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At the end of July, Russian writer Lyudmila Ulitskaya was awarded the Austrian State Prize for European Literature. In an essay for Der Spiegel, the writer combines a story about this ceremony with reflections on the current state of affairs in Russia and the world.
“The ceremonial part begins with the Austrian anthem,” writes Ulitskaya. - All the spectators stand up, me too. Good for you, Austrians, I think with slight envy. The text of your anthem was written in 1947 by the unblemished poet Paula von Preradovich. And we have long been ashamed of our Russian anthem. The first version of the text to the music of Alexander Alexandrov was written in 1943 by the court poet Sergei Mikhalkov. It contained powerful lines: “Stalin raised us to be loyal to the people, // He inspired us to work and to heroism.” After the debunking of Stalin, the anthem was sung without words... In 1977, Mikhalkov corrected the text, and since then the “Party” has been glorified in the anthem. Then a new century came, and in 2000 a newly revised text was approved: the same Mikhalkov, a professional to the core, replaced “Party” with “God,” as is now customary in our country, which has once again embraced Orthodoxy. Both the author of the text and the composer, meanwhile, “rested in God,” so it’s difficult to say who will get to edit the hymn next time. Our country makes such zigzags and spirals in its development that in the new edition of the anthem, hopefully, it will return back to Stalin.”
"I live in Russia. I am a Russian writer of Jewish origin, raised in Christian culture. Now my country is at war with culture, the values of humanism, individual freedom and the idea of human rights... My country is sick with aggressive ignorance, nationalism and imperial megalomania. I am ashamed of my ignorant and aggressive parliament, of my aggressive and incompetent government, of the leading politicians - supporters of violence and treachery who aspire to be supermen. I am ashamed for all of us, for our people, who have lost their moral guidelines,” the writer continues.
“I am not actively political, but when people ask me, I say what I think. For this I was enrolled in the “fifth column” and accused of hating my own country. In my opinion, making excuses is both useless and stupid. I don’t feel any hatred, only shame and helplessness. Russia today is pursuing a suicidal and dangerous policy, which poses a threat primarily to Russia itself, but may well lead to a third world war. This war has, in essence, already begun. Local wars in Chechnya, Georgia and now Ukraine are a prologue. There will probably be no one left to write the epilogue.”
“Civilization has reached a dead end,” Ulitskaya believes. “Science, enlightenment, knowledge and art have not been able to tame the aggression inherent in man by nature. It used to seem that culture could overcome this desire for self-destruction, but I am afraid that humanity no longer has time. Civilization and its outstanding technical achievements, unfortunately, have only led to the fact that we have the opportunity to mutually destroy each other in the shortest possible time... The idea of the infernal nature of evil has become obsolete; man creates evil on his own and surpasses the devil in this.”
“My country is bringing the world closer to a new war every day... Farewell, Europe, I’m afraid we will never become part of the European family of nations. Our great culture, our Tolstoy and Chekhov, Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich, our artists, actors, philosophers and scientists today are just as unable to prevent the policies of madmen in power, just as they were previously unable to do anything about the policies of religious fanatics and communist ideas. For 300 years we have drawn strength to exist from the same sources... and we have never given up hope. Today we, the figures of Russian culture, that small part of them, to which I belong, can only say one thing: goodbye, Europe!”
Women who write books
A century and a half ago, outstanding female authors could literally be counted on one hand.
Jane Austen, George Sand, Agatha Christie, poets of the Silver Age... Sensational novels, like Frankenstein or Gone with the Wind, were published extremely rarely by representatives of the fairer sex. Things were much better in children's literature. The creations of Beatrix Potter, Louisa May Alcott, Edith Nesbit, Enid Blyton, and later Astrid Lindgren and Tove Jansson have become classics and are still loved throughout the world. And in Russia, for example, Agnia Barto was and remains no less famous than Korney Chukovsky or Samuil Marshak. The works of Lydia Charskaya, Valentina Oseeva, and Alexandra Brushtein also achieved great success.
The situation in “adult” literature began to change when the 20th century passed the middle. And now big female names in the publishing business are commonplace. Every year dozens of brilliant new products from beautiful ladies come out. Many works become bestsellers, receive prestigious awards and excellent reviews from critics, and are included in school and university programs. These books are talked about and debated, they are filmed in films and on TV. And now it is no more difficult for a woman to become a star of book Olympus than for a man.
Most Read Women Writers
The number of women authors in Russia is increasing every year. To become successful in the writing craft, you need to be persistent, patient, responsible and disciplined. Elena Arsenyeva, for example, writes 7–8 hours every day. And on weekends too! A lot of additional time is spent on clarifying the necessary information on the Internet and studying library archives to find out the necessary information.
