War and Peace: Contemporary Russian Prose (Glas New Russian Writing) - Softcover

Natasha Perova

Softcover

ISBN 10: 5717200749 ISBN 13: 9785717200745

Publisher: Glas, 2006

Synopsis

A two-part collection of stories about the modern-day Russian army (War) and stories by and about women (Peace) by Arkady Babchenko; Denis Butov; Dmitry Bykov; Julia Latynina; Maria Arbatova; Maria Galina; Maria Rybakova; Marina Kulakova; Natasha Perova; Olga Slavnikova and Roman Senchin.

WAR. Army problems are currently much debated in Russian society in connection with Chechnya. There is a vast online library of army stories but not many have been printed, as publishers are reluctant to annoy the authorities with exposures of the grave situation in the army, particularly in the Caucasus.

The authors declare their anti-war sentiments but hatred towards the enemy bursts out from time to time as men forced to shoot each other from the opposite sides of the frontlines inevitably develop hostile attitudes towards one another. Any war inevitably sows hatred among otherwise peaceful people; such is the message of these stories. Hunger is a constant theme: soldiers suffer from constant malnutrition, so much so that they are even prepared to steal food or obtain it in exchange for munitions with which they are themselves killed afterwards.

PEACE. Women's stories are a sharp contrast to the 'War' section. They immerse you in the world of basic human values such as love, children and family; but also ageing, generation gaps, and violence towards women. Female readers in the West will be surprised to discover many common issues; the setting is different but the problems are essentially the same.

These stories reflect the current stage in the evolution of Russian women s fiction from near non-existence during the Soviet period, through several stages of vigorous development in the 1990s, to current confident craftsmanship, wide thematic range, and high stylistic standards.

About this title

About the Author

Arkady Babchenko, born in 1977, lives in Moscow. Winner of the Debut Prize for his cycle of first-hand accounts of the Chechnya campaign which is both a fictionalized documentary and narrative non-fiction. Babchenko was drafted from Law School and sent to Chechnya after a brief course of training. On discharge he finished his education and wrote a cycle of graphic stories about his war experiences so as "to get the war out of my system". Currently he works as a journalist on the opposition paper Novaya Gazeta. His book Alkhan-Yurt came out in Russian in 2006. His book "A Soldier's War in Chechnya" was published in 14 countries including by Grove Atlantic in the USA.

Dmitry Bykov, born in 1967, is the author of several prize-winning futuristic novels and alternative histories invariably inspiring heated debates in the press. He is also a noted poet, TV presenter, journalist, and author of the definitive new biography of Boris Pasternak. His major novel Living Souls was published in English in 2010.

Roman Senchin, born in 1971 in Tuva, Siberia. Later, because of the riots in Tuva, the family had to flee to Minusinsk where he lived until recently before moving to Moscow. Winner of several prestigious literary prizes he is one of the most talented and expressive spokesmen for his generation. His work has been translated into German, French and other languages. Senchin's writings give you information that cannot be found in guidebooks.

Julia Latynina, born in 1966, a Muscovite, comes from a famous literary family. She is a topmost business journalist, with a Ph.D. in Economics and Philology, and is a prolific writer widely known for her "economic" thrillers and futuristic fantasies - more than 20 titles in all. By wrapping fiction around facts and real people, she can tell the real story behind Russia's often misleading appearance. "When it comes to interpreting the Russian economy, Latynina is, to borrow Isaiah Berlin's term, both a fox and a hedgehog, and that is what makes her books so fascinating." (Globe & Mail)

Olga Slavnikova, a leading name in Russian letters today, rose to fame as a writer back in her hometown of Yekaterinburg in the Urals before moving to Moscow five years ago to coordinate the Debut Prize for young writers. She is the author of five prize-winning novels and is noted for her highly individual style and psychological depth. Her Booker prize-winning novel 2017 came out in English in 2010.

Maria Galina, born in 1960, is a poet, critic, translator, and science fiction writer with ten SF books to her credit. A graduate from Odessa University majoring in marine biology she took part in several sea expeditions. She has been a professional writer since 1995. She has won many prizes for both her prose and poetry. Her fiction contains a strong element of magic realism while gender issues have always been the focus of her attention.

Edition details

• Publisher: Glas
• Publication date: 2006
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 5717200749
• ISBN 13: 9785717200745
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 400
• Editor: Natasha Perova