Posthumous Memoir By Russian Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny To Be Published Oct. 22

NEW YORK — Alexei Navalny’s memoir, which he began working on in 2020, will be released this fall. “Patriot,” which publisher Alfred A. Knopf describes as the late Russian opposition leader’s “final letter to the world,” will be released on October 22.

Navalny’s widow, Yulia Navalnaya, said in a statement released Thursday by the publisher, “This book is a tribute not just to Alexei’s life, but to his unshakeable devotion to the battle against dictatorship—a war for which he devoted everything, even his life. Through its pages, readers will learn about the guy I adored—a man of tremendous integrity and unwavering courage. Sharing his tale will not only respect his legacy, but will also motivate others to fight for what is right and never lose sight of the most important ideals.”

Posthumous Memoir By Russian Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny To Be Published Oct. 22

Navalny, 47, died in February while serving a 19-year prison sentence on extremism charges, which he saw as politically motivated. He was imprisoned after returning from Germany in January 2021, where he was recovering from the 2020 nerve agent attack, which he blamed on the Kremlin, and has since received three prison sentences.

He perished in a distant correctional colony located above the Arctic Circle. Russian officials have categorically denied participation in both the poisoning and his death.

According to Knopf, Navalny began working on the book in Germany and continued to write it in Russia, both inside and outside the prison.

Posthumous Memoir By Russian Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny To Be Published Oct. 22

“In vivid, page-turning detail, including never-before-seen correspondence from prison, Navalny recounts, among other things, his political career, the many attempts on his life, and the lives of the people closest to him, and the relentless campaign he and his team waged against an increasingly dictatorial regime,” according to Knopf’s press release.

“Written with the passion, wit, candor, and bravery for which he was justly acclaimed, ‘Patriot’ is Navalny’s final letter to the world: a moving account of his last years spent in the most brutal prison on earth; a reminder of why the principles of individual freedom matter so deeply; and a rousing call to continue the work for which he sacrificed his life.”

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Navalnaya claimed Thursday that she had hoped her husband would write a memoir much later in life when they were both “around 80” and had grandchildren.

Posthumous Memoir By Russian Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny To Be Published Oct. 22

She recalled that many people encouraged Navalny to begin writing after the poisoning, but he initially dismissed these suggestions: “What kind of memoir is it when you’re 44?” It’s just been slightly more than half (his) life. He wasn’t rushing because there was so much more to come. But things came out as they did. Horrible and extremely unjust. “It turned out there was no other half ahead.”

She stated that the memoir was translated into 11 languages and would “definitely” be released in Russian. It is unclear from her words whether the book will be published in Russia, where Navalny was convicted as a leader of an extremist group and his foundation and offices were prohibited.

SOURCE – (AP)