Title
Zinky Boys: Soviet Voices from the Afghanistan War,Used
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From 1979 to 1989 a million Soviet troops engaged in a devastating war in Afghanistan that claimed 50,000 casualties and the youth and humanity of many tens of thousands more. In Zinky Boys journalist Svetlana Alexievich gives voice to the tragic history of the Afghanistan War. What emerges is a story that is shocking in its brutality and revelatory in its similarities to the American experience in Vietnam a resemblance that Larry Heinemann describes movingly in his introduction to the book, providing American readers with an often uncomfortably intimate connection to a war that may have seemed very remote to us. The Soviet dead were shipped back in sealed zinc coffins (hence the term 'Zinky Boys'), while the state denied the very existence of the conflict; even today the radically altered Soviet society continues to reject the memory of the 'Soviet Vietnam.'Creating controversy and outrage when it was first published in the USSR it was called by reviewers there a 'slanderous piece of fantasy' and part of a 'hysterical chorus of malign attacks' Zinky Boys presents the candid and affecting testimony of the officers and grunts, nurses and prostitutes, mothers, sons, and daughters who describe the war and its lasting effects. Svetlana Alexievich has snatched from the memory hole the truth of the Afghanistan War: the beauty of the country and the savage Army bullying, the killing and the mutilation, the profusion of Western goods, the shame and shattered lives of returned veterans. Zinky Boys offers a unique, harrowing, and unforgettably powerful insight into the realities of war and the turbulence of Soviet life today.
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- Q: What is the main topic of 'Zinky Boys'? A: 'Zinky Boys: Soviet Voices from the Afghanistan War' focuses on the voices of Soviet soldiers and civilians affected by the Afghanistan War from 1979 to 1989, highlighting their experiences and the war's impact on Soviet society.
- Q: Who is the author of 'Zinky Boys'? A: The author of 'Zinky Boys' is Svetlana Alexievich, a journalist and Nobel Prize-winning writer known for her oral history works that document the experiences of individuals during significant historical events.
- Q: When was 'Zinky Boys' published? A: 'Zinky Boys' was first published on October 17, 1992.
- Q: What type of binding does 'Zinky Boys' have? A: 'Zinky Boys' is available in hardcover binding, which offers durability and a more premium feel compared to paperback editions.
- Q: How many pages are in 'Zinky Boys'? A: 'Zinky Boys' contains 197 pages, providing a comprehensive exploration of its themes and narratives.
- Q: What are the key themes in 'Zinky Boys'? A: Key themes in 'Zinky Boys' include the brutality of war, the psychological and societal impacts of conflict, and the struggle for memory and truth in the aftermath of trauma.
- Q: Is 'Zinky Boys' suitable for readers interested in war history? A: Yes, 'Zinky Boys' is suitable for readers interested in war history, especially those looking to understand the human experiences behind the Soviet involvement in the Afghanistan War.
- Q: What makes 'Zinky Boys' a significant work? A: 'Zinky Boys' is significant for its candid firsthand accounts that challenge state narratives and provide insight into the personal toll of war, making it a vital historical document.
- Q: Are there any notable reviews of 'Zinky Boys'? A: Yes, upon its release, 'Zinky Boys' received controversial reviews in the USSR, with some calling it a 'slanderous piece of fantasy' due to its unflinching portrayal of the war.
- Q: What edition of 'Zinky Boys' is available? A: The currently available edition of 'Zinky Boys' is the First Edition, released in 1992.