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Readers of Europe 2022 – Estonian recommendation
- 7 July 2022
- Reading suggestion
- gsclibrary
Recommendation by the Permanent Representation of Estonia to the EU
Book selected: ‘Pobeda 1946: A Car Called Victory’ by Ilmar Taska
The year is 1946. A young boy living in Tallinn dreams of being a bus driver. One day his eye catches something that leaves him spell-bound. A beautiful Russian Pobeda! A car called Victory.
The driver asks him if he wants to go for a spin. He lets him hold the steering wheel. He asks about his father. The boy answers even though he knows he is not supposed to. Shortly afterwards, his father disappears.
Ilmar Taska transports you to the early days of the Soviet Union in Estonia, with his powerful debut novel, ‘Pobeda 1946: A Car Called Victory’. This is an Estonia where state terror against people was becoming an everyday part of normality; an Estonia much different to today.
You meet a nameless family: parents and their little boy. Other nameless citizens are taken away daily to labour camps. The terror of living under constant state surveillance is palatable.
Taska does not gratuitously describe the violence inflicted upon citizens. But it is always there. Lurking.
The author is observant. He perfectly captures the contrast between the innocence of the warmth of the world the child’s parents try to offer him, and the grey shades of suspicion that shroud the country.
A society wrought with mistrust and betrayals. An environment where everything you said had to be carefully considered. Where confessions were forced out of innocent people. Even unwitting children.
The boy has been shielded by his parents from the reality and horrors of his surroundings. He is too young to understand why his dad never leaves the house, why their curtains are always closed. But doing their best to shield him has inadvertently made him an easy convert and informer for the KGB.
This is the definition of a page turner. A book you won’t be able to put down.
Ilmar Taska is best known in his native Estonia as a film director and producer. ‘Pobeda 1946: A Car Called Victory’ is his first full-length novel, and is based on a prize-winning short story from 2014.
For those wishing to unearth other Estonian literary gems, discover more via Eureka, the online catalogue of the Council Library.
About the Readers of Europe initiative
2022 has been designated the European Year of Youth. As such, the Council Library has chosen to devote its annual Readers of Europe initiative to young people, putting the focus squarely on new and emerging European literary talent.
The Permanent Representations to the EU have once again been invited to recommend books from their countries to read over the summer, for the third edition of our ‘Readers of Europe’ campaign. The theme for this year’s campaign is ‘Discover something new’, the idea being that every Permanent Representation selects a book from their country by an author who has published their first work within the last five years. We will then promote these selections over the summer on the Council Library blog.
Europe is awash with exciting young authors. Dive into this selection and discover stories that hum with fresh ideas and luminous prose. Novels that ask piercing questions about humanity. Stories that are edgy and beautiful, gripping and unsettling. Stories worthy of a place in any library.
So find a comfy place to sit back and relax, as we showcase some of Europe’s most promising literary talent. Join us as we once again encounter the Readers of Europe.
This post does not necessarily represent the positions, policies, or opinions of the Council of the European Union or the European Council.
The Council Library reading room is open on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 12.00 to 15.00. The Info Desk remains open online from Monday to Friday.