But all this pays off when the writer understands that her work is in demand, interesting, and loved by the audience. Thus, in 2020, the list of the most sold books in the Russian Federation was headed by the detective story “Selfie with Destiny” by Tatyana Ustinova (81 thousand 100 copies sold). In second position is Dina Rubina’s novel “The Indian Wind” (75 thousand 650 copies).
Astrid Lindgren
Among all the famous women writers, Astrid Lindgren deserves special attention. Everyone has heard the story that the fairy tales about “Pippi Longstocking” appeared on the basis of the stories that Astrid Lindgren told her daughter at night. But few people know that in her youth, the future celebrity had to give her newborn son to a foster family, since she did not have the financial ability to raise him. And only years later, she was able to take the boy into her family.
Perhaps this step influenced the entire work of the famous writer - a woman who could not forgive herself for abandoning her son, devoted herself entirely to children. She wrote many children's fairy tales and books for teenagers, and thanks to her speech in the Swedish parliament, the first law aimed at protecting children was introduced in European countries.
Twelve most outstanding women of Russia according to Google
Over the years, Google celebrated the birthdays of Anna Pavlova, Bella Akhmadulina and Lyubov Orlova
We are all accustomed to the fact that the world-famous search engine Google, in honor of important events, memorable dates and holidays, likes to change its traditional logo to a thematic picture, sometimes with a surprise - animation or game. These works of art are called doodles.
Quite often their heroines are representatives of the fair sex - world-famous actresses, singers, writers, scientists.
On the eve of International Women's Day, we looked at Google doodles over the years and found 12 Russian women who decorated the main page of the most popular search engine.
Thus, we have a list of the most outstanding Russian women according to Google.
1. Lyubov Orlova
Lyubov Orlova
Photo: Google
February 11 marked the 117th anniversary of the birth of People's Artist of the USSR Lyubov Orlova, known for her roles in the films “Volga-Volga”, “Jolly Fellows”, “Spring” and “Circus”. In honor of the actress, a festive logo was placed on the Google home page, inspired by the film about the circus, in which Orlova played the main role.
2. Zinaida Ermolyeva
On October 24 last year, a doodle talked about the Soviet microbiologist and member of the USSR Academy of Medical Sciences Zinaida Ermolyeva
Photo: Google
On October 24 last year, a doodle talked about Zinaida Ermolyeva, a Soviet microbiologist and member of the USSR Academy of Medical Sciences. She created the first Soviet antibiotic, penicillin, and actively participated in organizing its industrial production. Ermolova's invention saved thousands of lives during the Great Patriotic War.
3. Varvara Stepanova
On October 22 last year, an animated holiday logo for the 124th birthday of the famous avant-garde artist Varvara Stepanova appeared on the Google start page.
Photo: Google
On October 22, 2020, an animated holiday logo appeared on the Google start page for the 124th birthday of the Soviet avant-garde artist, designer and poet Varvara Stepanova, also known under the pseudonym Varst. The image is based on her most recognizable work - prints for the First Calico Printing Factory of Moscow.
4. Lyudmila Rudenko
On July 27, 1904, the first woman in the history of the USSR and the second in the world to become a world chess champion, Lyudmila Rudenko, was born near Poltava.
Photo: Google
July 27, 2020 - 114 years since the birth of Lyudmila Rudenko. In 1904, the first woman in the history of the USSR and the second in the world to become a world chess champion was born near Poltava. The peak of Rudenko's career was the 1950 chess championship - then the Soviet grandmaster was recognized as the best on the planet.
5. Veronica Dudarova
05.12.17. On this day Google marks 101 years since the birth of conductor Veronica Dudarova
Photo: Google
December 5, 2020 marked the 101st anniversary of the birth of the first Soviet female conductor, Veronika Dudarova. She studied music from early childhood and always dreamed of leading an orchestra. At a time when the profession of a conductor was considered exclusively male, Dudarova managed to break the mold and become famous throughout the country.
6. Bella Akhmadulina
On April 10, 2017, Google celebrated the 80th anniversary of the birth of Bella Akhmadulina
Photo: Google
On April 10, 2020, Google celebrated the 80th anniversary of the birth of Bella Akhmadulina, poet, writer, actress and screenwriter. Bella Akhmatovna is one of the most brilliant lyricists of the second half of the 20th century. Her poems were used in the films “The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath!”, “Office Romance” and “Cruel Romance”; Akhmatova herself starred, among other things, in Vasily Shukshin’s film “There Lives a Guy Like This,” which won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival.
