This review essay was prepared following the 100th year anniversary of
the Russian Revolution coinciding as it did with the Congress of the
Chinese Communist Party. The book that the review essay revolves around
is the memoir by the prominent Uruguayan poet Roberto Echavarren based
on his recent on-site research in Russia. The topic I believe is timely
as it addresses the problems of literary and artistic expression under
exceptional conditions. This year, in China, these controversies that
the Russian Revolution gave birth to are on center stage. The upcoming
100th year anniversary of the Founding of the Chinese Communist Party,
in less than two years, will call attention to these issues again.