Larry Sherwood is reading Elizabeth Wilson's "Shostakovich, a Life Remembered" and reports on his impressions to date. Larry -- you make mention of the controversy surrounding Volkov's "Testimony" -- essentially the fact that it was 'pooh-poohed' by the press as a publicity stunt. A few years ago I went to the New York launch of a book titled "Shostakovich Reconsidered", published by Toccata Press (one of the brainchildren of Listmember Martin Anderson). Volkov was there -- and a prominent US journalist (Time? Newsweek? - Martin will recall) stood up during the proceedings and basically apologised to Volkov for doubting his veracity in public in the 1970s -- having read "Shostakovich Reconsidered" he now had a different view of what had actually ocurred. Stick with the Wilson book -- which I also have on the shelf but haven't yet started -- but read "Shostakovich Reconsidered" also -- one of the authors is painist/lawyer Dmitry Feofanov (recorded Alkan for Naxos), but the identity of the other one escapes me temporarily -- my copy of the book is out on loan. The Toccata Press Website should reveal all. Tim Mahon