Summary of Insomnia
Eduards, the protagonist of the novel “Insomnia”, is a somewhat detached man living in Soviet-era Latvia during the 1960s who is forced out of his apathy when a beautiful woman, on the run for an unknown threat, unexpectedly takes refuge in his apartment.
Reasons to read InsomniaÂ
“Insomnia” is a fragmentary novel, told through a stream-of-consciousness technique, revealing the thoughts and memories of the protagonist. It is widely regarded as a classic of Cold War literature, providing readers with a profound insight into life under Soviet rule in Latvia. Albert Bels wrote “Insomnia” in 1967, but the novel was long banned by the Communist authorities in Latvia and was finally released in uncensored form in 2003.
Setting: Riga (Latvia)
Year of publication: 2003
Insomnia was written in 1967; a censored version was published in 1987.
Original title: Bezmiegs
Nr of pages: 198
