The Eve of November 7 - by Zeev Fridman

Book Synopsis

The Eve of November 7 is an incisive, semi-fantastic journey into the latter years of the repressive Soviet era, seen through the eyes, imagination and experiences of a young adult addressing issues of conflicting realities in his life. In the Soviet Union, November 7th was established as a public holiday celebrating the Bolshevik Revolution. Author Zeev Fridman's autobiographical novel reflects his lived experience of growing up in the totalitarian Soviet communist era and its effect on the ultimate generation of young adults who grew up in the former USSR, with its obsessive, targeted repression of Jewish life, institutionalized and inculcated antisemitism.

About the Author

A talented musician, Fridman grew up in the USSR and struggled with its prevailing antisemitic atmosphere, initially being denied entry into the All-Union competition of Musicians in Moscow as a clarinetist. He went on to emigrate to Israel where he continued his musical career in the Beersheva Sinfonietta Orchestra as well as becoming a successful music teacher. Sadly, Fridman passed away prematurely in 2009 at the age of forty-nine. Drawn from his writings which were published posthumously in Russian, The Eve of November 7 illustrates the superficial, rigid, monotony of grim urban reality that served as the backdrop against his emerging desire for freedom of conscience and inspiration, his moral quest, and his attempts to reconnect with his Jewish past and fulfill personal aspirations.