Rates of Exchange

Historical Context and Significance

«Rates of Exchange» by Malcolm Bradbury is a sophisticated satire of late-Soviet Eastern Europe, written at a time when the Iron Curtain had not yet fallen but was already cracking under the pressure of change. The book became a mirror for Western readers, who for the first time encountered the absurdity and paradoxes of socialist reality with such wit and subtlety. Bradbury, masterfully playing with language and cultural codes, creates an atmosphere of elusive ambiguity, where every word and gesture has a double meaning. The novel not only mocks bureaucracy and ideological dogmas but also delves into the very essence of human relationships distorted by the political context. Its influence can be felt in later works about the clash between East and West and the complexity of translating not just words but worldviews. «Rates of Exchange» became a milestone in understanding cultural boundaries, their permeability and illusory nature, and remains a vivid testament to an era when Europe stood on the threshold of great change.