THE RUSSIAN INTERPRETER.
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| Title: | THE RUSSIAN INTERPRETER. |
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| Authors: | BRANDON ROBSHAW |
| Source: | Independent (UK). 01/10/2016. |
| Abstract: | Paul Manning is a student in Moscow in the Cold War years, working on a thesis unmemorably titled "The Experience of De-Centralisation in the Administration of Public Utilities". He regards it as a terrible burden, a sick, ailing child that he has to nurse; "[B]ut perhaps when it had grown up and become a PhD it might keep him in his old age". Meanwhile, Manning fights battles with the university bureaucracy, goes to restaurants and drinks vodka, and walks the Moscow streets with his Russian friend Katya, listening to her talk about philosophy, religion, and politics. He becomes friends with Proctor-Gould, a fussy, eccentric English businessman who speaks no Russian. Manning agrees to act as his translator and is soon interpreting between Proctor-Gould and his Russian girlfriend Raya, which is painful because Manning desperately fancies her himself. Raya is an enigmatic character; beautiful, unconventional, carefree, a kleptomaniac. She moves in with Proctor-Gould and steals his tins of Nescafé, as well as his books. But what exactly is her game? Manning soon gets drawn into a world of subterfuge and espionage, without for a moment meaning to. He finds himself an object of interest to the security forces and is followed through the streets. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER] |
| Database: | Newspaper Source Plus |
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| Abstract: | Paul Manning is a student in Moscow in the Cold War years, working on a thesis unmemorably titled "The Experience of De-Centralisation in the Administration of Public Utilities". He regards it as a terrible burden, a sick, ailing child that he has to nurse; "[B]ut perhaps when it had grown up and become a PhD it might keep him in his old age". Meanwhile, Manning fights battles with the university bureaucracy, goes to restaurants and drinks vodka, and walks the Moscow streets with his Russian friend Katya, listening to her talk about philosophy, religion, and politics. He becomes friends with Proctor-Gould, a fussy, eccentric English businessman who speaks no Russian. Manning agrees to act as his translator and is soon interpreting between Proctor-Gould and his Russian girlfriend Raya, which is painful because Manning desperately fancies her himself. Raya is an enigmatic character; beautiful, unconventional, carefree, a kleptomaniac. She moves in with Proctor-Gould and steals his tins of Nescafé, as well as his books. But what exactly is her game? Manning soon gets drawn into a world of subterfuge and espionage, without for a moment meaning to. He finds himself an object of interest to the security forces and is followed through the streets. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER] |
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