Fyodor Aleksandrovich Abramov () (29 February 192014 May 1983) was a Russian

novelist A novelist is an author or writer of novels, though often novelists also write in other genres of both fiction and non-fiction. Some novelists are professional novelists, thus make a living wage, living writing novels and other fiction, while other ...

and

literary critic A genre of arts criticism, literary criticism or literary studies is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. Modern literary criticism is often influenced by literary theory, which is the philosophical analysis of literature' ...

. His work focused on the challenging lives of the Russian peasant class, often depicting their struggles and hardships. Although his writing was critically acclaimed, he frequently faced reprimands for deviating from

Soviet The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

policy on writing.

Biography

Abramov was from a peasant background. He studied at

Leningrad State University Saint Petersburg State University (SPBGU; ) is a public research university in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Russia. Founded in 1724 by a decree of Peter the Great, the university from the be ...

, but interrupted his studies to serve as a soldier in

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. In 1951, he finished his schooling at the university, then remained a teacher until 1960. After leaving teaching in 1960, he became a full-time writer. His 1954 essay, "People in the Kolkhoz Village in Postwar Prose", which critiqued the glorified portrayal of life in Communist Soviet Villages, was denounced by the Writers' Union and the Central Committee. In a later essay, Abramov argued for the repeal of the law denying peasants internal passports and recommended granting them larger shares of the profits from their labor. This essay led to his removal from the editorial staff of the journal Neva. His first novel entitled, "Bratya i syostri" ("Brothers and Sisters") written in 1958 depicted the harsh life of northern Russian villagers during World War II. Abramov wrote two sequels: "Dve zimy i tri leta" ("Two Winters and Three Summers", 1968), and "Puti-pereputya" (“Paths and Crossroads”, 1973). He also wrote a fourth novel in 1978 called "Dom" ("The House"). Abramov started another novel, "Chistaya kniga", but unfortunately did not finish it before his death in May 1983. The asteroid 3409 Abramov, discovered by Soviet astronomer

Nikolai Chernykh Nikolai Stepanovich Chernykh ( rus, Никола́й Степа́нович Черны́х, , nʲɪkɐˈlaj sʲtʲɪˈpanəvʲɪtɕ tɕɪrˈnɨx, links=yes; 6 October 1931 – 25 May 2004Казакова, Р.К. Памяти Николая Сте ...

in 1977, is named after him.

English Translations

* ''The Dodgers'', Flegon Press in association with Anthony Blond, 1963. * ''The New Life: A Day on a Collective Farm'', Grove Press, 1963. (Alternative translation of ''The Dodgers'') * ''Two Winters and Three Summers'', Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1984. * ''The Swans Flew By and Other Stories'', Raduga Publishers, 1986. * "Olesha's Cabin" in ''The Barsukov Triangle, the Two-Toned Blond and other Stories'', Ardis, 1984.

Novels

* ''Bratya i syostri'' (''Brothers and Sisters''), 1958. * ''Dve zimy i tri leta'' (''Two Winters and Three Summers''), 1968. * ''Puti-pereputya'' (''Paths and Crossroads''), 1973. * ''Dom'' (''The House''), 1978. * "Chistaya kniga" ("Clean book"), Unfinished

Sources

*
Fyodor Abramov
, Encyclopædia Britannica, 2009, Encyclopædia Britannica Online, 5 May 2009

References

1920 births 1983 deaths People from Pinezhsky District People from Pinezhsky Uyezd Russian male novelists Soviet novelists Soviet male writers 20th-century Russian male writers Soviet short story writers 20th-century Russian short story writers Russian male essayists Soviet educators Russian male short story writers 20th-century essayists Soviet literary historians Saint Petersburg State University alumni Soviet military personnel of World War II Recipients of the Order of Lenin Recipients of the USSR State Prize {{Russia-writer-stub