Back to Tractors ...

I have finished reading A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian, with mixed responses.  There WERE tractors ... Nikolai was writing a book about the history of tractors as current events in his life unfolded, narrated by his daughter, Nadia. 

Overall I enjoyed it, although at times I was frustrated and wanted it to end.  There were moments that I thought, if he was my father, I would hit him over the head with a shovel, and then I felt ashamed that I contemplated this, given his age and history of war and flight to a new country... Valentina was hilarious, although she too was trying to improve her situation in life ... I was a little concerned at Nadia's obsession with Valentina - to the point of stalking her ....

A combination of humour, featuring language and circumstance, as well as a sense of tragedy for events endured by various characters, it was a good read.  I did also like the historical insight that the novel provided, in terms of the challenges of creating a new life in a new country, and the historical conflict and oppression that people and cultures endure.