Baba Dunja's Last Love - by Alina Bronsky (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

A defiant woman and her colorful neighbors reclaim their homes in Chernobyl in this "enthralling story of humor, tragedy, and triumph" (World Literature Today).

There may be government warnings about radiation levels in her hometown of Tschernowo--also known as Chernobyl--but Baba Dunja has returned. And she's brought a motley bunch of her former neighbors with her. With the town largely to themselves, and lots of strangely misshapen fruit, they have everything they need to start anew.
The terminally ill Petrov passes the time reading love poems in his hammock; Marja takes up with the almost 100-year-old Sidorow; Baba Dunja whiles away her days writing letters to her daughter. Life is beautiful. But then a stranger turns up in the village, and once again the little idyllic settlement faces annihilation.
From Alina Bronsky, the acclaimed Russian-born German author of Broken Glass Park and The Hottest Dishes of the Tartar Cuisine, comes the story of a post-meltdown settlement and an unusual woman who finds her version of paradise late in life.

Review Quotes

"Through Tim Mohr's succinct translation, Bronsky has written an enthralling story of humor, tragedy, and triumph that takes the reader deeper into Baba Dunja's psyche, where we see how everyone has their own idea of paradise, and for some, perhaps paradise is what's familiar and not necessarily what's idyllic."
--World Literature Today

"With quiet understatement, Bronsky offers us a glimpse of life in the radioactive abyss."
--Kirkus Reviews

Praise for Alina Bronsky

"Alina Bronsky writes with a gritty authenticity and unputdownable propulsion."
--Vogue

"Bronsky instinctively understands that the way to a reader's heart is through great characters."
--Library Journal

"Bronsky's great gift is humor."
--The Los Angeles Times


Praise for Broken Glass Park

"What a literary creation! No wonder this book was such a sensation in Europe."
--Shelf Awareness

"A riveting debut."
--Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

"A sharp and funny first novel."
--The Minneapolis Star Tribune


Praise for The Hottest Dishes of the Tartar Cuisine

"Mordantly funny."
--The San Francisco Chronicle

"A masterful study in delusion."
--The Financial Times

"[Rosa is] one of the most fascinating women in the world."
--The Millions

"What begins as a cruel comic romp ends as a surprisingly winning story of hardship and resilience."
--The New Yorker

Praise for Baba Dunja's Last Love
Through Tim Mohr s succinct translation, Bronsky has written an enthralling story of humor, tragedy, and triumph that takes the reader deeper into Baba Dunja s psyche, where we see how everyone has their own idea of paradise, and for some, perhaps paradise is what s familiar and not necessarily what s idyllic."
World Literature Today
"With quiet understatement, Bronsky offers us a glimpse of life in the radioactive abyss."
Kirkus Reviews

Praise for Alina Bronsky
Alina Bronsky writes with a gritty authenticity and unputdownable propulsion.
Vogue
Bronsky instinctively understands that the way to a reader s heart is through great characters.
Library Journal

Bronsky s great gift is humor.
The Los Angeles Times


Praise for Broken Glass Park
What a literary creation! No wonder this book was such a sensation in Europe.
Shelf Awareness
A riveting debut.
Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
A sharp and funny first novel.
The Minneapolis Star Tribune


Praise for The Hottest Dishes of the Tartar Cuisine
Mordantly funny.
The San Francisco Chronicle
A masterful study in delusion.
The Financial Times
[Rosa is] one of the most fascinating women in the world.
The Millions
What begins as a cruel comic romp ends as a surprisingly winning story of hardship and resilience.
The New Yorker"

Praise for "Baba Dunja's Last Love"
"With quiet understatement, Bronsky offers us a glimpse of life in the radioactive abyss."
"Kirkus Reviews"

Praise for Alina Bronsky
Alina Bronsky writes with a gritty authenticity and unputdownable propulsion.
"Vogue"
Bronsky instinctively understands that the way to a reader s heart is through great characters.
" Library Journal"
""
Bronsky s great gift is humor.
"The Los Angeles Times
"
""
Praise for "Broken Glass Park"
What a literary creation! No wonder this book was such a sensation in Europe.
"Shelf Awareness"
A riveting debut.
"Publishers Weekly" (Starred Review)
A sharp and funny first novel.
"The Minneapolis Star Tribune
"
""
Praise for "The Hottest Dishes of the Tartar Cuisine"
Mordantly funny.
"The San Francisco Chronicle"
A masterful study in delusion.
"The Financial Times"
[Rosa is] one of the most fascinating women in the world.
"The Millions"
What begins as a cruel comic romp ends as a surprisingly winning story of hardship and resilience.
"The New Yorker""

Praise for Alina Bronsky
Alina Bronsky writes with a gritty authenticity and unputdownable propulsion. "Vogue"
Bronsky instinctively understands that the way to a reader s heart is through great characters.
" Library Journal"
""
Bronsky s great gift is humor. "The Los Angeles Times
"
""
Praise for "Broken Glass Park"
What a literary creation! No wonder this book was such a sensation in Europe. "Shelf Awareness"
A riveting debut. "Publishers Weekly" (Starred Review)
A sharp and funny first novel. "The Minneapolis Star Tribune
"
""
Praise for "The Hottest Dishes of the Tartar Cuisine"
Mordantly funny. "The San Francisco Chronicle"
A masterful study in delusion. "The Financial Times"
[Rosa is] one of the most fascinating women in the world. "The Millions"
What begins as a cruel comic romp ends as a surprisingly winning story of hardship and resilience. "The New Yorker""

PRAISE FOR ALINA BRONSKY
Alina Bronsky writes with a gritty authenticity and unputdownable propulsion. "Vogue"
Bronsky instinctively understands that the way to a reader s heart is through great characters. " Library Journal"
""
Bronsky s great gift is humor. "The Los Angeles Times"
""
"Praise for "Broken Glass Park" "
What a literary creation! No wonder this book was such a sensation in Europe. "Shelf Awareness"
A riveting debut. "Publishers Weekly" (starred)
A sharp and funny first novel. "The Minneapolis Star Tribune"
""
"Praise for "The Hottest Dishes of the Tartar Cuisine
Mordantly funny. "The San Francisco Chronicle"
A masterful study in delusion. "The Financial Times"
[Rosa is] one of the most fascinating women in the world. "The Millions"
What begins as a cruel comic romp ends as a surprisingly winning story of hardship and resilience. "The New Yorker""

About the Author