Alexander Grin
Encyclopedia
Alexander Grin was a Russian writer, notable for his romantic novels and short stories, mostly set in an unnamed fantasy land with a European or Latin American flavor (Grin's fans often refer to this land as Grinlandia
). Most of his writings deal with sea, adventures, and love.
in 1880, the son of a Pole
, deported after the January Uprising
of 1863. In 1896, after graduating from a school in Vyatka, Grinevsky went to Odessa
and lived the life of a vagabond.He was a sailor, gold miner, construction worker, but often he found himself without a job and sustained himself by begging and thanks to money sometimes sent by his father.
After joining the Russian army, he became a member of the Socialist-Revolutionary Party
, was arrested and spent time in jail for "revolutionary propaganda". His first short story was published in a newspaper in 1906. In the same year he was arrested in Saint Petersburg
and sentenced to four years of exile in a remote area of Tobolsk
guberniya
. However, very soon after arriving to Tobolsk, Grin escaped and returned to Petersburg to live illegally. He was again arrested in 1910 and sent to live in Arkhangelsk
guberniya
. In a small village called Kegostrov, Grin and his first wife Vera Pavlovna Abramova (whom he married in 1910) lived from 1910 to 1912.
In 1912, he returned to Saint Petersburg
and divorced his wife. At that time, Grin published mostly short stories; most of his larger works were written after the October revolution
and enjoyed significant popularity in the first half of 1920s. In 1921, he married Nina Nikolaevna Grin (1894-1970). In 1924, they moved to Feodosia to live near the sea. In his late days, Grin's romantic visions were in stark conflict with the mainstream Soviet literature; publishers in Moscow and Leningrad refused to consider his romantic writings for publication, and Grin and his wife lived in extreme poverty. Grin suffered from alcoholism
and tuberculosis
which eventually ruined his health. He died of stomach cancer
in 1932 in Stary Krym.
Most of Alexander Grin's writings bear no direct relation to the reality of Czarist and Soviet Russia that he lived in. The setting of most of his novels and short stories is an unnamed land by the sea, apparently far from Europe but with all characters being Western European in names and appearance. Even his literary pseudonym (Grin) is a de-Russified form of his real last name (Grinevsky). Some of the readers of his early publications (such as Paustovsky who remained an admirer of Grin for the rest of his life) thought at first that they were reading translations of works by a foreign author.
Described by some critics as "adolescent fiction", Grin's works in fact have a universal appeal. Like the authors of fantasy
of the second half of 20th century, Grin deals with human desires and emotions in their most pure form. His world is not a fairy tale; it has many things in common with the reality of the early 20th century (such as automobiles and banks), but it's always more romantic and "childish" in the general feel. Populated by sea captains, sailors, scientists, travellers, criminals, extravagant aristocrats, childlike girls, elegant villains, and strong-spirited heroes who always stay true to their dream, Grin's world (often referred to as Grinlandia
by Grin's fans) is one of the most attractive and "livable" fantasy worlds in literature. Some of his novels contain an element of magic - not as an established part of his world, but always as a miracle that changes the lives of those who encounter it.
Grin's writings are also notable for their powerful writing style, pretty much unique in the entire Russian literature (though some liken it to the style of Andrey Platonov). Grin's prose is very poetic and descriptive, with strikingly apt metaphors and colorful vocabulary.
Grin's works are almost unknown outside of Russia.
Grinlandia
Grinlandia is the fantasy world where most of the novels and short stories of Alexander Grin take place. It is a land by the ocean, apparently far from Europe but populated by people with vaguely Western European names and appearance. The name of the country is never mentioned, and the name...
). Most of his writings deal with sea, adventures, and love.
Biography
Alexander Grin was born Alexander Stefanovich Grinevsky in a suburb of VyatkaKirov, Kirov Oblast
Kirov , formerly known as Vyatka and Khlynov, is a city in northeastern European Russia, on the Vyatka River, and the administrative center of Kirov Oblast. Population: -History:...
in 1880, the son of a Pole
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
, deported after the January Uprising
January Uprising
The January Uprising was an uprising in the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth against the Russian Empire...
of 1863. In 1896, after graduating from a school in Vyatka, Grinevsky went to Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
and lived the life of a vagabond.He was a sailor, gold miner, construction worker, but often he found himself without a job and sustained himself by begging and thanks to money sometimes sent by his father.
