Vera Broido

[Daughter of Revolution A Russian Girlhood Remembered] by [[Vera Broido]]

I very much enjoyed this book, both the writing and the content. Vera Broido's parents, Mark and Eva Broido, were both active revolutionaries in tsarist Russia, their lives in constant danger. Some stability was provided for Vera through the constant presence of her grandmother.

Broido begins by setting the scene and describing some of the political beliefs and differences of the time, e.g. the autocratic ideas of Lenin versus more democratic ideas of other groups. The author describes the movement to educate the working class, teaching them to read and creating small libraries. Broido also describes the effects of the industrial revolution, very slowly making changes in society.

Broido's parents are captured periodically and when her mother is at last exiled to Siberia, Broido accompanies her. Her description of the trip and the different places they lived before settling down in a certain village illustrates the importance of the final destination for exiles, which could be barren or lively, depending on the location and who else was exiled there. Her mother was fortunate in ending up in a good placement (Minusinsk) where she had enjoyable work and pay and food was more plentiful than they had experienced at home. Vera's teacher was a well known revolutionary woman, providing a wonderful and unique circumstance for her education.

The writing in this memoir is wonderful and seems insightful, such as when Broido describes the nomad tribe Kirghiz who lived nearby, noting the perfect stillness and quiet in their bodies while they were in town. This was compared to the intense energy they displayed when they left town and returned to their own space. It's always intriguing to hear stories from the viewpoint of children or other less powerful groups, whose survival depended on understanding the behavior, habits, and attitudes of those holding power and often it is the children.

The exiles do their best to keep each other's spirits up, having dinners, drinking, singing, and having a good time, but the parties end in tears over sentimental songs as they all miss their homes and families (and become drunk). When Vera's sister becomes ill with meningitis, their mother is not allowed to return home to be with her and she dies without her mother. This is painful for all, but Vera sees it as a revolutionary duty whereas her half sister Sanya saw it as betrayal. Sanya developed a hatred for her mother's chosen group, the Mensheviks (believers in a democratic structure), and began associating with the Bolsheviks (Lenin and his autocratic group) in retaliation. She ended up marrying a Bolshevik who was later executed and Sanya and their daughter were sent to a labor camp for many years. Intriguing (and sad) example of psychohistory and the effects of family dynamics on history.

This week the son of civil rights worker Jesse Jackson was convicted or sentenced for stealing, basically. It makes me so sad, and makes me remember another book, by [[John Blake]], [Children of the Movement] about the results of being parented by people who were suffering with post traumatic stress while parenting. It is just so sad.

Broido describes her life among the revolutionaries in detail and I learned a lot about the political situation during this time period, deepening my understanding of the Russian revolutions. She also tells the story of her life in Paris as an apprentice to an artist, as well as the social life of Paris and Berlin where she lived. It is all fascinating, and the more social part lightened the reading also. This is a great read and therefore I think a good introduction to some of these political issues for a beginner like myself. If you already have some background in Russian history and want to go more deeply, this may not be for you. For me personally, I enjoy both these types of personal stories as well as more detailed history. Highly recommended. In fact, one of my all time favorites.… (más)