Stalin the kind

Author's name: Viktor Erofeev Publisher: Al-Karima for Publishing and Distribution Year of publication: 2022 Literary genre: Novel Brief about the book: The novel "Stalin the Kind" is inspired by the experience of the writer Viktor Erofeev, who grew up amid the Soviet political hierarchy. His father was one of Stalin's strongest supporters and dedicated his life and soul to the Soviet Communist Party. The father began working as Stalin's personal translator and quickly rose to the top of the political ladder, becoming part of the inner circle of the leader. This novel highlights the prestigious – yet risky – position of the Erofeev family as members of the Supreme Soviet Council. In one of the prominent scenes in the novel, Viktor, the main character in the work, recalls how he used to tell his friends when passing in front of the Kremlin as a child: "My father works here – and Comrade Stalin." However, the absolute loyalty to the Communist Party did not come easily to Viktor the son as it did to his father: when Viktor became a young man, he started writing stories that the party classified as "pornographic literature," and he entered the world of dissenting literature, violating Soviet censorship laws, and was expelled from the Writers' Union. His actions led to his father's dismissal from his job at a time when he was hoping to be appointed Deputy Foreign Minister. Erofeev's novel, which is considered an autobiography, presents his opinions and perspectives as a child and an adult about decades of Soviet Union history. This novel not only documents the emergence of a prominent writer but also explores the development of the dissent movement within the Soviet Union among members of the Supreme Soviet.