1920 Diary Book

This diary is a series of Babel's shorthand notes and reflections on the grim realities of war, written during the Polish-Soviet War, which occurred in the aftermath of World War 1. Sometimes painfully graphic, this book is by no means an easy read. One interesting element of the book, though, is the way in which Babel sways between expressions of love and attempts to distance himself from the Jews he encounters on his journeys. These ambivalences are perhaps emblematic of the conflicting desires many Socialist Jews experienced at the time, anxious as to whether the Soviet revolution posed a danger to Judaism, but unsure as to whether Judaism should be the priority. Babel is undergoing an internal conflict that is ancient for Jews everywhere - the conflict between religion and national identity. Which one should take priority? In times of war, should the priorities shift? This is an interesting read for anyone interested in Russian Jewish history.