Book: A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian

Reading this book was the closest to watching reality TV I’ll ever get, and it’s not even real. But the absurdity is. This novel follows protagonist Nadezhda (often referred to as Nadia) as she attempts to foil her 84-year-old Ukrainian immigrant father Nickolai’s impending marriage to another Ukrainian immigrant, Valentina, who is 36.

And this isn’t any old relationship that most would find awkward to talk about. Wife-to-be Valentina is in it for the money and other men’s honey, and only Nadia sees it. Nadia is also completely convinced her father is going insane, her sister Vera is out to get her, her husband Mike doesn’t care enough, and her daughter Anna is casually neutral. It’s a lot for anyone to handle!

Lewycka brings hilarity and whole-heartedness to this novel, but at times it’s tough to stick with Nadia as she falls deeper and deeper into the torment of her family. True, her father is stubborn, but it runs in the family. Nadia is still dealing with the death of her mother, and thus it’s that much harder to accept the frivolous Valentina into her life. The fun comes by watching the ridiculous Valentina and Nickolai cook up in their relationship, such as when Valentina spends all of Nickolai’s money on things like big phone bills, a car and more.

All through this novel, Nickolai is writing his novel also titled A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian. As an engineer, he prides himself on knowing everything about tractors and often compares them to the hard work in his life. At one point, he writes “The tractor must always be used as an aid to nature, not as a driver of nature. The tractor must work in harmony with the climate, and the fertility of the land, and the humble spirit of the farmers. Otherwise it will bring disaster, and this is what happened in the mid-West.”

Lewycka is a wonderful writer, and this book was an enjoyment. And it’s not just me – this book won her a handful of awards in England and nominated for a few others. The story envelops you; following Nadia through scenarios similar to ones many of us know (whether it’s from personal experience or some form of entertainment) allows us to sympathize, laugh or hope that she gets through it and can accept her family for what it is. Lewycka creates a wonderful story among a family, showing what a true test is for love.

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