A Tomb for Boris Davidovich is a collection of seven interconnected tales, each capable of standing alone yet bound by a shared theme. These narratives explore the tragic and often brutal lives of revolutionaries and outcasts across various historical contexts. At the heart of each story lies a contemplation of betrayal, survival, and the harsh realities facing those who dare to oppose authority.

The Knife with the Rosewood Handle

The opening story, "The Knife with the Rosewood Handle," is set in Bukovina, a region that was part of Romania and later became part of the Soviet Union, during the 1920s and 1930s. It centers on Miksha, a handyman who is adept at tasks like sewing a button in mere seconds. After losing his job with a Jewish merchant for skinning a skunk in the yard, Miksha is drawn into revolutionary circles by the charismatic Aimicke. Suspicion looms over the group as they fear a police informant has infiltrated their ranks. Miksha takes it upon himself to unearth and eliminate this threat, targeting a young girl named Hanna Krzyzewska as the traitor. Tragically, he later discovers that Aimicke was the true informant. Fleeing to the Soviet Union, Miksha is coerced into confessing allegiance to the Gestapo, implicating twelve Russian officials in the process. He and his so-called accomplices receive harsh sentences of twenty years hard labor.

The Sow That Eats Her Farrow

The second story, "The Sow That Eats Her Farrow," follows Gould Vershoyle, a disillusioned Irishman who abandons his homeland in search of a utopian existence. His journey leads him to the Spanish Civil War, where he fights for the Republican side. Unknowingly, he confides in his commander, expressing suspicions that the war is orchestrated by Moscow. Unfortunately, his commander is, in fact, a Soviet agent. Vershoyle's skepticism results in his deportation to the Soviet Union, where he ultimately perishes in a gulag in 1945.

The Mechanical Lions

"The Mechanical Lions" tells the story of Edouard Herriot, the leader of the French Radical Socialists, who embarks on a visit to the Soviet Union. Intrigued by their governance, he hopes to ascertain the status of religious freedom. The carefully curated tour convinces him that religious expression is indeed permitted. However, the orchestrator of this facade, A.L. Chelyustnikov, later falls victim to the regime's paranoia, falsely confessing to crimes that ensnare others. After his release, he visits Lyons and leaves his signature in a guest book, marking himself as an admirer of Edouard Herriot's work.

The Magic Card Dealing

In "The Magic Card Dealing," we meet Karl Taube, a Hungarian doctor and revolutionary whose allegiance to the Soviet Union leads to his imprisonment in labor camps. Despite his dire circumstances, he saves the fingers of a fellow prisoner who had mutilated himself to secure release. This act of kindness backfires when the same prisoner exacts revenge, arranging for Taube's murder over a card game dispute.

A Tomb for Boris Davidovich

The titular story, "A Tomb for Boris Davidovich," delves into the life of a seasoned revolutionary who battled the czarist regime from an early age. His rise to prominence in the 1920s is abruptly cut short when he's imprisoned and subjected to the relentless interrogation of Fedukin, an expert in extracting confessions. Davidovich staunchly resists signing a treason confession and refuses to implicate others. After multiple suicide attempts, he resigns to facing execution as a political enemy rather than a common criminal. Deceitfully, he is spared execution but sent to a labor camp, where he dies during a futile escape attempt in 1937.

Dogs and Books

"Dogs and Books," set against the...