Fwd: Life Stories: Original Works by Russian Writers

[Katz, Michael]

Paul:

Can you send me a blurb and a link so that I can send it along to various newsletters?

Michael


On 8/7/09 10:35 AM, "Paul Richardson" <paulr at RUSSIANLIFE.NET> wrote:

Dear SEELANGERS:

We are happy to announce the publication of "Life Stories: Original
Works by Russian Writers."

This 332-page collection of modern Russian fiction (in English) is an
extremely unique international effort:
19 leading Russian writers donated their works
15 top international translators and proofreaders donated their time
and talent
100% of the profits from sales of the book will be donated to hospice
care in Russia. Yes, 100%.

Below is the press release by way of providing more info. But if you
just want to go straight to buying the book, just visit
storiesforgood.org

Thanks,

Paul Richardson
Publisher

--------
(MONTPELIER, VT) "Russian Life," in collaboration with the Russian
Arts Foundation, Vera Hospice Fund, and
Galina Dursthoff Literary Agency, has published "Life Stories," a
special short story collection of works by19 of
Russia's most acclaimed contemporary authors, translated by 14
prominent American and British translators. All
proceeds will be donated to benefit hospice care in Russia.

The Russian edition, published in March 2009, was hailed by critics in
Russia as "the best of contemporary
Russian fiction." One of the year's top fiction bestsellers in Russia,
it has already sold over 40,000 copies. The
English edition, Life Stories, showcases works by authors already well-
known to English-speaking audiences, such
as Eduard Limonov,Vladimir Makanin, Victor Pelevin, Ludmila
Petrushevskaya, Vladimir Sorokin, and Vladimir
Voinovich, as well as stories by accomplished Russian writers who are
less widely known abroad, such as Andrei
Gelasimov, Marina Moskvina, and Zahar Prelepin. The contributing
authors represent the full gamut of styles,
subjects, esthetics, and politics of Russian fiction today. Only one
of the 19 works in the volume has been
previously published in English.

Jay Parini, author of "The Last Station," says: "Only once in a great
while does such a rich collection of stories
appear -- so many voices, moods, temperaments, takes. Life Stories
lives up to its title: it's a life-enhancing
compendium, full of variety and color, humor, sadness, and -- in the
best Russian tradition -- wisdom."

The project began as an innovative way to support the nascent hospice
movement in Russia. Oleg Vavilov,
project coordinator and publisher of the Russian edition, said,"In
putting out this book, we are trying to raise
money for institutions that are in great financial difficulty, but
which are really quite inexpensive to run. But we
are also trying to raise awareness of the importance of hospice care
within Russia and abroad." Every writer he
asked donated a short story for the collection. So far over 5 million
rubles (approximately $165,000) has been
presented to the Vera Hospice Fund from the sale of the Russian
editions.

The modern hospice movement, which began over 40 years ago in Britain
and quickly spread around the world,
is relatively new in Russia. The first hospice appeared in 1990, and
today there are just over 200 organizations
providing palliative care in the country..

"This is a truly non-profit collaboration between cultures," said
Publisher Paul E. Richardson. "Russian
authors have donated their works, American translators, designers and
editors all worked pro bono, and books
will be sold worldwide directly to consumers, using the power of the
internet and digital publishing to ensure that
the maximum return gets back to Vera Hospice Fund. Readers of these
books will receive some truly great works
of modern Russian literature, and at the same time they will help
provide end-of-life care for countless fellow
human beings."

"Life Stories" (ISBN 1-880100-58-4) sells for $25 (plus s&h) via
storiesforgood.org. It can also
be purchased through amazon.com. All 100 percent of the profits from
book sales will be
donated to the Vera Hospice Fund, a Russian not-for-profit enterprise
dedicated to supporting
hospice care.

The authors included in this collection are: Dmitry Bykov, Vladimir
Voynovich, Andrey
Gelasimov, Boris Grebenshchikov, Yevgeny Grishkovets, Victor
Yerofeyev, Alexander Kabakov,
Eduard Limonov, Dmitry Lipskerov, Sergey Lukyanenko, Vladimir Makanin,
Marina Moskvina,
Victor Pelevin, Ludmila Petrushevskaya, Zakhar Prilepin, Dina Rubina,
Dunya Smirnova,
Vladimir Sorokin, Alexander Khurgin and Leonid Yuzefovich.

The translators who have given of their time and talent are: Alexei
Bayer, Michele A. Berdy, Liv
Bliss, Lise Brody, Nora Favorov, Anne Fisher, Deborah Hoffman, Michael
Katz, Peter Morley,
Susanna Nazarova, Anna Razumnaya-Seluyanova, Paul E. Richardson,
Marian Schwartz, Bela
Shayevich and Nina Shevchuk.

"Russian Life" is the bimonthly magazine published by RIS Publications
(founded in 1990). The company also publishes books, maps, and the
quarterly literary journal, "Chtenia: Readings from Russia."


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