[RUSSIANS IN BERLIN] - [Zoo. Letters Not About Love or the Third Eloise] Zoo
by SHKLOVSKII, Viktor and El LISITSKII [LISSITZKY] (artist)
- Used
- first
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
London, United Kingdom
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
First edition of this depiction of the Russian emigration in Berlin in the Golden Twenties - with a famous cover designed by Lissitzky, and some lovely examples of fine book design.
One of the key figures of Russian Formalism, the writer and literary critic Viktor Shklovskii (1893-1984), fearing arrest for opposing the bolsheviks, fled Russia in March 1922. He settled in Berlin where he lived at the "Zoo" [zoological garden] metro station, together with many of his fellow compatriots: this is the life he described in 'Zoo', portraying his friends-writers and artists as representatives of a certain kind of fauna, unaccustomed to life in Europe. Each letter's title is often an anecdotic story itself, such as the "Letter Five, which contains a description of Aleksei Mikhailovich Remizov, and his way of carrying water to the fourth floor in bottles. It also describes the life and manners of the great monkey order" (our translation).
In Berlin, Shklovskii was unrequitedly in love with the writer and translator Elsa Triolet, sister of Lilia Brik and the future wife of Louis Aragon. He dedicated the novel to her (adding to the title "the Third Eloise") and based it on a partly fictional, partly real correspondence with Triolet.
At the end of the novel, Schlovskii comes to the conclusion that he cannot live in Berlin anymore and addresses the last, twenty-third letter, to the Soviet authorities with a request to be allowed to return to Russia. On the efforts of the writer Maksim Gorkii and poet Vladimir Maiakovskii, Shklovskii was able to return to his homeland. In 1924, he published the second edition of Zoo. Pisma ne o liubvi (without mentioning Eloise) in Leningrad at Atenei publishing house, keeping a similar cover design. This second edition, more common than the first, is often confused with the original one.
'Zoo''s cover is designed by the leading Russian and Jewish avant-garde artist and architect El Lissitzky (Lazar Markovich Lissitzkii (also Lisitskii), 1890-1941) who stayed in Berlin in 1921-26 on the Soviet mission to "establish links with German art unions on behalf of the advanced Soviet art " (Strakhova).
Uncommon: we could trace three copies of this edition passing through auctions in the West and four copies (some in bad condition) in Russia.
Description
Octavo, complete.
Binding
Original publisher's wrappers printed in red and black.
Condition
Wrappers a bit spotted and sunned, minimal tears; some light foxing internally, especially at beginning and end.
Bibliography
Strakhova L., "El Lisitskii", Govorit Moskva, Entsiklopediia Ruthenia. ref: [2584]
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Details
- Bookseller
- PY Rare Books (GB)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 2584
- Title
- [RUSSIANS IN BERLIN] - [Zoo. Letters Not About Love or the Third Eloise] Zoo
- Author
- SHKLOVSKII, Viktor and El LISITSKII [LISSITZKY] (artist)
- Book Condition
- Used
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Publisher
- Gelikon, Berlin, 1923
- Weight
- 0.00 lbs
- Keywords
- judaica, russia, avant-garde, russian, constructivsim
- Bookseller catalogs
- 20th century: avant-garde and dissidence;
Terms of Sale
PY Rare Books
About the Seller
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About PY Rare Books
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Wrappers
- The paper covering on the outside of a paperback. Also see the entry for pictorial wraps, color illustrated coverings for...
- Sunned
- Damage done to a book cover or dust jacket caused by exposure to direct sunlight. Very strong fluorescent light can cause slight...
- Fine
- A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...