Lara : the untold love story and the inspiration for Doctor Zhivago

Prologue: Straightening cobwebs -- A girl from a different world -- Mother land and wonder papa -- The cloud dweller -- Cables under high tension -- Marguerite in the dungeon -- Cranes over Potma -- A fairy tale -- The Italian angel -- The fat is in the fire -- The Pasternak affair -- A beast at bay -- The truth of their agony -- Epilogue: Think of me then.;Drawing on previously neglected family sources and original interviews, Anna Pasternak tells the heartbreaking story of the love affair between her great-uncle Boris Pasternak, the author of Doctor Zhivago and his muse, Olga Ivunskaya. Filled with the rich detail of Boris's secret life, Lara uneaths a moving love story of courage, loyalty, suffering, drama, and loss, casting new light on the legacy of a timeless classic. -- Cover page 4. Lara is the heartbreaking story of lovers Boris Pasternak, the author of Doctor Zhivago, and Olga Ivinskaya—the true tragedy behind the timeless classic. "Anna Pasternak does not spare an ounce of drama nor detail from the story of her great-uncle's love affair with Olga Ivinskaya, the inspiration for Doctor Zhivago 's Lara. The result is a profoundly moving meditation on love, loyalty and, ultimately, forgiveness." — New York Times –bestselling author Amanda Foreman When Stalin came into power in 1924, the Communist government began persecuting dissident writers. Though he spared the life of Boris Pasternak—whose novel-in-progress, Doctor Zhivago , was suspected of being anti-Soviet—Stalin persecuted Boris's mistress, typist, and literary muse, Olga Ivinskaya. Boris's affair devastated the Pasternaks, and they were keen to disavow Olga's role in Boris's writing. Twice sentenced to work in Siberian labor camps, Olga was interrogated about Boris's book, but she didn't betray the man she loved. Released from the gulags, Olga assumed that Boris would leave his wife for her but, trapped by his family's expectations and his own weak will, he never did. Drawing on previously neglected family sources and original interviews, Anna Pasternak explores her great-uncle's hidden act of moral compromise, and restores to history the passionate affair that inspired and animated Doctor Zhivago . Devastated that Olga suffered on his behalf and frustrated that he could not match her loyalty to him, Boris instead channeled his thwarted passion for her into his novel's love story. Filled with the rich detail of Boris's secret life, Lara unearths a moving love story of courage, loyalty, suffering, drama, and loss, casting a new light on the legacy of Doctor Zhivago . The heartbreaking story of the love affair between Boris Pasternak, the author of Doctor Zhivago, and Olga Ivinskaya—the true tragedy behind the timeless classic, and a harrowing look at how the Russian government has treated dissidents When Stalin came into power in 1924, the Communist government began persecuting dissident writers. Though Stalin spared the life of Boris Pasternak—whose novel-in-progress, Doctor Zhivago, was suspected of being anti-Soviet—he persecuted Boris’s mistress, typist, and literary muse, Olga Ivinskaya. Boris’s affair with Olga devastated the straitlaced Pasternaks, and they were keen to disavow Olga’s role in Boris’s writing process. Twice Olga was sentenced to work in Siberian labor camps, where she was interrogated about the book Boris was writing, but she refused to betray the man she loved. When Olga was released from the gulags, she assumed that Boris would leave his wife for her but, trapped by his family’s expectations and his own weak will, he never did. Drawing on previously neglected family sources and original interviews, Anna Pasternak explores this hidden act of moral compromise by her great-uncle, and restores to history the passionate affair that inspired and animated Doctor Zhivago. Devastated that Olga suffered on his behalf and frustrated that he could not match her loyalty to him, Boris instead channeled his thwarted passion for Olga into the love story in Doctor Zhivago. Filled with the rich detail of Boris’s secret life, Lara unearths a moving love story of courage, loyalty, suffering, drama, and loss, and casts a new light on the legacy of Doctor Zhivago. "The heartbreaking story of the love affair between Boris Pasternak, the author of Doctor Zhivago, and Olga Ivinskaya--the true tragedy behind the timeless classic. When Stalin came into power in 1924, the Communist government began persecuting dissident writers. Though Stalin spared the life of Boris Pasternak--whose novel-in-progress, Doctor Zhivago, was suspected of being anti-Soviet--he persecuted Boris's mistress, typist, and literary muse, Olga Ivinskaya. Boris's affair with Olga devastated the straitlaced Pasternaks, and they were keen to disavow Olga's role in Boris's writing process. Twice Olga was sentenced to work in Siberian labor camps, where she was interrogated about the book Boris was writing, but she refused to betray the man she loved. When Olga was released from the gulags, she assumed that Boris would leave his wife for her but, trapped by his family's expectations and his own weak will, he never did. Drawing on previously neglected family sources and original interviews, Anna Pasternak explores this hidden act of moral compromise by her great-uncle, and restores to history the passionate affair that inspired and animated Doctor Zhivago. Devastated that Olga suffered on his behalf and frustrated that he could not match her loyalty to him, Boris instead channeled his thwarted passion for Olga into the love story in Doctor Zhivago. Filled with the rich detail of Boris's secret life, Lara unearths a moving love story of courage, loyalty, suffering, drama, and loss, and casts a new light on the legacy of Doctor Zhivago."--Publisher's description "Boris Pasternak's masterpiece, Doctor Zhivago, has sold in the millions, and yet the true story behind its two famed lovers has been lost to history. When Stalin came into power in 1924, the Communist government began persecuting dissident writers. Though Stalin spared the life of Boris--whose novel-in-progress, Doctor Zhivago, was suspected of being anti-Soviet--he persecuted Boris's mistress, typist, and literary muse, Olga Ivinskaya. Olga was twice sentenced to work in Siberian labor camps, where she was interrogated about the book Boris was writing, but she refused to betray the man she loved. When Olga was released from the gulags, she assumed that Boris would leave his wife for her but, trapped by his family's expectations and his own weak will, he never did. Drawing on previously neglected family sources and original interviews, Boris's great-niece, Anna Pasternak, explores this hidden act of moral compromise by her great-uncle, and restores to history the passionate affair that inspired and animated Doctor Zhivago. Devastated that Olga suffered on his behalf and frustrated that he could not match her loyalty to him, Boris instead channeled his thwarted passion for Olga into the love story in his classic work. Filled with the rich detail of Boris's secret life, Lara unearths a moving love story of courage, loyalty, suffering, drama, and loss, and casts a new light on the legacy of Doctor Zhivago." -- Jacket Drawing On Previously Neglected Family Sources And Original Interviews, Boris's Great-neice, Anna Pasternak, Explores The Hidden Act Of Moral Compromise By Her Great-uncle, And Restores To History The Passionate Affair That Inspired And Animated 'doctor Zhivago.'--front Jacket Flap. Prologue: Straightening Cobwebs -- A Girl From A Different World -- Mother Land And Wonder Papa -- The Cloud Dweller -- Cables Under High Tension -- Marguerite In The Dungeon -- Cranes Over Potma -- A Fairy Tale -- The Italian Angel -- The Fat Is In The Fire -- The Pasternak Affair -- A Beast At Bay -- The Truth Of Their Agony -- Epilogue: Think Of Me Then. Anna Pasternak. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 263-290) And Index. Revealing the true tragedy behind the timeless classic, a heartbreaking story of the love affair between the author of Doctor Zhivago and Olga Invinskaya, drawing on family sources and original interviews, reveals a powerful story of courage, loyalty, suffering, drama and loss