Last Summer (Upper and Lower)

Author: (Russian) Konstantin Simonov / Li Ruyu and others
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features: Konstantin Simonov, hailed as the founder of "panoramic" novels, was a renowned Soviet writer skilled in depicting grand historical scenes and profound philosophical insights. This book is the third part of his trilogy novel series The Living and the Dead, which portrays the Battle of Belarus in summer 1944 when the Soviet Red Army liberated the region. The protagonists, such as Shcherpilin and Sinzov, represent the fate of a group of people who suffered repression in the Soviet Union during the 1930s. Despite facing unfair treatment, their patriotic spirit never wavered, and their conscience remained uncorrupted. When their homeland was invaded by German fascists, they fought fearlessly on the front lines. The novel fully showcases the Soviet soldiers' unwavering belief in victory and their strong sense of responsibility to their motherland. The author portrays over 200 characters in the novel, narrating numerous real-life details of war, many of which are based on his personal experiences on the battlefield, giving the story a vivid, authentic, and emotionally moving quality. What is even more valuable is that the trilogy not only depicts the fate of people during the war but also touches upon a series of sharp and pressing real-world issues in the entire history of Soviet literature. As a result, the trilogy was awarded the 1974 Lenin Prize.