A painstakingly researched, revelatory biography of svetlana stalin, a woman fated to live her life in the shadow of one of historys most monstrous dictators her father, josef stalin. Mar 06, 2012 the only daughter of soviet dictator josef stalin has died in the us at the age of 85. Becoming an instant celebrity, she was feted in the united states her adopted country, and was widely reported on in the world s press. She died 85 years later, alone and impoverished, in spring green, wis. Joseph stalins daughter, svetlana, lived on a farm outside of east berlin for a brief time after defecting from the former soviet union. Svetlana alliluyeva biography facts, childhood, family. May 01, 2019 in the spring of 1967, svetlana alliluyeva, the only daughter and surviving child of soviet dictator joseph stalin, defected to the united states, leaving behind two children.
Svetlana stalin gives us an inside look inside the kremlin, and growing up as joseph stalins daughter. In one of the conversations with his daughter stalin mentioned dostoyevsky as an example of a deep psychologist. While she benefited from the perks of being the dictators daughter, her realization of his crimes against humanity, and the strictures of her role in soviet society were unbearable. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Joseph stalin was born iosif vissarionovich dzhugashvili in gori, georgia, russian empire to vissarion dzhugashvili and ekaterina geladze.
Svetlana alliluyeva, also known as lana peters, died of colon cancer at a care home in the state of wisconsin. Alliluyeva and bychkova became quite close, and remained friends for 30 years, until bychkova died in 1956. The red daughter covers svetlana alliluyeva, the only daughter of joseph stalin, so it fit the bill. Joseph stalin was one of the most feared dictators of the 20th century, causing the deaths of millions of his countrymen.
She talks of russia, but she might equally have been referring to. This book is a wonderfully written account of the life of svetlana alliluyeva, stalins one and only daughter. Joseph stalin s daughter, svetlana, lived on a farm outside of east berlin for a brief time after defecting from the former soviet union. While sullivan has written stalins daughter for a general audience, its questionable whether anyone other than the most avid russophiles will. The first sentence of svetlana alliluyevas obituary was set from her birth in 1926, for she was the only daughter of joseph stalin, the notorious soviet dictator, and one of the worst mass. How joseph stalins only daughter ended up in wisconsin mpr. How joseph stalins only daughter ended up in wisconsin. When svetlana alliluyeva, joseph s stalin s only daughter, took the impulsive decision on 6 march, 1967, to enter the american embassy in new delhi and request political asylum, she took the world by surprise.
The extraordinary and tumultuous life of svetlana alliluyeva. When svetlana alliluyeva, josephs stalins only daughter, took the impulsive decision on 6 march, 1967, to enter the american embassy in new delhi and request political asylum, she took the world by surprise. Joseph stalins daughter lived in east berlin, briefly. The book purports to be a collection of excerpts from her private journals, letters and editors notes, written by peter horvath, the lawyer who helped her reach the us.
Joseph vissarionovich stalin born ioseb besarionis dz djugashvili. The red daughter by john burnham schwartz goodreads. Becoming an instant celebrity, she was feted in the united states her adopted country, and was widely reported on in the worlds press. Mar 08, 2017 fifty years ago, march 6 marked a major repudiation against the soviet union and its former leader, joseph stalin. They were close when she was growing up, but stalins daughter, svetlana alliluyeva, pictured left and right as an adult caused international controversy in 1967. Some consider the writings of stalins daughter, svetlana alliluyeva to be the most reliable sources, since they were not censored. Some years ago, when the news broke out that joseph stalin s daughter had defected from communism and russia, many people were startled. Stalins daughter, svetlana alliluyeva, defected to the united states from the. The documentary svetlana about svetlana is a rare filmed interview with svetlana alliluyeva, joseph stalins daughter.
Shortly after her birth, her fathers reign began who went on to become the premier of the soviet union for many decades. Boston globe best book of the year the awardwinning author of villa airbel returns with a painstakingly researched, revelatory biography of svetlana stalin, a woman fated to live her life in the shadow of one of historys most monstrous dictatorsher father, josef stalin. This book is a wonderfully written account of the life of svetlana alliluyeva, stalin s one and only daughter. The extraordinary life of svetlana alliluyevaspent under the sinister shadow of her fatheris a complex and moving story of a sensitive woman caught in the turmoils of 20th century history. The result is a compelling biography that reveals a complex, conflicted woman who was as stubborn as her father and as impetuously intelligent as her mother. Jun 10, 2015 the strongest proof that svetlana alliluyeva was joseph stalins daughter is that this small, demurelooking redhead scared people and not just because her face and coloring so resembled her. Erstwhile soviet unions leader joseph stalins only daughter, svetlana alliluyeva, who changed her name later as lana peters has died in obscurity at the age of 85 in wisconsin, united states. She was born to his second wife nedezhda alliluyeva in moscow.
