The Red Daughter
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Author Description
Running from her father's brutal legacy, Joseph Stalin's daughter defects to the United States against the turbulence of the 1960s. For fans of We Were the Lucky Ones and A Gentleman in Moscow, this sweeping historical novel is inspired by the true story of Svetlana Alliluyeva. In one of the most momentous events of the Cold War, Svetlana Allilyueva, the forty-one-year-old daughter of the notorious tyrannical leader of the USSR, abruptly abandoned her life in Moscow in 1967, arriving in New York to throngs of reporters and a nation hungry to hear her story. By her side is Peter Horvath, a lawyer in his mid-thirties who is sent by the CIA to escort Svetlana to America. Rootless, lonely, and bewildered by her adopted country's radically different society, Svetlana takes refuge in Arizona with the widow of architect Frank Lloyd Wright, makes a hasty marriage, and has a child. Floundering, she reaches out to Peter, her first connection in America and, it seems, the only person she can genuinely count on. When their relationship becomes more than just professional, it unfolds under the eyes of her CIA minders, and Svetlana and Peter's private lives are no longer their own. The author's father was in fact the young lawyer who escorted the real Svetlana to the United States. Based on his father's reminiscences as well as his own extensive research into Svetlana's life, John Burnham Schwartz recreates this dramatic story of a woman's search for a new life and a place to belong, in the evocative and imaginative prose that have made him a critically acclaimed, bestselling author of literary and historical fiction
Menrva's Summary
THE PULSE
Svetlana Alliluyeva, daughter of Joseph Stalin, defects from the Soviet Union to the United States, seeking refuge from her father's brutal legacy amidst the social upheaval of the 1960s. Fleeing a life under the shadow of tyranny, Svetlana finds herself adrift in a foreign land, grappling with loneliness and bewilderment. Her primary objective is to forge a new identity and find a sense of belonging, but she is constantly under the watchful eyes of CIA minders. Her burgeoning relationship with Peter Horvath, the lawyer assigned to her, becomes a fragile anchor in her disorienting new reality, yet it too is scrutinized, making her private life a public spectacle.
INSIDE THE PAGES
- The narrative follows Svetlana Alliluyeva's defection from the USSR in 1967.
- The story is set against the backdrop of the Cold War and the turbulent 1960s in America.
- Key figures include Svetlana, Peter Horvath (a CIA escort), and the widow of Frank Lloyd Wright.
- Svetlana's search for a new life and a place to belong is a central theme.
- The novel explores the complexities of her relationships under surveillance.
- It is inspired by the true story of Svetlana Alliluyeva.
- The author's father was involved in escorting the real Svetlana to the US.
- The narrative is informed by the author's father's reminiscences and extensive research.
THE COLLECTIVE ECHO
Inspired by the true story of Svetlana Alliluyeva, 'The Red Daughter' is presented as a sweeping historical novel that delves into a momentous event of the Cold War. The narrative is crafted with evocative and imaginative prose, characteristic of the author's critically acclaimed work in literary and historical fiction. The premise suggests a compelling exploration of a woman's search for identity and belonging in a drastically different society, framed by the personal connection of the author to the events. The story's focus on the private lives of its protagonists unfolding under the intense scrutiny of intelligence agencies promises a dramatic and intimate portrayal.
Page Count:
288
Publication Date:
2019-01-01
ISBN-10:
1400068460
ISBN-13:
9781400068463
Fiction
Historical Fiction
Biographical fiction
Cold War
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