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