The New Face of Fiction for 2014, Us Conductors is a beautiful, haunting, brilliant novel inspired by the true life and loves of the Russian scientist, inventor and spy Lev Termen--creator of the theremin. In a finely woven series of flashbacks and correspondence, Us Conductors takes us from the glitz and glam of New York in the 1930s to the gulags and scientific camps of the Soviet Union. Lev Termen is imprisoned on a ship…
I loved this book. Lev Termen (Léon Theremin in the USA) was one of the 20th century’s most important inventors, especially for electronic music but also for various other categories, including ingenious Soviet spying equipment. To say that he had a difficult life would be an understatement and although this novel certainly takes some liberties with the truth, it’s a great way to learn more about this fascinating man.
My wife and I actually own one of Termen’s most famous inventions, the Theremin instrument. It’s devilishly difficult to play but a wonderful challenge.
Read: December 2017
Recommended: Yes
Buy Sean Michaels’ Us Conductors here