Waren Lao axe Devin—By or "Alexander Konstatinoviteh " Vorondky. English translation and foreword by. L. Zarine, Allen Unwin, London. 7/6.
Although the translator in his foreword calls this Russian book "an autobiographical historical novel," the thread of plot with its climax and development which one expects in. a novel is so subordinated that autobiography dominates the whole tone and feeling of the book. "Waters of Life and Death" is no less real autobiography than "The Little Grandmother of the Revolution," Catherine Breshkovsky's memoirs of her revolutionary worke and te, which the book recalls. The events of the book are the events of Voronsky's life from 1905 to 1912, The ending of the narrative, as Voronsky goes to his second period of exile, seems to call for another volume in which he gives his interpretation of the days after 1912.
Voronsky begins his story with the revolutionary outbreak of 1905, when the Bolshevik and Mensheviic factions of the Social Democratic Party were drawing further apart. His account of party activities before his exile as well as on his return from Siberia shows how the close-knit, highly centralized organization resulted in the ultimate success of the Bolshevik: Party. The story continues through the conference of the Party at Prague in 1912, when the Bolsheviks declared themselves a Congress, repudiated all other factions " and elected a Central Committee of their own, Into Exile But the book is not propagands, nor is it historical recital. The ideals and ambitions of a party worker, the thought and feeling behind the revolutionary movement are given, not with fanaticism nor with extravagance, but with the sympathetic insight which one associates with autoblography, Voronsky is areal stylist; his book is fled with good writing—short vivid personal sketch-descriptive passages of places ind of nature, philosophical meditation. He has the gift for terse and effective touches which seem to illminate both men and events. The second part of the book which deals with his exile as he goes out of Archangel under escort shows a real sense of humour.
'There' is a variety of character with which the author as party organized comes in contact. The Bible-Yeading, self-denying Semen, the Finnish' policeman, and the minor persons are no less effectively presented than are Lenin, Krylenko and Gorki. The intimate glimpses of Lenin in' these early days show the power and influence of the man, the virility and authority which were to be his strength in the later years, The book takes its title from] is. quite incapable of ordinary [When Tread this statement I began Voronsky's conclusion formed during economic prudence.
This, hig exile that man's reason alone could one place Gllemma. Perhaps the - device by {falth, for only reason could direct and which the two young. people broke control the mindless, onward flow of Gown paternal opposition is new on the waters of life and death.... Only the stage. It takes the form of their with the coming of 'Socialism would deliberately "incurring: the' respon: the' Inevitable gulf between reason. sibilities of parenthood and then, ton. and instinct be finally closed... Then, fronting both parents with the im. casson and instinct being one, man-pending certainty, achieving their of. Kind. would at last emerge from the feet of being allowed to commit dominion of necessity into the realm matrimony. with full" consent from fof choice and freedom, As other books have shown, one here again sees that no method Is more effective than that of biography for presenting political ideas as they affect human experience, One feels hhere the intensity of the devotion which made possible the Russian Revolution in a way which sober historical treatment could scarcely
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.