022 The Tsar of Love and Techno by Anthony Marra

If, like Julia, you are obsessed with books about deeply meaningful coincidences, then you’ll love this multi-generational book of stories by Anthony Marra about every human’s fight to not be erased. The Tsar of Love and Techno spans 60 years, 3 Russian cities, 3 regime changes, 9 major characters, and even multiple planets in the solar system, all centered around a very well-traveled painting of the countryside. Join us as we try to untangle this very elaborate, expertly-crafted plot and recount the many times we unexpectedly laughed or cried, or both at once.

Things in the episode:

Anthony Marra’s website

A Constellation of Vital Phenomena

What’s a casette tape again?

Censorship of images in the Soviet Union

Greek Chorus

What is a Gulag?

Chechen-Russian conflict

Intergenerational Trauma

The last Tsar of Russia

Kit Kittredge and the Great Depression

Recommendations:

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout (and the HBO adaptation)

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (and the 2019 film adaptation)

Some Luck by Jane Smiley