DARKNESS AND DAWN (reader's report for Longman's publisher, 1935)

[RUSSIAN AUTHOR; READER'S REPORT, 1935] ALEXEI TOLSTOI, 1882-1945, "Russian and Soviet writer who wrote in many genres but specialized in science fiction and in historical novels…," READER'S REPORT for publisher Longman's Green & Co., New York, on Tolstoi's novel "Darkness and Dawn" sent to reader November 9, 1935, with note "MS Returned by Reader" and the reader's report of more than 550 words on front and back covers including sections "Character of Book" and "Advice," stiff paper cover with type on spine DARKNESS AND DAWN by Alexei Tolstoi • Publication date: March 25, 5-1/2"x 8", 570 pages /// READER'S REPORT EXCERPTS: "It is first of all a fine novel, and absolutely interesting, a book rich in the best Russian tradition of Chekov [etc.]…[Tolstoi's novel] leaves one feeling that the Russians are capable of achieving more more within in the limitations of the novel than any [others]…The scope of this book is enormous, its intent profound…Tolstoi used this young girl [character] as a symbol of the Russian intelligentsia searching desperately and impractically for a way out of the find de siecle of Tsardom…Book II…caries the sisters through the revolution and the struggles between the Reds and the Whites…From Longman's point of view, this is undoubtedly an important novel that is certain of the most serious critical attention, and for which every reader of the great Russian novelists…offers a potential customer…Take the book, and put everything the house has back of it." /// ALEXEI TOLSTOI NOTE: 1882-1945, Tolstoi was distantly related to Leo Tolstoi and Ivan Turgenev, "Aleksei's writings had earned the praise of Maxim Gorky, who urged his readers to, 'look to the new Tolstoy,' for a powerful depiction of the collapse of the Russian provincial gentry….In 1937, Tolstoy was elected to the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. Tolstoy became a full member of the USSR Academy of Sciences in 1939…[He] was credited by Counsellor Smirnov, a Soviet prosecution lawyer at the Nuremberg Trials, of being the first person to 'ascertain without reasonable doubt' the use of gas vans by the Nazis to commit genocide…Tolstoy is credited with having produced some of the earliest works of science fiction in the Russian language. His novels Aelita (1923) about a journey to Mars and The Hyperboloid of Engineer Ganin (1927) have gained immense public popularity. The former spawned a pioneering sci-fi movie in 1924.(wikipedia) /// CONDITION: stiff paper wraps very good-plus or better condition, touches of wear at top and bottom of spine.