Engineers of human souls

Simon Ings

£25.00

Available on back-order

An intimate and shocking shadow history of creative vanity in a time that turned writers – once the faithful servants of authority – into figures of political consequence. Gabriele D’Annunzio, whose poetry became a blueprint for fascism in Italy. Maxim Gorky, dramatist of the working class and Stalin’s cheerleader. Joseph Goebbels, a hopeless novelist but, under Hitler, an inspired propagandist. Ding Ling whose every story served the Maoist regime that kept her imprisoned for years. Not one of them was suited to vast undertakings. All four nursed extravagant visions of the future, and believed they were vital to its realisation. Each was lured to the centre of political action. Each established a dangerous and damaging relationship with a notorious dictator. And when writers and rulers find a use for each other, the consequences can be shattering for us all.

ISBN: 9780349128566 Category:

Description

Four writers. Four dictators. One world, changed out of all recognition. ENGINEERS OF HUMAN SOULS is an intimate and shocking shadow history of creative vanity in a time that turned writers – once the faithful servants of authority – into figures of political consequence.

Maurice Barrès, who first wielded the politics of identity. Gabriele D’Annunzio, whose poetry became a blueprint for fascism. Maxim Gorky, dramatist of the working class and Stalin’s cheerleader. The Maoist Ding Ling, whose stories exculpated the regime that kept her imprisoned.

All four nursed extravagant visions of the future, and believed they were vital to its realisation. Each was lured to the centre of political action. Each established a dangerous and damaging relationship with a notorious dictator. And when writers and rulers find a use for each other, the consequences can be shattering for us all. These stories – of courage and compromise, vanity and malevolence – speak urgently to the uncontrollable power of words.

Additional information

Weight 0.608 kg
Dimensions 23.6 × 15.8 × 3.8 cm
Author

Publisher

Imprint

Cover

Hardback

Pages

368

Language

English

Edition
Dewey

809.933581 (edition:23)

Readership

General – Trade / Code: K

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