Rus. Lit. in Translation

Sun Sep 6 02:32:37 UTC 1998

Dear SEELANGers:

Some time ago I posted a query regarding contemporary Russian literature in
translation for a course proposal I was preparing.  

I am grateful to the many people who responded to this query with very
helpful bibliographical information.  Here is a summary of some of what I
have learned:

First, special thanks to Jane Chamberlain of the University of Texas at
Austin.  She sent me a bibiliography by writer (which I am posting below.)
As you read through this list, you'll see the titles of some of the more
comprehensive anthologies available in English.

Arbatova, Maria, Equation with Two Knowns, A Will and a Way, Glas: New
Russian Writing 12, Birmingham, UK, 1996
Arbatova, Maria, My Teachers, A Will and a Way, Glas: New Russian Writing
12, Birmingham, UK, 1996
Baranskaia, Natalia, Laineís House, Soviet Women Writing, Abbeville Press,
N.Y.: 1990
Baranskaia, Natalia, The Kiss, Balancing Acts, Indiana University Press:
Bloomington and Indianapolis, 1989
Boguslavskaya, Zoya, What Are Women Made Of?, Soviet Women Writing,
Abbeville Press, N.Y.: 1990
Filatova, Marina, If I Were a Man, Womenís View, Glas: New Russian Writing
3, Birmingham, UK, 1992
Gabrielyan, Nina, The Lilac Dressing Gown, A Will and a Way, Glas: New
Russian Writing 12, Birmingham, UK, 1996
Ganina, Maia, Stage Actress, Balancing Acts, Indiana University Press:
Bloomington and Indianapolis, 1989
Ginzburg, Lidia, The Siege of Leningrad: Notes of a Survivor, Soviet Women
Writing, Abbeville Press, N.Y.: 1990
Goff, Inna, Infirmary at the Station, Soviet Women Writing, Abbeville
Press, N.Y.: 1990
Gorlanova, Nina, Confessional Days in Anticipation of the End of the
World, Half a Revolution, Cleis Press, San Francisco, 1995
Grekova, I., Masters of Their Own Lives, Soviet Women Writing, Abbeville
Press, N.Y.: 1990
Ilina, Natalia, Repairing Our Car, Soviet Women Writing, Abbeville Press,
N.Y.: 1990
Iunina, Liubov, A Woman in a One-Room Apartment, Lives in Transit, Dana
Point, CA: Ardis, 1995
 Kalinina, Alla, Sergusha, Lives in Transit, Dana Point, CA: Ardis, 1995
Katerli, Nina, Between Spring and Summer, Balancing Acts, Indiana
University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 1989
Katerli, Nina, Slowly the Old Woman . . ., Lives in Transit, Dana Point,
CA: Ardis, 1995
Katerli, Nina, The Farewell Light, Balancing Acts, Indiana University
Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 1989
Katerli, Nina, The Monster, Soviet Women Writing, Abbeville Press, N.Y.: 1990
Kazakova, Rimma, The Experiment, Balancing Acts, Indiana University Press:
Bloomington and Indianapolis, 1989
Kornilova, Galina, The Ostrabramsky Gate, Soviet Women Writing, Abbeville
Press, N.Y.: 1990
Koshnevnikova, Nadezhda, Home, Balancing Acts, Indiana University Press:
Bloomington and Indianapolis, 1989
Koshnevnikova, Nadezhda, Vera Perova, Lives in Transit, Dana Point, CA:
Ardis, 1995
Makarova, Elena, Herbs from Odessa, Balancing Acts, Indiana University
Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 1989
Makarova, Elena, Rush Job, Lives in Transit, Dana Point, CA: Ardis, 1995
Mass, Anna, A Business Trip Home, Balancing Acts, Indiana University
Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 1989
Mass, Anna, The Road to Aktanysh, Balancing Acts, Indiana University
Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 1989
Mass, Anna, The Trap, Lives in Transit, Dana Point, CA: Ardis, 1995
Miller, Larisa, Bolshaya Polyanka: A Childhood in Post-War Moscow, Womenís
View, Glas: New Russian Writing 3, Birmingham, UK, 1992
Miller, Larisa, Home Address, Jews and Strangers, Glas: New Russian
Writing 6, Birmingham, UK, 1993
Muravyova, Irina, In Kropotinskaya Street, A Will and a Way, Glas: New
Russian Writing 12, Birmingham, UK, 1996
Muravyova, Irina, The Forgotten Woman, A Will and a Way, Glas: New Russian
Writing 6, Birmingham, UK, 1993
Nabatnikova, Tatiana, A Bus Driver Named Astap, Lives in Transit, Dana
Point, CA: Ardis, 1995
Nabatnikova, Tatiana, In Memoriam, Soviet Women Writing, Abbeville Press,
N.Y.: 1990
Nabatnikova, Tatiana, Speak, Maria!, Half a Revolution, Cleis Press, San
Francisco, 1995
Nabatnikova, Tatiana, The Phone Call, Lives in Transit, Dana Point, CA:
Ardis, 1995
Narbikova, Valeria, In the Here and Now, Half a Revolution, Cleis Press,
San Francisco, 1995
Palei, Marina, Rendezvous, Lives in Transit, Dana Point, CA: Ardis, 1995
Palei, Marina, The Bloody Womenís Ward, Womenís View, Glas: New Russian
Writing 3, Birmingham, UK, 1992
Palei, Marina, The Day of the Poplar Flakes, Half a Revolution, Cleis
Press, San Francisco, 1995
Palei, Marina, The Day of the Poplar Flakes, Half a Revolution, Cleis
Press, San Francisco, 1995
Palei, Marina, The Losersí Division, Lives in Transit, Dana Point, CA:
Ardis, 1995
Petrushevskaia, Liudmila, Fairy Tales for Grownup Children, A Will and a
