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Sunny Fields

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Russia & Revolution: My Father, The Officer, The Man

by Igor Labzin (Goodreads Author)

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Sunny Fields said: " To have a parent who lived through the momentous events of the Russian Revolution, the struggles in the aftermath, Shanghai life of the 30’s and escaping life under the Communists, to be again displaced by Indonesians in the 50’s warrants documenting To have a parent who lived through the momentous events of the Russian Revolution, the struggles in the aftermath, Shanghai life of the 30’s and escaping life under the Communists, to be again displaced by Indonesians in the 50’s warrants documenting.
And this has been fastidiously done by the only child of Boris and Vera Labzin whose lives were rich with experiences and struggles during those challenging periods.
For those who have a rudimentary understanding of the historical events in Russia, this book takes you on Boris’s journey as a young Russian naval officer who survived extreme conditions. Perhaps it was his father’s icon, St Nicholas the Miracle Worker, the patron saint of sailors that became his protector as he took that icon from one country to the next and one home to the next home. And his days as a sea captain on the world’s seas would have called on its powers many times.
Despite having to uproot their lives through political turmoil, Boris and Vera managed to keep many valuable documents and personal collections of the times. And it is through these family collections that Igor has been able to weave a fascinating and incredible life story of his parents –Russian emigres whose many challenges included having their home confiscated by the Chinese communists.
Re-building their lives was in their DNA as Igor re-traces the family trees of both his mother and father and he has some illustrious and driven ancestors. Such genes have made their way through the descendants and it is evident that those that have the Labzin name will continue to tackle the challenges that are set before them with zeal and passion.
An enlightening read of the life of a family who escaped repression three times over to settle in Australia where they could at last have a home built by a son who would find in those well-travelled trunks mementos that needed to be shared and appreciated.
Igor Labzin’s first book, a mammoth translation from Russian to English, was an autobiography Faraway Days written in 1918 by his great cousin Sergei Rudolfovich Minstlov An ageing manuscript stimulated Igor’s need to share Sergei’s life journey. These family stories need to be shared and not locked away and forgotten. And the prolific writer Sergei would be proud that his great cousin Igor is carrying the torch. Commendable effort no doubt in a second language. ...more "

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— Apr 23, 2019 05:10AM

Apr 23, 2019 05:09AM · see review