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Russian Literature

The Russian language is the national language of Russia and the Russian people and is the Slavic language with the most speakers, many of whom now reside beyond the borders of the Russian Federation. It is the number one language of Europe in terms of native speakers and geographic reach. Among world languages, it is eighth in terms of number of native speakers.

Russian literature holds a place of honour in world culture and literary tradition. Works by Russian and Soviet authors are read all over the planet and have influenced some of the world’s greatest writers. They have been translated into dozens of languages and millions upon millions of copies have been sold. Works by the classics of Russian literature have been a pillar of world culture for more than two centuries. While the political structures of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union may be things of the past, the literature they produced endures for its timeless and universal value. A large number of Russian literary works have been honoured by international awards and, in five cases, have earned their authors Nobel Prizes.

While Glagoslav Publications offers its readers a few important belletristic and publicistic works of Russian literature from past centuries, our primary focus is fiction and non-fiction written after the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union. The literature generated during this period, along with other aspects of cultural life in Russia, are the product of a time of exceptional turmoil and innovation. Both thought and society were unleashed after decades of repression. Authors were finally able to boldly express themselves. Russian literature experienced a time of rebirth and a large number of post-Soviet writers have won acclaim both in their own country and across the globe. Along with new authors and new movements in literature, new awards have been established, including the Russian Booker Prize, the National Bestseller Prize, the Great Book Prize, the Great Literary Prize of Russia.

Once dormant seeds are creating a profusion of stunning variety. Many authors of genius are producing new works annually and a new generation of writers is coming of age and reaching maturity before our very eyes. It is the task of Glagoslav Publications to select the best from among this profusion and make it available to our readers in English-speaking countries. Literary wealth can and should be shared, and we seek to give the English-speaking world easy access to the gold reserve of Slavic literature.