The Life of an Unknown Man

This poignant story The Life of an Unknown Man by Andrei Makine was beautifully written. A writer, Shutov, lives in Paris after leaving the Soviet Union then feels the need to return to the "new" Russia at the time Putin was President. He finds a country he does not recognise. He stays at an apartment owned by a former girlfriend which is still being renovated and is now a sumptuous building. He watches the TV and is shocked at the vulgar materialism shown e.g. dogs eating caviar. He is in St Petersburg (formerly Leningrad) and goes out to see a carnival in the city which disturbs him. He returns to the apartment and his hostess's son asks him to watch over the last tenant of the converted building to ensure he is safe before being removed in the morning. The old man is Volsky who tells Shutov about his life, which included surviving the Siege of Leningrad, the War and Stalin's purges. His main story is of his love for one woman during all that time in which music sustained them. It is a beautiful story of love, survival and resilience amidst the horror they endured. Highly recommended. 5/5