Almost at the End

From Library Journal
Soviet renegade poet turned celebrity, Yevtushenko is now dealing with how to "stay hungry" after becoming "too rich and too famous." This work consists primarily of "Fuki," a meditation in poetry and prose that ranges from childhood war memories to the poet's inability to do more than bear witness to contemporary poverty and injustice. Political heterodoxy, formal experimentation, and sexual frankness are barriers broached with impunity, indicating Yevtushenko's near-untouchable status. Yet he declares himself a "writer for all who don't write." His outbursts of eloquence, though unmistakable, are apparently motivated by a peculiar egotism: he sees himself as Mayakovsky's successor. He will have to move beyond this stage to recapture the power of his work from the Sixties. Rob Schmieder, BostonCopyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Language Notes
Text: English, Russian (translation)


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Soviet renegade poet turned celebrity, Yevtushenko is now dealing with how to ``stay hungry'' after becoming ``too rich and too famous.'' This work consists primarily of ``Fuki,'' a meditation in poetry and prose that ranges from childhood war memories to the poet's inability to do more than bear witness to contemporary poverty and injustice. Political heterodoxy, formal experimentation, and sexual frankness are barriers broached with impunity, indicating Yevtushenko's near-untouchable status. Yet he declares himself a ``writer for all who don't write.'' His outbursts of eloquence, though unmistakable, are apparently motivated by a peculiar egotism: he sees himself as Mayakovsky's successor. He will have to move beyond this stage to recapture the power of his work from the Sixties. Rob Schmieder, Boston


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