Story of a Life - By Konstantin Paustovsky

According to The Washington Post, the author, born 1893, was one of the gifted Soviet writers who occupied a grey area of neither being a conformist nor a dissident, and thus avoided falling foul of the authorities. "By the time of his death in 1968, Paustovsky was one of the Soviet Unions most beloved writers, attracting spectators eager to catch a glimpse of him at work in his countryside writing shed. He was popular abroad, too. Marlene Dietrich, during a Soviet concert tour in 1964, knelt at the authors feet in homage. Though Paustovsky was nominated in 1965 for the Nobel Prize, the U.S.S.R. made it clear to the committee that his selection would be unacceptable." The prize was instead won by Mikhail Sholokhov. HIs autobiography here offered in six parts is considered his most famous work. Mentioned in the first volume is his uncle Yusya, the black sheep of the family, who fought in the Boer War on the side of the Boers.

Harvill Press first English editions, in like condition, each having a jacket with wear and tears to edges, some having previously been closed with tape, and all now protected in cellophane.  "Childhood and Schooldays" published 1964, "Slow Approach of Thunder", 1965, "In that Dawn", 1967, (pages 113 - 119 marred by a few smattered marks), "Years of Hope", 1968, "Southern Adventure", 1969 and "The Restless Years", 1974.