In the Realm of Authors and Literature

City of Friends. By Elias Tobenkin. Putnam. $2.50.

For people interested in Soviet Russia, these two books will make interesting reading. They add color to the literature on Soviet Russia because the form in which they are written differs from that of most of the books hitherto published on the subject.

Mr. Tobenkin, who was resident correspondent in Moscow for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency for a year, is the first American writer to present Soviet problems through fiction. The new approach to the sex problem in Russia, the reasons why some are satisfied and some are dissatisfied with the Soviet regime, the life of American specialists in Russia, the industrial ambitions of the Soviet government, the uprising of collectivized peasants, Jewish colonization—all these problems are touched upon by him in his novel, “City of Friends.”

The central figure in Mr. Tobenkin’s book is an American girl. Losing her job in Wall street, she makes a trip to Soviet Russia merely on a visit. At first. she is not at all satisfied with what she sees there. Later, however. she falls in love with a Communist leader and begins to see things in a different light. She does not notice that little by little she is adapting herself to the Communist psychology. She discovers it only when she is about to give birth to a child.

Not legally married, she hesitates as to whether to bear the child. Ready to undergo a birth control operation, she realizes at the last minute that there is really no reason for her to forego motherhood. Married life is so free in Russia and divorce is so easy there that if he eventually decides to leave her, this would not affect the upbringing of the child.

IMPARTIAL REPORTING

The entire Soviet theory of sex, love and marriage is brought out by Mr. Tobenkin in a simple but interesting way. Mr. Tobenkin does not criticize the theory nor does he voice approval of it. As an impartial psychologist, he simply discloses to the reader the mind of an American girl unexpectedly caught in the mill of the Soviet love code and her reaction to the situation.

In “City of Friends,” numerous Americans who are active in Soviet Russia pass before the eyes of the reader as in a kaleidoscope. There is the popular American correspondent in Moscow. There is the well-known American builder of Soviet industry. There is the anarchist deported from America who became one of the leading figures in Soviet life and with whom the American girl falls in love. These figures in the Moscow American colony are easily recognized in Mr. Tobenkin’s book which makes especially interesting reading for Americans.

Mr. Tobenkin’s book is written in a way which opens for him the possibility to continue to write more volumes on the same characters. He could for instance follow up this book with another describing the life and the mentality of his American girl as a Soviet mother. He could thus bring out the further changes in Soviet life which have taken place since the period with which the “City of Friends” deals.

A CRITICAL WORK

The book, “I Photograph Russia.” by James E. Abbe, should no doubt provoke great criticism among those who would like to read more favorable accounts of the Soviet experiment. Mr. Abbe however describes the situation in Russia just as he has seen it. In justice to him it must be said that the witty tone of the book makes its informative contents all the more interesting.

Mr. Abbe, who was the first American to photograph Stalin in the Kremlin, has had wide experience in Soviet Russia. His book is an account of his personal experiences mingled with gossipy talk about everybody in Soviet Russia worth knowing. Mr. Abbe is one who has seen all, knows all and tells all. His references to Soviet leaders are interwoven with very sharp and intimate characterizations of them. One can see that Mr. Abbe has met the people of whom he speaks.

The advantage which Mr. Abbe’s book has over other works on Soviet Russia is that the book is illustrated with splendid photographs taken by Mr. Abbe during his stay there. As a professional photographer, considered the best American news photographer in Europe, Mr. Abbe managed to take outstanding photos, not only of Stalin but also of occurrences in Soviet life. Some of his photos have been forbidden by the Soviet authorities.

It may be interesting to know that Mr. Abbe, whose book will not enjoy the favor of pro-Soviet elements, was very enthusiastic about the Soviet experiment during the first few months of his stay in Russia. The book shows, however, that his enthusiasm evaporated after he spent a lengthy time under the Soviet regime.

—B. S.