Way, Glas: New Russian Writing 12, Birmingham, UK, 1996
Petrushevskaia, Liudmila, Mania, Balancing Acts, Indiana University Press:
Bloomington and Indianapolis, 1989
Petrushevskaia, Liudmila, Medea, An Anthology of Russian Womenís Writing,
Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK, 1994
Petrushevskaia, Liudmila, The Overlook, Soviet Women Writing, Abbeville
Press, N.Y.: 1990
Petrushevskaia, Liudmila, The Violin, Balancing Acts, Indiana University
Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 1989
Petrushevskaia, Liudmila, Words, An Anthology of Russian Womenís Writing,
Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK, 1994
Polianskaia, Irina, Mitigating Circumstances, Soviet Women Writing,
Abbeville Press, N.Y.: 1990
Polianskaia, Irina, The Pure Zone, A Will and a Way, Glas: New Russian
Writing 12, Birmingham, UK, 1996
Polianskaia, Irina, Where Did the Streetcar Go?, Lives in Transit, Dana
Point, CA: Ardis, 1995
Raevskaia, Regina, The Way Home, Lives in Transit, Dana Point, CA: Ardis, 1995
Rubina, Dina, On Upper Maslovka, A Will and a Way, Glas: New Russian
Writing 12, Birmingham, UK, 1996
Rubina, Dina, The Blackthorn, Lives in Transit, Dana Point, CA: Ardis, 1995
Saat, Mari, The Cave, Soviet Women Writing, Abbeville Press, N.Y.: 1990
Sadur, Nina, Frozen (play in one act), An Anthology of Russian Womenís
Writing, Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK, 1994
Sadur, Nina, Irons and Diamonds, Jews and Strangers, Glas: New Russian
Writing 6, Birmingham, UK, 1993
Sadur, Nina, Wicked Girls, Lives in Transit, Dana Point, CA: Ardis, 1995
Sadur, Nina, Witchís Tears, Womenís View, Glas: New Russian Writing 3,
Birmingham, UK, 1992
Sadur, Nina, Worm-eaten Sonny, Lives in Transit, Dana Point, CA: Ardis, 1995
Shcherbakova, Galina, The Three Loves of Masha Peredreeva, Womenís View,
Glas: New Russian Writing 3, Birmingham, UK, 1992
Shcherbakova, Galina, The Wall, Balancing Acts, Indiana University Press:
Bloomington and Indianapolis, 1989
Shcherbakova, Galina, Uncle Knlor and Koriakin, Lives in Transit, Dana
Point, CA: Ardis, 1995
Shulga, Natalia, Mashka and Asiunia, Half a Revolution, Cleis Press, San
Francisco, 1995
Tarasova, Elena, She Who Bears No Ill, Half a Revolution, Cleis Press, San
Francisco, 1995
Tokareva, Viktoria, A Long Day, Soviet Literature and Glastnost: A Study
in Povests, Ajanta Publications, Delhi, India: 1990
Tokareva, Viktoria, Between Heaven and Earth, Balancing Acts, Indiana
University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 1989
Tokareva, Viktoria, First Try, Lives in Transit, Dana Point, CA: Ardis, 1995
Tokareva, Viktoria, Five Figures on a Pedestal, Soviet Women Writing,
Abbeville Press, N.Y.: 1990
Tokareva, Viktoria, Nothing Special, Balancing Acts, Indiana University
Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 1989
Tolstaya, Tatiana, Peters, Balancing Acts, Indiana University Press:
Bloomington and Indianapolis, 1989
Tolstaya, Tatiana, Sleepwalker in a Fog, Soviet Women Writing, Abbeville
Press, N.Y.: 1990
Tolstaya, Tatiana, The Poet and the Muse, Penguin Book of New Russian
Writing, Penguin, London: 1995
Tsvetaeva, Marina, Life Insurance, Lives in Transit, Dana Point, CA:
Ardis, 1995
Ulanovskaia, Bella, Albinos, Lives in Transit, Dana Point, CA: Ardis, 1995
Ulanovskaia, Bella, Journey to Kashgar, An Anthology of Russian Womenís
Writing, Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK, 1994
Ulitskaia, Liudmila, Barley Soup, Jews and Strangers, Glas: New Russian
Writing 6, Birmingham, UK, 1993
Ulitskaia, Liudmila, Gulia, Lives in Transit, Dana Point, CA: Ardis, 1995
Ulitskaia, Liudmila, March 1953, Jews and Strangers, Glas: New Russian
Writing 6, Birmingham, UK, 1993
Ulitskaia, Liudmila, The Chosen People, Lives in Transit, Dana Point, CA:
Ardis, 1995
Uvarova, Liudmila, Be Still, Torments of Passion, Balancing Acts, Indiana
University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 1989
Uvarova, Liudmila, Love, Balancing Acts, Indiana University Press:
Bloomington and Indianapolis, 1989
Vaneeva, Larisa, Parade of the Planets, Soviet Women Writing, Abbeville
Press, N.Y.: 1990
Vaneeva, Larisa, Venetian Mirrors, Lives in Transit, Dana Point, CA:
Ardis, 1995
Varlamova, Inna, A Threesome, Balancing Acts, Indiana University Press:
Bloomington and Indianapolis, 1989
Vasilíeva, Svetlana, Krug zaniati, Ne pomniashchaia zla, Moskovskiy
rabochiy, Moscow, 1990
Vasilenko, Svetlana, Going After Goat-Antelopes, Lives in Transit, Dana
Point, CA: Ardis, 1995
Vasilenko, Svetlana, Shamara, Womenís View, Glas: New Russian Writing 3,
Birmingham, UK, 1992
Velembovskaia, Irina, Through Hard Times, Balancing Acts, Indiana
University Press: Bloomington and Indianapolis, 1989
Volodina, Galina, Election Day, Half a Revolution, Cleis Press, San
Francisco, 1995
Zhilinskaite, Vytaute, Sisyphus and the Woman, Soviet Women Writing,
Abbeville Press, N.Y.: 1990

