Sasha Sokolov
Encyclopedia
Sasha Sokolov is a paradoxical writer of Russian literature
.
He became known worldwide in the 1970s after his first novel A School for Fools had been published by Ardis Publishing
(Ann Arbor, Michigan
) in the US. Sokolov is one of the most important authors of 20th century Russian literature. He is well acclaimed for his unorthodox use of language, playing with rhythms, sounds and associations. The author himself coined the term "proeziia" for his work—in between prose and poetry.
Sokolov is a Canadian citizen and has lived the larger part of his life so far in the United States. During the Second World War, his father worked as a military attaché at the Soviet embassy in Canada. After returning to the Soviet Union
in 1946 and growing up there, Sokolov did not fit into the Soviet system. In 1965 he was discarded from a military university, probably because he had tried to flee the country. After that he studied journalism at Moscow State University
from 1966 to 1971. Shortly after his first daughter was born in 1974 his first marriage ended.
He met his second wife, the Austria
n-born Johanna Steindl while she was teaching German at the University in Moscow. She smuggled the text of his first novel into the West. Only after she started a hunger strike in the Stephansdom
in Vienna
, Austria, in 1975, was Sokolov allowed to leave the Soviet Union. Sokolov left Vienna in late 1976 for the United States
after his first novel had been published. In early 1977, Johanna Steindl gave birth to Sokolov's son, who has become a journalist. He also had a second daughter named Maria Goldfarb, born in New York in 1986, who has become an artist. Sasha Sokolov later married again several times and is now married to the US rower Marlene Royle.
His second novel, Between Dog and Wolf, builds even more on the particularities of the Russian language
and is deemed untranslatable. Thus, it has become a much lesser success than A School for Fools
, which has been translated into many languages. The complete manuscript of his fourth book is said to have been lost when the Greek house it had been written in burnt down. Sokolov, who leads a rather reclusive life, says that he keeps writing, but doesn't want to be published any more.
Russian literature
Russian literature refers to the literature of Russia or its émigrés, and to the Russian-language literature of several independent nations once a part of what was historically Russia or the Soviet Union...
.
He became known worldwide in the 1970s after his first novel A School for Fools had been published by Ardis Publishing
Ardis Publishing
Ardis Publishing began in 1971, as the only publishing house outside of Russia dedicated to Russian literature in both English and Russian, Ardis was founded in Ann Arbor, Michigan by husband and wife scholars Carl R. Proffer and Ellendea C. Proffer...
(Ann Arbor, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
) in the US. Sokolov is one of the most important authors of 20th century Russian literature. He is well acclaimed for his unorthodox use of language, playing with rhythms, sounds and associations. The author himself coined the term "proeziia" for his work—in between prose and poetry.
Sokolov is a Canadian citizen and has lived the larger part of his life so far in the United States. During the Second World War, his father worked as a military attaché at the Soviet embassy in Canada. After returning to the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in 1946 and growing up there, Sokolov did not fit into the Soviet system. In 1965 he was discarded from a military university, probably because he had tried to flee the country. After that he studied journalism at Moscow State University
Moscow State University
Lomonosov Moscow State University , previously known as Lomonosov University or MSU , is the largest university in Russia. Founded in 1755, it also claims to be one of the oldest university in Russia and to have the tallest educational building in the world. Its current rector is Viktor Sadovnichiy...
from 1966 to 1971. Shortly after his first daughter was born in 1974 his first marriage ended.
He met his second wife, the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n-born Johanna Steindl while she was teaching German at the University in Moscow. She smuggled the text of his first novel into the West. Only after she started a hunger strike in the Stephansdom
Stephansdom
St. Stephen's Cathedral is the mother church of the Archdiocese of Vienna and the seat of the Archbishop of Vienna, Christoph Cardinal Schönborn, OP...
in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria, in 1975, was Sokolov allowed to leave the Soviet Union. Sokolov left Vienna in late 1976 for the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
after his first novel had been published. In early 1977, Johanna Steindl gave birth to Sokolov's son, who has become a journalist. He also had a second daughter named Maria Goldfarb, born in New York in 1986, who has become an artist. Sasha Sokolov later married again several times and is now married to the US rower Marlene Royle.
His second novel, Between Dog and Wolf, builds even more on the particularities of the Russian language
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
and is deemed untranslatable. Thus, it has become a much lesser success than A School for Fools
A School for Fools
A School for Fools is a novel written by Sasha Sokolov in the 1960s. "A School for Fools" was first circulated via 'samizdat,' or self-publication through underground connections. However, the novel was formally published in 1976 in U.S....
, which has been translated into many languages. The complete manuscript of his fourth book is said to have been lost when the Greek house it had been written in burnt down. Sokolov, who leads a rather reclusive life, says that he keeps writing, but doesn't want to be published any more.
Major works
- 1976 Школа для дураков/A School for FoolsA School for FoolsA School for Fools is a novel written by Sasha Sokolov in the 1960s. "A School for Fools" was first circulated via 'samizdat,' or self-publication through underground connections. However, the novel was formally published in 1976 in U.S....
. Ann Arbor. ("A School for FoolsA School for FoolsA School for Fools is a novel written by Sasha Sokolov in the 1960s. "A School for Fools" was first circulated via 'samizdat,' or self-publication through underground connections. However, the novel was formally published in 1976 in U.S....
") - 1980 Между собакой и волком/Between Dog and Wolf. Ann Arbor.
- 1985 Палисандрия/Astrophobia. Ann Arbor.
Literature
- D. Barton Johnson: Sasha Sokolov: A Literary Biography, Canadian-American Slavic Studies, 21, Nos 3-4, 1987: 203-230.
- Ludmilla L. Litus: Sasha Sokolov's Journey from "Samizdat" to Russia's Favorite Classic: 1976-2006, Canadian-American Slavic Studies, 40, part I, Nos 2-4, 2006: 393-424.
- _____ with D. Barton Johnson, compilers: Sasha Sokolov: A Selected Annotated Bibliography. 1967-2006, Canadian-American Slavic Studies,40, part I, Nos 2-4, 2006: 425-94.
- Cynthia Simmons: Their father's voice. Vassily Aksyonov, Venedikt Erofeev, Eduard Limonov, and Sasha Sokolov. Lang, New York u.a. 1993, ISBN 0-8204-2160-X
- Tumanov, Vladimir. "A Tale Told by Two Idiots - Крик идиота в Школе для дураков Саши Соколова и Шуме и ярости Уильяма Фолкнера." Russian Language Journal 48 (1994): 137-154. http://publish.uwo.ca/~vtumanov/Articles_files/A%20Tale%20Told%20by%20Two%20Idiots%20-%20Крик%20идиота%20в%20Школе%20для%20дураков%20Саши%20Соколова%20и%20Шуме%20и%20ярости%20Уильяма%20Фолкнера.pdf