Engineers of Human Souls

Four Writers Who Changed Twentieth-Century Minds

By: Simon Ings

Narrated by: Mark Elstob

Length: 10 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

Four writers. Four dictators. One world, changed out of all recognition. ENGINEERS OF HUMAN SOULS is an intimate and shocking shadow history of creative vanity in a time that turned writers - once the faithful servants of authority - into figures of political consequence.

Maurice Barrès, who first wielded the politics of identity. Gabriele D'Annunzio, whose poetry became a blueprint for fascism. Maxim Gorky, dramatist of the working class and Stalin's cheerleader. The Maoist Ding Ling, whose stories exculpated the regime that kept her imprisoned.

All four nursed extravagant visions of the future, and believed they were vital to its realisation. Each was lured to the centre of political action. Each established a dangerous and damaging relationship with a notorious dictator. And when writers and rulers find a use for each other, the consequences can be shattering for us all. These stories - of courage and compromise, vanity and malevolence - speak urgently to the uncontrollable power of words.

©2024 Simon Ings (P)2024 Hachette Audio UK

Critic reviews

An utterly thrilling and intellectually revelatory book. At a time when everything seems to be in freefall, and we are all trying to make sense of who we should be in a time of crisis, this is a stunningly wise book. If you read it, you'll learn about some of the deepest questions human beings can ask - and get closer to the answers (Johann Hari)

Well written, well paced but superficial

An interesting book - I knew the stories of D'Annuzio and Gorky already. The others were new to me. Still, because he's giving us four condensed lives in a single short book inevitably the observations are somewhat superficial and obvious. Still, it's a fun enough read and I recommend. Very well narrated.