Victor Serge: The Course is Set on Hope

by Suzi Weissman, Susan Weissman

Release Date: October, 2001

Edition: Hardcover

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Not A Great Book But About A Fascinating Person and Time

Victor Serge was one of the few early Bolsheviks who had the honesty to speak out when he saw the revolution degenerate into totalitarian oppression accompanied by hysterical witch hunts, brutal repression of dissent, forced transfer of entire populatons, massive economic failure and the murder of millions.He was lucky to escape with his life after an internal exile. He was a prolific writer of both political essays and fiction. He had complete integrity and, it appears, utter fearlessness.

The author is devoted to her subject and clearly has devoted much time and attention to locating and reviewing the primary sources. She seems to be at the forefront of scholarship in this area. The book, however, was a bit disappointing. There was little or nothing about Serge's childhood and early years--when we first encounter him in the book it is 1919 and he is almost 30 (although there is a very little about his activities as an anarchist in France and Spain). I would have liked to know about his youth and young adulthood. Also, the narrative is not smooth. There were a few instances where (I think) virtually the same passage was repeated a few pages after it first appeared. Does anyone edit these books anymore? On a related point, the style is not elegant.

In addition, the author's perspective is clouded by her evident position as a true believer in socialism, albeit an opponent of tyranny a la Stalin. The result is that the author simply assumes that Serge's political and economic thought was sound and never stops to explain it, much less to subject it to any form of critical analysis.

That said, it is important that we read about Serge and the author has really done a commendable job. You will want to read more about him and by him when you have finished!