Weeping and the Laughter [Audiobook] [Audio Cassette]

Noel Barber (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1989

This story describes the dramatic lives of Prince Dmitri Korolev and his family caught up in the upheavals of European revolution and war. They flee Russia in 1919, escape to Switzerland and then Paris, but, with the Second World War, they come under further pressure from the Communist police. The author worked for many years in Paris as a foreign correspondent and has written several novels including "Tanamera", "A Farewell to France", "A Woman of Cairo" and "The Other Side of Paradise".

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The veteran British writer's new novel (after The Other Side of Paradise ) is a sweeping saga that details the uneven fortunes of an aristocratic Russian family. Forced to flee their native country in 1919, the Korolev family is separated at the border in a bloody skirmish with revolutionaries. Twelve-year-old Nicki, his half-sister Galina and his father Prince Dmitri are the fortunate survivors who establish themselves in Paris and, with the aid of their Swiss bank account, become moderately influential in the cultural and political events of the '30s and '40s. Nicki finds a job handling Russian affairs in France for the Red Cross. Galina achieves international stardom as a ballerina; colorful scenes cover the Ballet Russe's formative years, with Diaghilev and Balanchine at the helm. Emotional reunions with lost family members are inevitable. Nicki's aunt Olga suddenly reappears in the 1920s with a child she claims is her adopted daughter and Rudi, Nicki's twin, is found after the war in a prison camp. Though he uses some weary plot lines that verge on the comic (separation of twins, a search for long-lost family jewels, an infant's mysterious identity) Barber gives them unexpected twists and, with a fine eye for period detail, tells a lively and absorbing story.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Chivers Audio Books (November 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 074515770X
• ISBN-13: 978-0745157702
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.8 x 2.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,990,214 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good treat !, March 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Weeping and the Laughter (Paperback)

My family had the pleasure of reading this book. . It is much more than a WWII story or Romance. The characters are outstanding, and the plot engaging. We really cry... This is a BIG story. I wish I had a copy to re-read . I loaned it out and never got it back...If you ever come across a copy, don't hesitate to read it. It's so real and captivated.