Marian Schwartz wrote:

>Your inquiry regarding recent Russian literature was forwarded to me by
>another translator.  By now you may have already been directed to Helena
>Goscilo's followup to the Glasnost volume, called Lives in Transit and
>published by Ardis.  Like the Goscilo book, I. Grekova's volume, Soviet
>Women Writing, does not include any plays, which seem to have even less of
>an audience than poetry, but it features some of the same authors. 
>Grekova's introduction is rather frightening (unless completely
>tongue-in-cheek), but some of the stories are good.
>
>Another suggestion would be  to include something by Pelevin, who has been 
>probably the most solid success in translation since Tolstaya.  New
>Directions and Farrar, Straus have both published him.

I've been informed that Melissa Smith is publishing a translation of
Petrushevskaia's
 "the Men's Zone: A Cabaret" will be appearing in _Russian Women Writers_,
Garland Publishing
and that this volume is forthcoming.

Other anthologies that might be of interest are:

Immortal Love.  Ludmilla Petrushevskaya.  Tr. Sally Laird.  London:  Virago,
1988, 1995.
Lives in Transit:  A Collection of Recent Russian Women's Writing.  Ed.
Helena Goscilo.  Dana Point, CA:  Ardis, 1995.
Out of the Blue:  Russia's Hidden Gay Literature.  [Only texts from Part IV,
"Gay Life Reborn in the New Russia".]  Ed. Kevin Moss.  San Francisco:  Gay
Sunshine Press, 1997.
The Talisman and Other Stories.  Viktoria Tokareva.  Tr. Rosamund Bartlett.
London:  Picadore, 1993.
The Times of Turmoil.  Tr. Arkady Yanishevsky.  Compiled by Inna Broude.
Tenafly, NJ:  Hermitage Publishers, 1993.
The Penguin  Book of New Russian Writing, ed. Victor Erofeyev.  Penguin, 1995.
Glasnost:  An Anthology of Russian Literature under Gorbachev, ed. Helena
Goscilo and Byron Lindsey. Ardis, 1990.

Thanks to all who contributed suggestions to me.  I look forward to teaching
this course next semester and wish all of you happy reading.

Ben Rifkin

////////////////////////////////////////

Benjamin Rifkin

Associate Professor of Slavic Languages
Coordinator of Russian-Language Instruction

Department of Slavic Languages & Literatures
University of Wisconsin-Madison
1432 Van Hise Hall, 1220 Linden Dr.
Madison, WI  53706  USA

voice:  608/262-1623
fax:  608/265-2814
e-mail:  brifkin at facstaff.wisc.edu

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