Chuprinin, S. (2023). The Thaw as disobedience. Moscow: Novoe literaturnoe obozrenie. (In Russ.)

Abstract

Chuprinin’s The Thaw as Disobedience [Ottepel kak nepovinovenie] is his latest in a series of research published in the last few years. The cycle opens with The Thaw: Events [Ottepel: Sobytiya] in 2020, followed by The Thaw: Characters [Ottepel: Deystvuyushchie litsa] in 2023. In his studies, Chuprinin draws on material from the press of the day as well as archives. His latest book consists of an author’s preface, six chapters, and an index of names ‘People of the Thaw.’ Each chapter constitutes an individual fragment of the history of the Thaw, whose timeline begins in March 1953, following Stalin’s death, and ends with the invasion of Czechoslovakia by Soviet-led armed forces in August 1968. In the 15 years of the Thaw, the USSR saw changes that, combined with other factors, eventually led to the collapse of the Soviet state. Chuprinin’s undeniable talent as a storyteller shines as he successfully demonstrates how a ‘critical mass’ of rejection of old stereotypes gradually and imperceptibly took over the mentality of Soviet people — a process greatly aided by writers.