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About Vasily Aksenov

Michael Weller:
  I think the main thing - it is, firstly, that we continue to see off a great era. Star Aksenova, forgive me hammy turn, rose at the turn of the 60's. Although Aksyonov preceded Gladilin in their publications, that later became known as the prose of a new, young, urban, ironic. But Aksenov was number one in the Soviet literature in the free, informal tables of ranks in an era that was perceived as the free generation, which jumped up from the Stalinist wire. Much has been said that in the "colleagues" and "Star ticket", and in subsequent novels has been given language that spoke next. Less said about the other - Aksenov himself, remember, and thought very highly of his story "Victory", sometimes called "Grandmaster". Aksenov - by the brilliant, somewhat surreal prose, which returned to the traditions of 20-ies, forcibly circumcised, and that was something entirely new in the literature period 60's.

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The fate aksenovskaya, as happens with great artists, completely fell to its literature and on its way. And that is typical for these people, as rightly said, once they already live in America, when he was in Russia on short visits, Yevgeny Yevtushenko, in response to the attacks of the youth of that era in the Sixties: "It is the envy of vinegar champagne." Here a generation was champagne. And when Aksenov in his declining years, the renowned, ordenonosnym, with worldwide fame, he returned to Russia and put it in our new reality, which is also quite far from ideal, it is typical, not very good at it and fit. And when he - a famous story - was the chairman of the Booker jury, he was struck by what was happening and refused to hand over the prize, with the appointment of which he is chairman of the jury did not agree and do not completely conceal a man, utterly devoid of any a bureaucratic habits and formal ambitions.
  Aksenov was absolutely positive in life, in mirootnoshenii and creativity. And here, I think (we can only guess), the value was the first - five years he lived seduced, happy, loved, happy in the Soviet family, the first five years are crucial. And then, when he moved from Magadan in Leningrad, when he entered the Institute of Medicine ... You know, Leningrad student - this is a happy life, even in the early 50's. Stalin was still alive. And in the 53 th year Aksenov was 21, and 55 th he was 23. And the principle of freedom. And his best age, when a person opens the whole world. Because he was in the main pore - in adolescence and youth, the best age fell to thaw. And it remains for life. And he did not peroxide, it is not burned. This, I say, good fortune.
  The stories of his brilliant, his stories I knew and loved since high school. In his story, I was once at the Philology of Leningrad, wrote a term paper, and then the head of the diploma. They are very interesting, they are unique in our short stories. And this, of course, "Star ticket. Because it was a manifesto of youth. I have something to read in school. And his latest work - a different Aksenov, which comes a mature and somewhat tired. It is wiser, but it, of course, does not have that immediacy of youth. (c)

  Arkady Arkanov:
When in 1962 I came first in the magazine "Youth" and was there when Mark Rozovsky responsible for the Department of satire and humor, I was then a freelance employee, Vassily Aksenov, and Gladilin, and Anatoly Kuznetsov - they were already well-known people, they were famous - defined by Valentin Petrovich Kataev - movisty. Vasya have been remarkable stories, published in "Youth". These are the stories of me like a magnet drawn to him. And the most interesting, most surprising - that rarely happens - that I, Grisha Gorin, when we first came ... We had just appeared, although the age I Vasya almost the same age. And he was already living classic. Young, but a living classic. And a surprising attitude was a new man, who appeared. Amazingly, absolutely calm, free, normal, friendly, friendly.
There was no stardom. We then Vasya ... You know, when a person is not, to say that we were friends with him ... A lot of people try to stick after the death of a great people. We were in a great relationship, until his departure. And when he was in the States, I arrived the first time there, I came to him, slept with him, lived with him. (C)

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Anatoly Gladilin:
I think that Aksenov is not yet recognized writer, strangely enough. Because recognition Aksenova prevented enormous fame, which fell on him in his youth. And this is it, many simply could not. I just now want to quote me a letter from Sergei Dovlatov is from my archives. No interested persons were alive, I, naturally, did not quote, only in the last book I quoted him. And he wrote about the talented people that feeling of envy, which was to Aksenov, this is a very strong feeling, and he wrote to himself: "Well, I think so, or nearly so. And I hate myself for these feelings. Next quote: "It is striking that, and Brodsky, a huge figure, is also affected. Enough to see him with Aksenov. All the same complex - a sense of the boy without pants for boys in trousers, although it would seem, Joseph so famous, so beautiful, and can not be kinder. "

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Now back to your question. I have a feeling that no one would write that he died the great Russian writer. A Aksenov was a great Russian writer. I speak as a professional. He is in Russian literature, the present Russian literature, wrote the best in style. No wonder one of his books is called "sweet new style". When I say these things, I'm not saying that all of his books are beautiful, all his books are equal. No. But I say that the possession of the pen, owned by Russian literary language Aksenov best. He is producing all the past years. His performance was absolutely fantastic. In our not very young years, to write a book a year - this, believe me, not that that achievement is a record. And in Aksenova this was not the most important task, he lived it, for him it was a joy. It is also quite amazing, amazing quality for a writer.
Question: Anatoly Tikhonovich, but as it is not perceived in Russia, outside the country?

A. Gladilin: I myself have read it all. My English, which is very low, is sufficient to read these headlines. I had read in The New York Times, these articles, when Aksenova called "Leo Tolstoy Stalinist period. Although he was a famous writer for a narrow circle, it is clear that in America only for intellectuals. That is was to it.

Q: Did this question. When he went to the West, that's the wave of the fact that the man left, she usually has raised interest in what he writes. And when the wave subsided, interest alive? It remains understood that this is a great writer?

A. Gladilin: As a rule, to return to their communities can not be anyone. Was possible only Aksenov. Can not say that now he knows as well as in his youth. But just now it is impossible to compare the number of people who read books, read books as 30-40 years ago, is simply incomparable things. Culture of reading is now retiring. But it is another matter. For readers, for Russian readers Aksenov back - that's amazing, that's his achievement. He did the impossible. It is also quite phenomenal that did Aksenov.

Question: Anatoly Tikhonovich, and what period of creativity Aksenova to you the most significant - early 60's, line 70's, 80's, or what he wrote in the 2000's? It's different moods, different styles ...

A. Gladilin: This is completely different. Writer can not be the same. Aksenov changed. It is interesting that in recent times - I do not want to leave in the literature, the professional side of the issue - for him it was important to develop a style. I just quote him verbatim, I do not remember now, from what book, but one of the last books he wrote: "I tell my hand - you hand, you hand a free man, you write the way you want." He drew up his new joyful style. It is very important at all for literature, for a writer - it is a person who is the leader, shows how to write. A little bit I'll go away. For example, there is a classical Russian literature, a lot of you on my list of great Russian writers. But if we now stand aside, the best in Russian, wrote Ivan Bunin. Best of all he wrote. But now it is already history, it is not modern literature. Now it will be read or professionals, or scientists.
  You asked me how long twisted, to answer your question, that the main achievement. The main achievement Aksenova - opening in a literary style, again I repeat - in the Russian literary style. Because you can not forget - besides that a lot of Aksenov and translated into English, and French ... I'm already living in the West, I understand that all these translations, of course, it's an honor, it is interesting, but it means nothing. The main thing - it is the writer for his country. And what Aksenov made a discovery in the modern Russian literary language, that's home to his credit. (With)

http://www.echo.msk.ru/programs/razv...ng/603890-echo