Shklovsky: Witness to an Era

"When Serena Vitale traveled to Moscow, proposing to gather Viktor Shklovsky's thoughts and memories in a book-length interview, the writer was furious: 'How, ' he cried, 'can you write a book in ten days?'--This from the mercurial figure who had written articles, novels, essays, screenplays; everything, as he said, apart from poetry and denunciations . . . But the intelligent interviewer persevered, and won the day: the dialogue took place in Moscow at the end of December 1978, in exceptional weather, one of the coldest winters of the century . . . [and became] an opportunity [for Shklovsky] to revive, with his dazzling images, the vitality of movements past, to honor the passions of artists and poets." When Serena Vitale traveled to Moscow, proposing to gather Viktor Shklovsky s thoughts and memories in a book-length interview, the writer was furious: How, he cried, can you write a book in ten days This from the mercurial figure who had written articles, novels, essays, screenplays; everything, as he said, apart from poetry and denunciations . . . But the intelligent interviewer persevered, and won the day: the dialogue took place in Moscow at the end of December 1978, in exceptional weather, one of the coldest winters of the century . . . [and became] an opportunity [for Shklovsky] to revive, with his dazzling images, the vitality of movements past, to honor the passions of artists and poets.

Serena Vitale is a professor of Russian language and literature at Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore di Milano. She is the author of numerous books and essays on Russian literature, and has also translated many Russian novels into Italian. Her acclaimed biographical work "Pushkin's" "Button" was translated into English in 1999. Serena Vitale is a professor of Russian language and literature at Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore di Milano. She is the author of numerous books and essays on Russian literature, and has also translated many Russian novels into Italian. Her acclaimed biographical work "Pushkin's" "Button" was translated into English in 1999.