Book Review of a Book You Can’t Find

My wife was loaned Narrow is the Way – Why I Defected from Russia by Sergei Sazonov via her book club. She said I’d enjoy it.

I read it.

I loved it.

I went online to find it to recommend it to others.

And found nothing other than a Library of Congress citation.

The book is an autobiographical account of Sergei Sazonov’s experience being forced to join the Russian army in World War II through his emigrating to the United States in the 1960s.  The book was published in 1970 by Victor Press in Los Angeles and apparently didn’t do to well.

I’m not sure why, as it provides a fascinating and moving account of the atrocities and brutalism of Lenin from someone who was, literally, in the trenches. It is not extraordinarily-well written, but is certainly very readable.

The book flap reads:

“A book every American should read to realize once again how fortunate it is to be born in the United States rather than in one of the Iron Curtain countries. It might well be said that this book serves as a kind of human sidelight into the unhappy history of our times.  The events come through the pages so vividly that the reader vicariously shares them with Sergei Sazonov, a Russian officer disillusioned with the communist system. The terrible experiences during his life in Russia, the war, the discovery of religious faith, the moving love story, his flight from country to country with the secret police always in pursuit, and the two spectacular escapes from prison—all make engrossing reading indeed, the more so because it is true.

The life story of Segei Sazonov serves the very important purpose of reminding readers of the enormous values at stake in today’s world…”

If you ever come across this book in an old library or used book store buy it. And share it.

I’d love to hear from others who have read this book. Please leave a comment if you have.

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