Some consider the writings of stalin s daughter, svetlana alliluyeva to be the most reliable sources, since they were not censored. Much like svetlana could never quite escape the long and obliterating shadow cast by stalin, neither can the author ignore the looming spectre of the red tzar. The early part of this book, in particular, is as much stalins story as it is a biography of his disconcertingly lookalike daughter. She is svetlana, her father is joseph stalin, and her extraordinary story is the subject of stalins daughter, rosemary sullivans thoughtful new biography. I found it impossible to exist without god in one s heart. I love schwartz s previous novels especially the commoner so i was really excited to read his take on the life of joseph stalin s daughter, svetlana alliluyeva, who left the ussr in the late 1960s, defecting to the united states. A painstakingly researched, revelatory biography of svetlana stalin, a woman fated to live her life in the shadow of one of history s most monstrous dictators her father, josef stalin. Aug 24, 2015 biographer rosemary sullivan joins the agenda in the summer for a feature interview to discuss her book stalin s daughter, about the tumultuous life of svetlana alliluyeva.
I came to that conclusion myself, without anybodys help or preaching. Running from her fathers brutal legacy, joseph stalins daughter defects to the united states during the turbulence of the 1960s. Josef stalin s daughter lived an unusual and peripatetic life, and when she succumbed to cancer last week at the age of 85, she died in relative obscurity in southwestern wisconsin. After stalins death in march 1952, she hoped to experience deliverance, as she called it, but it was not to be. At 623 pages of text, plus sources and footnotes, the work may seem daunting, but it. Svetlana alliluyeva, also known as lana peters, was the only daughter and the favourite child of the soviet premier joseph stalin. Soviet dictator josef stalins daughter, whose defection to the west during the cold war embarrassed the ruling communists and made her a.
Svetlana alliluyeva, also known as lana peters, died of colon cancer at a. Her latest biography, stalins daughter, is one of her best. Her latest biography, stalin s daughter, is one of her best. Fifty years ago, march 6 marked a major repudiation against the soviet union and its former leader, joseph stalin. Sullivan does a nice job of conveying her subjects point of. Jun 14, 2015 she is svetlana, her father is joseph stalin, and her extraordinary story is the subject of stalins daughter, rosemary sullivans thoughtful new biography.
I love learning about history, and this was an incredibly moving book about a tortured soul that had so many tragedies early in life, they never left her. Her deflection to the united states and so many other places was riveting. Yakov dzhugashvili was stalins firstborn son, and has the dictators. Jun 18, 2015 seared on the memory of svetlana alliluyeva, daughter of the soviet leader joseph stalin, was the moment she was taken to kiss her dead mother in her open coffin. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read stalins daughter. Joseph stalin 18781953 was the dictator of the union of soviet socialist republics ussr from 1929 to 1953. Sullivan spent 3 12 years researching and writing the book.
She was fortyone years old and wore an elegant white double. Jun 06, 2015 after stalins death in march 1952, she hoped to experience deliverance, as she called it, but it was not to be. Failing that, they tried to blunt the event by leaking in advance a bowdlerized version of the muchawaited book by joseph stalins daughter. Soviet dictator josef stalin s daughter, whose defection to the west during the cold war embarrassed the ruling communists and made her a bestselling author, has died. As her mother was interested in pursuing a professional career, a nanny, alexandra bychokova, was hired to look after alliluyeva and her older brother vasily born 1921. She talks of russia, but she might equally have been referring to america or, for that matter.
Biographer rosemary sullivan joins the agenda in the summer for a feature interview to discuss her book stalins daughter, about the tumultuous life of svetlana alliluyeva. A writer reimagines the life of joseph stalins daughter. Nov 29, 2011 erstwhile soviet unions leader joseph stalins only daughter, svetlana alliluyeva, who changed her name later as lana peters has died in obscurity at the age of 85 in wisconsin, united states. Mar 17, 2016 the documentary svetlana about svetlana is a rare filmed interview with svetlana alliluyeva, joseph stalin s daughter. Beria was jubilant after the death and presumed power would be his, not shrewd enough to realize that his own destruction was now in everyones interest. Born in the early years of the soviet union, svetlana stalin spent her youth inside the walls of the kremlin. Stalins regular doctors were in prison he was purging everyone, in that last period but there were others, working busily, applying leeches to his neck and head. Jan 31, 2018 joseph stalin s daughter lived in east berlin, briefly.
