
Fear of Mirrors
Tariq Ali(Author)
Seagull Books London Ltd (Publisher)
Published on 10. August 2010
Book
Hardback
332 pages
978-1-906497-15-6 (ISBN)
Description
In this novel from esteemed political writer Tariq Ali, a father, Vlady, loses his job when he refuses to renounce socialist beliefs in the newly unified Germany - and as a result wants to explain to his alienated son what their family's long and passionate involvement with communism has really meant. The story he tells is of Ludwik, a Polish secret agent, and Gertrude, Vlady's mother, whose desire for Ludwik is matched only by her devotion to the communist ideal. As the plot unfolds through the political upheavals of the twentieth century, Vlady describes the hopes aroused by the Bolshevik revolution and discovers the almost unbearable truth about the family's betrayal. Written with deep political insight and sensitivity, "Fear of Mirrors" relates the extraordinary history of Central Europe from the perspective of those on the other side of the cold war.
Reviews / Votes
"Ali folds his drama around the tight, cultlike atmosphere of Communist Party life, peopled by idealists who find their lives encumbered by betrayals, power grabs, and corruption and who, in the post-Communist era, must come to terms with their complicity with Stalinism.... This is a valuable book, especially for those interested in the current thinking of the European left." - Publishers Weekly"More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Greenford
United Kingdom
Dimensions
Height: 196 mm
Width: 159 mm
Thickness: 41 mm
Weight
676 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-906497-15-6 (9781906497156)
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Schweitzer Classification
Person
Tariq Ali is a writer, filmmaker, and a longtime political activist and campaigner. He has written over a dozen books on world history and politics, including The Clash of Fundamentalisms, Bush in Babylon, Rough Music, and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Axis of Hope, as well as five novels and scripts for both stage and screen.