Personal correspondence is not just a supplement to biography, it is a fragment of a life — a vivid snapshot of times past. By reading letters, the reader becomes a participant in events, and is able to empathize with the author as a person, not just as a historical figure.

Among the swathe of letters written by Boris Pasternak, his letters to his parents and sisters are particularly fascinating, as they outline the key events of his biography and reflect his wide range of interests. His letters to his family display the depth of his artistic nature, and also demonstrate the astonishing closeness and mutual understanding the poet had with his parents and sisters. Like his literary works, Pasternak’s correspondence is a first-hand representation of a period and its atmosphere. But unlike his poetry and prose, the letters allow us to see Pasternak’s immediate emotional response to the turmoil of his age.