año según la prensa cultural francesa): «Estremecedora e imprescindible» (Sònia Hernández, La Vanguardia); Limónov (galardonado con el Prix des Prix como la mejor novela francesa, el Premio Renaudot y el Premio de la Lengua Francesa): «Fascinante» (Llàtzer Moix, La Vanguardia); El Reino (mejor libro del año según la revista Lire): «Una muestra de gran inteligencia narrativa, una obra escrita en estado de gracia» (Isaac Rosa, El País); Yoga: «Un libro fuerte, instintivo y vertiginoso sobre la dura profesión de vivir» (Ángeles López, La Razón). En Anagrama también se han publicado sus libros de reportajes periodísticos Conviene tener un sitio adonde ir y Calais y su biografía de Philip K. Dick Yo estoy vivo y vosotros estáis muertos, y se han recuperado cuatro novelas de sus inicios, Bravura, El bigote, Fuera de juego y Una semana en la nieve (Premio Femina), así como el ensayo El estrecho de Bering. En 2017 fue galardonado con el Premio FIL de Literatura en Lenguas Romances y en 2021 recibió el Premio Princesa de Asturias de las Letras, ambos en reconocimiento al conjunto de su obra. Su último libro es V13. Crónica judicial. Fotografía © Maria Teresa Slanzi.

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    Reviews for My Life as a Russian Novel

    3.5/5

    80 ratings3 reviews

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    • 4/5
      I have never read a book quite like Carrière's [Un roman russe], the book's title leads the reader into thinking it is a novel when in fact it is an autobiography of a three year period in the life of the author. Sometimes written in the first person sometimes in the second person, with extracts from other works that Carriere had published; a letter to his mother rounds off the enterprise which also includes attempts to learn the Russian language and a lullaby to someone else's baby. The book can certainly play with the readers head and all the time this reader was wondering about how reliable a witness, is Carrière: especially when talking about the size of his cock. A well renowned author writing about himself may try and disguise the egoist in the process: Carrière cannot be accused of hiding his light under a bushel, as the most important person in Carrière's world is Carriere himself. This may be difficult to avoid if much of what you are writing about is an analysis of your feelings, however some readers may find this so annoying, that they cannot engage with the book, I found my patience stretched at some points, but in the end I enjoyed the journey.There are a number of things going on in Carriere's life (if there were not the book would be a little boring). He is in a new and erotic relationship with the girl of his dreams, he is trying to come to terms with the unspoken shame in the family of his maternal grandfather, who was probably shot for collaboration with the Germans in 1944: his mother a successful politician seems to avoid any discussion on the subject. He has become interested in an Hungarian patriot who was captured by the Russians (again in 1944) and spent over 50 years in captivity before being repatriated. He travels to the village of Koltelnitch to find out more with a small team and involves himself in the life of the village, with a view of writing a book or making a film; he makes three or four trips. He has also been commissioned by the newspaper Le Monde to write a novella and he chooses to write an erotic piece based on his own experiences with his girlfriend. This unsurprisingly does not bode well with Sophie his new partner who says to him."It is the fault in you because you have never been capable of seeing anything, but your own point of view"Carrière does not flinch from putting across his own point of view, which more often than not is based on his own selfish needs. He does not ask for the reader's sympathy, as he explains the way he feels during his tempestuous relationship with his partner and his difficult relationship with his family. The sections of the book are interweaved skilfully to form a coherent narrative. I particularly liked the descriptions of life in the poor Russian village, the fear of the people living under a regime where people can disappear, and the struggles of the author's team in making headway with their investigation. The characters that emerge are drawn from real life and there is another story to be told that makes the journey worthwhile. The difficulties and emotional drain suffered by Carriére in his relationship with Sophie, which seems to be based on sexual attraction and not much else is also well drawn. The extract from his erotic novel, which caused some criticism from the newspaper's own critics, would have been better left out of this book in my opinion and did not encourage me to seek it out.It may be difficult to look beyond the ego-trip that is undoubtedly part of this book. Carriére is not self effacing and Sophie's criticism of him is strikingly apt. The raw information and evidence of his thoughts and actions are there for all to see and the fragility of his wants and needs can be gleaned from his prose, which never lets him down. He tells it all like he thinks it is and as readers we can piece together a fascinating exercise in autobiographical writing. He does not ask us to like him, but I get the impression this book may have served some sort of purpose for the author and it dragged me along with it - 4 stars.
    • 5/5
      Audiobook. A story that carries u from France to Russian and back. Exciting. Sensual. Thrilling.
    • 4/5
      Mixed feelings. At the start, I see a sort of self-indulgent man writing a memoir of 3 years out of his life. I see some display of self-pity, am taken aback by a tawdry interlude at about the middle of the book... But then it becomes more poignant and serious. He is searching for an outlet for his grief and bewilderment over the loss of his grandfather who vanished in Paris in mysterious circumstances during German invasion in World War II. His grandfather being of Russian (Georgian) descent, the author is taking trips to Russia, first on a film assignment as a writer and then - as if drawn to his Russian roots through his mother and grandfather. In the meantime, he is having his own relationship problems... He is being looked at askance in a provincial Russian town, but finally, a Russian remarks with understanding: "You didn't just come here looking for our unhappiness, you brought your own along". The end is quite touching and sort of brings closure to the author's quest, and finally the title of the book and the front cover image start making sense.