B
Isaac Babel (1894-1941)- dramatist and author of short stories. His collection Tales of Odessa was about the lesser-known lives of the Jews before the Revolution. His novel, Red Calvary, brought him great renown, although it involved details of the violence of the Russian Civil War. However, despite literary reputation, not only in the U.S.S.R. but world-over, he was cruelly persecuted during the Stalinist regime. He was unable publish anything during the mid-thirties, living a tip-toe, anxious life. In 1939 he was arrested and sentenced to a forced labor camp. He underwent interrogation, and possibly torture, as was customary procedure for "enemies of the state" during that time. He confessed engaging in anti-soviet activies and a long connection with Trotskyites. After his "trial" in Buturka Prison, he was executed by shooting on January 20, 1940, for espionage. His seized manuscripts have never been recovered. The governement told his widow that he died in Siberian prison camps a year later than when he was actually. The charges against him were cleared in 1954, thirteen years after his execution.
One-Page Synopsis of Babel's Life
Mikhail Bakunin - Anarchist and pamphlateer. He travelled all over Europe in the mid 1800's, attempting to rile people up and join the cause of anarchy.
Jurgis Baltrusaitis (1873-1944)- Russian-Lithuanian poet and Lithuanian ambassador during the early 1900's. He was of great influence during the Bolshevik Revolution, saving the lives of a great many Russian poets and artists by providing them with necessary documents to emigrate.
Andrey Biely -Wrote both poetry and prose, the author of The Silver Dove and the excellent work St. Petersburg. The latter is an innovation of early 20th century literature, breaking out of the 19th century pattern of novel-writing. Somewhat like Joyce's stream-of-conciousness style, Biely whirls the reader back and forth between characters and creates a constant tension in the story. The mind of a poet comes through the prose. The text is divided between action which moves the story along, and short, emotive observations (more like poetic ideas). The entire plot takes place over two days.
Alexander Blok (1880-1921)-leading poet of the Symbolist school in the early twentieth century. The era of these poets was short-lived, as they were soon consumed in the Bolshevik Revolution. Blok himself wrote a long, deeply symbolic poem called "The Twelve" which dealt with Russia's revolutionary fervor. He died in 1921, disillusioned with the New Russia.
Mikhail Bulgakov (1891-1940)-His fantastical novel,The Master and Margarita is the only piece of his which I've yet read. The twisted philosophical bendings, non-linear wit, and extravagant exposition of the human capacity for evil deeds...that was my favorite part. It was a real nightmare.
Joseph Brodsky -Noble-prize-winning poet. Born in St. Petersburg. Exiled in 1972 for his work. Died on January 24, 1996.
Ivan Bunin (1870-1953)- prose writer, emigrated from Soviet Union in 1921, won Nobel prize in 1933. Despite hostility to Soviet regime, a one-volume selection of his works was published in Moscow after his death, followed by five volumes of his collected works. (Publisher's note, following Solzhenitsyn's Letter to the Congress of Soviet Writers,in a copy of One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, Bantam Books.
Vasily Bykov - poet.
