Isaac Babel was a Soviet journalist and writer of Jewish origin, known for his extraordinary short stories, comparable to the best works of Gogol and Maupassant, whom he admired as masters. "
Red Cavalry," published in 1926, is his
most famous collection of stories, based on Babel's experiences during the Russo-Polish campaign of 1920, where he served in the Budieni Cavalry. All the stories in "Red Cavalry" are imbued with the author's frankness, turbulence, unrestrained tone, anguish, and explosive voice, developing from events he experienced during the war. The author's own life met a tragic end, as despite being an idealistic advocate of Marxism and Leninism, he was arrested, tortured, and executed during Stalin's Great Purge. "Red Cavalry" is a work of vibrant rawness and reality, offering an emotionally gripping read.
