Summary of The Beauty of History
It is 1968. A young Estonian woman takes the train to Riga to pose for a famous sculptor. They fall in love, but he must go to Moscow to arrange a solution for his military service, while she stays at his home in Riga. Although she is not interested in politics, her life is disrupted when Soviet troops occupy Czechoslovakia to suppress the Prague Spring.
Reasons to read The Beauty of History
“The Beauty of History” is an enigmatic and slightly surrealistic novel that evokes life in the Baltic States during the Communist era, highlighting how broader historical events impact personal lives. Viivi Luik is an Estonian writer who won many literary awards in her home country.
Setting: Riga (Latvia) & Tallinn (Estonia)
Original title: Ajaloo ilu
Year of publication: 1991
Nr of pages: 154
