Cavemen Chronicle, Paperback/Mikhel Mutt

This novel paints a fascinating portrait of bohemian culture in Estonia in the last quarter of the twentieth century. The "cavemen" in question are the regulars at the underground (both literally and figuratively) bar called "The Cave," including artists, musicians, writers, and philosophers, who escape the dreary Soviet reality "above" with vodka and high-minded discussion in their secret hideaway. The arrival of national independence upsets the balance of these dissidents' lifestyle, and the narrator recounts how each individual adapts to their newfound freedom. The Cavemen Chronicle presents an illuminating and thrilling look into life on the fringes of Soviet culture, both pre- and post perestroika, and is also a meditation on what it means to be an Estonian.