Stalins daughter is a captivating tale of intrigue, tragedy and survival. Stalins daughter explains to the camera, wiping back her tears, why voloshins poem affects her so. The extraordinary and tumultuous life of svetlana alliluyeva by sullivan, rosemary isbn. Stalins daughter, by rosemary sullivan, looks at a. The early part of this book, in particular, is as much stalin s story as it is a biography of his disconcertingly lookalike daughter. For fans of we were the lucky ones and a gentleman in moscow, this sweeping historical novel and unexpected love story is inspired by the remarkable life of svetlana alliluyeva. Joseph stalins daughter and critic svetlana alliluyeva. Stalins daughter tells the story of svetlana alliluyevea, who was born in moscow in 1926. Joseph stalin svetlana alliluyeva interview 1980s youtube. The only daughter of soviet dictator josef stalin has died in the us at the age of 85. A principal virtue ofsullivans empathetic stalins daughter is the vivid sense it offers of alliluyeva.
In the spring of 1967, svetlana alliluyeva, the only daughter and surviving child of soviet dictator joseph stalin, defected to the united states, leaving behind two children. The strongest proof that svetlana alliluyeva was joseph stalins daughter is that this small, demurelooking redhead scared people and not. The book will be of particular interest to wisconsin readers, because stalins daughter spent considerable time in the state, first at taliesin, near spring green, and later in richland center, where she died in 2011 at age 85. Shortly after her birth, her fathers reign began who went on to. Some years ago, when the news broke out that joseph stalins daughter had defected from communism and russia, many people were startled. Her statement given to reporters who met her plane in new york, told why she defected. Sullivans book, too, is a reflection of the father.
Svetlana the story of stalins daughter by martin ebon and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Making her tabloid foray is tattoo ensconced woman chrese evans of portland, oregon who happens to be the granddaughter of one of the badass dictators of the 20th century, joseph stalin. The extraordinary and tumultuous life of svetlana alliluyeva ebook written by rosemary sullivan. I love schwartzs previous novels especially the commoner so i was really excited to read his take on the life of joseph stalins daughter, svetlana alliluyeva, who left the ussr in the late 1960s, defecting to the united states. Sullivan s book, too, is a reflection of the father. Apr 30, 2019 in one of the most momentous events of the cold war, svetlana alliluyeva, the only daughter of the soviet despot joseph stalin, abruptly abandoned her life in moscow in 1967, arriving in new york to throngs of reporters and a nation hungry to hear her story. However, misfortune did not spare his own family, and the lives of his three legitimate children are tragic examples of a truly dysfunctional family. The leader of the communist soviet union on books that changed him. Stalins daughter is a poignant look at the struggles of a dictators offspring. On april 21, 1967, svetlana alliluyeva, the daughter of joseph stalin, bounded down the stairs of a swissair plane at kennedy airport. The red daughter does exactly what good historical.
As stalins daughter noticed, beria at stalins deathwatch had openly exulted when stalin seemed to slip away only then to feign grief during brief moments of seeming recovery. Stalins daughter, by rosemary sullivan the new york times. Nov 24, 2017 soviet leader joseph stalin 1878 1953 with his son, vasily 1921 1962 and daughter svetlana 1926 2011 at one of stalin s dachas. By her side is peter horvath, a young lawyer sent by the cia to smuggle svetlana into america.
In one of the most momentous events of the cold war, svetlana alliluyeva, the only daughter of the soviet despot joseph stalin, abruptly abandoned her life in moscow in 1967, arriving in new york to throngs of reporters and a nation hungry to hear her story. While she benefited from the perks of being the dictator s daughter, her realization of his crimes against humanity, and the strictures of her role in soviet society were unbearable. Stalins children the sad fates of the dictators descendents. Sullivan does a nice job of conveying her subjects point of view without accepting it as the last word. Seared on the memory of svetlana alliluyeva, daughter of the soviet leader joseph stalin, was the moment she was taken to kiss her dead mother. Josef stalins daughter lived an unusual and peripatetic life, and when she succumbed to cancer last week at the age of 85, she died in relative obscurity in southwestern wisconsin. Jun 03, 2015 stalin s daughter tells the story of svetlana alliluyevea, who was born in moscow in 1926.