Reconstructing the Canon: Russian Writing in the 1980s

This book provides critical analyses of Russian writers from the 1980s, a period of cultural change. It includes discussions of Iurii Lotman, Olga Sedakova, Sasha Sokolov, Elena Shvartss, Zinovii Ziniks, Aleksandr Zinovevs, Mikhail Aizenberg, and Viktor Slavkin. It also examines the literary environment of Mikhail Aizenberg and reviews Russian writing as an extension of imperialism.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 324 pages
Publication date: 15 October 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This book, first published in 2000, delves into comprehensive analyses by renowned Russian writers of the 1980s, a transformative era in Russian cultural life marked by the collapse of Soviet communism and the emergence of a diverse and uninhibited literary landscape. The book showcases a range of critical approaches that aptly capture the diverse spectrum of Russian writers examined herein. It features a theoretical discussion by David Bethea on the influential work of critic and scholar Iurii Lotman, complemented by a captivating extended interview with renowned poet Olga Sedakova. Additionally, several writers and works receive their first scholarly examinations in English, including Sasha Sokolov's intricate postmodern novel, Between Dog and Wolf, Elena Shvartss poetic prowess, and Zinovii Ziniks artistic contributions. Aleksandr Zinovevs prose is subjected to a rigorous formal analysis. The book also includes an essay on the literary environment of the Moscow poet Mikhail Aizenberg, as well as a highly controversial article that critiques Russian writing as an extension of imperialism. Writers who faced criticism or controversy during the 1980s include Soviet village writers and the late Andrei Siniavskii (Abram Tertz). A survey of urban prose in the late 1980s offers a glimpse into an uncertain future, while playwright Viktor Slavkin represents the pinnacle.

Weight: 621g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367721947