Late Putin Critic Alexei Navalny's Memoir To Be Published This Fall
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The memoir of the late Russian opposition figure and one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s biggest foes, Alexei Navalny, will be released this fall, publisher Alfred A. Knopf announced Thursday.
In a press release shared with HuffPost, Knopf said “PATRIOT” will hit bookstands in the U.S. and around the world on Oct. 22, 2024, about eight months after Navalny’s sudden death.
“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,” the press release states.
The memoir also sheds light on Navalny’s “youth, his call to activism, his marriage and family, and his commitment to the cause of Russian democracy and freedom in the face of a world super-power determined to silence him,” Knopf said in the press release.
Navalny died on Feb. 16 in a Russian penal colony after he collapsed during a walk. He was serving a 19-year sentence on extremism charges.
While Russian authorities have yet to declare his cause of death, a medical certificate shown to his mother listed “natural causes” as responsible for his death, The Associated Press reported, citing his allies. Those close to Navalny have claimed Putin orchestrated his killing.
Navalny started writing “PATRIOT” after he was poisoned with a nerve agent in 2020, according to the publisher. Navalny, who fell ill during a flight to Moscow in August that year, was then taken to Germany to receive treatment. He still decided to return to Moscow despite knowing he would be taken into custody upon his arrival.
Yulia Navalnaya, Navalny’s widow, said in the press release for the memoir that it’s also meant to be a testament to “his unwavering commitment to the fight against dictatorship — a fight he gave everything for, including his life.”
“Through its pages, readers will come to know the man I loved deeply — a man of profound integrity and unyielding courage. Sharing his story will not only honor his memory but also inspire others to stand up for what is right and to never lose sight of the values that truly matter,” Navalnaya added.