After joining the Russian army, he became a member of the Socialist-Revolutionary Party
Socialist-Revolutionary Party
thumb|right|200px|Socialist-Revolutionary election poster, 1917. The caption in red reads "партия соц-рев" , short for Party of the Socialist Revolutionaries...
, was arrested and spent time in jail for "revolutionary propaganda". His first short story was published in a newspaper in 1906. In the same year he was arrested in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
and sentenced to four years of exile in a remote area of Tobolsk
Tobolsk
Tobolsk is a town in Tyumen Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Tobol and Irtysh Rivers. It is a historic capital of Siberia. Population: -History:...
guberniya
Guberniya
A guberniya was a major administrative subdivision of the Russian Empire usually translated as government, governorate, or province. Such administrative division was preserved for sometime upon the collapse of the empire in 1917. A guberniya was ruled by a governor , a word borrowed from Latin ,...
. However, very soon after arriving to Tobolsk, Grin escaped and returned to Petersburg to live illegally. He was again arrested in 1910 and sent to live in Arkhangelsk
Arkhangelsk
Arkhangelsk , formerly known as Archangel in English, is a city and the administrative center of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. It lies on both banks of the Northern Dvina River near its exit into the White Sea in the north of European Russia. The city spreads for over along the banks of the river...
guberniya
Guberniya
A guberniya was a major administrative subdivision of the Russian Empire usually translated as government, governorate, or province. Such administrative division was preserved for sometime upon the collapse of the empire in 1917. A guberniya was ruled by a governor , a word borrowed from Latin ,...
. In a small village called Kegostrov, Grin and his first wife Vera Pavlovna Abramova (whom he married in 1910) lived from 1910 to 1912.
In 1912, he returned to Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
and divorced his wife. At that time, Grin published mostly short stories; most of his larger works were written after the October revolution
October Revolution
The October Revolution , also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution , Red October, the October Uprising or the Bolshevik Revolution, was a political revolution and a part of the Russian Revolution of 1917...
and enjoyed significant popularity in the first half of 1920s. In 1921, he married Nina Nikolaevna Grin (1894-1970). In 1924, they moved to Feodosia to live near the sea. In his late days, Grin's romantic visions were in stark conflict with the mainstream Soviet literature; publishers in Moscow and Leningrad refused to consider his romantic writings for publication, and Grin and his wife lived in extreme poverty. Grin suffered from alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
and tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
which eventually ruined his health. He died of stomach cancer
Stomach cancer
Gastric cancer, commonly referred to as stomach cancer, can develop in any part of the stomach and may spread throughout the stomach and to other organs; particularly the esophagus, lungs, lymph nodes, and the liver...
in 1932 in Stary Krym.
Works
Described by some critics as "adolescent fiction", Grin's works in fact have a universal appeal. Like the authors of fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
of the second half of 20th century, Grin deals with human desires and emotions in their most pure form. His world is not a fairy tale; it has many things in common with the reality of the early 20th century (such as automobiles and banks), but it's always more romantic and "childish" in the general feel. Populated by sea captains, sailors, scientists, travellers, criminals, extravagant aristocrats, childlike girls, elegant villains, and strong-spirited heroes who always stay true to their dream, Grin's world (often referred to as Grinlandia
Grinlandia
Grinlandia is the fantasy world where most of the novels and short stories of Alexander Grin take place. It is a land by the ocean, apparently far from Europe but populated by people with vaguely Western European names and appearance. The name of the country is never mentioned, and the name...
by Grin's fans) is one of the most attractive and "livable" fantasy worlds in literature. Some of his novels contain an element of magic - not as an established part of his world, but always as a miracle that changes the lives of those who encounter it.
Grin's writings are also notable for their powerful writing style, pretty much unique in the entire Russian literature (though some liken it to the style of Andrey Platonov). Grin's prose is very poetic and descriptive, with strikingly apt metaphors and colorful vocabulary.
Grin's works are almost unknown outside of Russia.
Books
- Selected Short Stories. Translated by Nicholas Luker. 184 pp. Ann Arbor, Mich.: Ardis Publishers.
External links
- NYT Review of Grin's English translation
- The road to nowhere, a road to glory: Vladimir Nabokov and Aleksandr Grin.(Critical Essay), by Margarit Tadevosyan, in The Modern Language Review, April 2005
- Dictionary of Literary Biography on Aleksandr Stepanovich Grin
- Most of Grin's works in Russian, as well as some English translations
- Grinlandia, a fan site
- Grin's museum in Vyatka
- The English translation of Scarlet Sails by Helen Sharif