Summer in Baden-Baden

“Summer in Baden” is a literary experiment that gained international recognition despite belonging to the late Soviet era. The work combines a travel narrative by Fyodor Dostoevsky and his wife Anna to Germany in 1867 with the author’s reflections on the journey from Moscow to Leningrad a hundred years later. Tsypkin, the author, was not a professional writer and did not try to get published during his lifetime in the USSR. However, his manuscript, having reached New York, was evaluated by Yevgeny Rubin and Sergei Dovlatov, which led to its publication. Yosirodsky noted the novel as first-rate, and English-language publishers such as The New York Times and The Guardian gave the book enthusiastic reviews. Tsypkin died a week after the first publication, leaving behind the legacy of an underestimated classic of Russian literature. “Summer in Baden” is distinguished by a stream-of-consciousness style and a complex structure, which makes it special among literary works. The audio version of the novel was masterfully performed by Efim Shifrin. Susan Sontag and Karen Stepanian praised the novel, highlighting its originality and ability to immerse the reader in a unique world.