7. Klavdiya Shulzhenko
On March 24, 2016, another round anniversary was celebrated - 110 years since the birth of Klavdiya Shulzhenko
Photo: Google
March 24, 2020 - on this spring day, Google celebrated the 110th anniversary of the birth of Claudia Shulzhenko, a participant in the Great Patriotic War and a legend of the Soviet stage. During the siege of Leningrad, Shulzhenko gave more than 500 concerts for soldiers; Thanks to the songs “Blue Handkerchief”, “Let’s Smoke” and “Friends and Fellow Soldiers” she received all-Union recognition.
8. Olga Skorokhodova
Soviet scientist Olga Skorokhodova was born on May 25, 1911.
Photo: Google
May 24, 2020 - 105 years since the birth of scientist Olga Skorokhodova. On May 25, 1911, the world's only deaf-blind researcher, an undeniable authority in the field of defectology and special education, was born. Olga Skorokhodova created a number of important works dedicated to the education and upbringing of children who faced the same problems as herself.
9. Marina Tsvetaeva
On October 8, 2015, a stylized portrait of Marina Tsvetaeva was posted on the Google home page
Photo: Google
October 8, 2020 - on this day Google celebrated the 123rd anniversary of the birth of Marina Tsvetaeva. A stylized portrait of one of the most lyrical Russian poets of the twentieth century was posted on the Google home page. “Wherever this woman goes, she seems like a wanderer, a traveler,” recalled contemporary Pavel Antokolsky about her. The doodle was created by artist Kevin Laughlin with the support of cultural specialists in Moscow.
10. Sofya Kovalevskaya
January 15 is the birthday of Sofia Kovalevskaya, writer and first Russian female professor
Photo: Google
January 15, 2014 is the 164th anniversary of the birth of Sofia Kovalevskaya, a writer and the first Russian woman professor. Kovalevskaya was interested in science from early childhood: the walls of her room were covered with lectures by Professor Ostrogradsky on differential and integral calculus, which subsequently inspired the girl to study mathematics and the application of mathematical formulas in literature.
11. Anna Pavlova
On February 12, 1881, one of the most famous ballerinas of the 20th century, Anna Pavlova, was born.
Photo: Google
February 12, 2012 - on this day Google celebrated the 131st anniversary of the birth of Anna Pavlova, one of the most famous ballerinas of the 20th century. Anna Pavlova performed at the Mariinsky Theater and performed the main female roles in “The Naiad and the Fisherman,” “The Corsair” and “Don Quixote.” Prima amazed everyone with the ease and beauty of her dance performance; in 1906 she was awarded the title of ballerina of the Imperial Stage.
12. Faina Ranevskaya
On August 27, 2011, Google “celebrated” the 115th anniversary of the birth of Faina Ranevskaya
Photo: Google
August 27, 2011 is the 115th anniversary of the birth of Faina Ranevskaya, the great Soviet actress. As a child, Faina Georgievna saw the play “The Cherry Orchard,” which inspired her to start classes in a theater studio. Ranevskaya was a supporting actress, but her perseverance, sense of humor and strong character helped win the love of the audience. The charismatic artist gave us dozens of witty quotes that remain relevant to this day.
Previously, the website kp.ru published a ranking of the best gifts for March 8th. Let us recall that Russian sociologists conducted a survey among representatives of the fair sex. Among the best gifts for women on March 8 were household appliances, cosmetics and certificates from various stores.
MEANWHILE
Google released a doodle in honor of the birthday of Soviet mathematician Olga Ladyzhenskaya
On March 7, on the eve of International Women's Day, Google placed on its home page a doodle (a logo stylized in honor of a holiday or event) dedicated to the 97th birthday of the Soviet mathematician Olga Ladyzhenskaya (details)
Who was the first professional woman writer of Medieval Europe? Christina Pisanskaya
However, some women still managed to leave a mark on history and even take part in important decisions that influenced the fate of a particular country.
But only women of noble origin were capable of this, to some extent protected from the attacks of the clergy by their social status. Most often, such ladies aspired to politics, to power and wealth, influence and fame. And in this case there is nothing particularly outstanding - many representatives of the fair sex have played an important role in the politics of some states. How many women have left their mark on culture, literature, and art? It was during the Middle Ages that there were only a few. For the simple reason that they were forbidden not only to show their talents, but also to have them at all.
The writer Christina of Pisa is one of the few who challenged medieval society and proved even then that a woman is not a brainless, initially sinful and inferior creature, but quite the same creature of God, who had the right to think and express her thoughts, have a creative nature and provide family, like a man. Christina of Pisa was unique not only because she was a writer and poet, but also because many of her works are unheard of! — were addressed to women.
Christina Pisanskaya reads a book to a group of men ru.wikipedia.org
Cristina de Pisano was born in Venice in 1365 in the family of the physician Tommaso de Benvenuto da Pisano. The family moved to Paris, where Signor Tommaso served as an astrologer at the court of King Charles V the Wise. It was thanks to her father that Christina turned out to be a good writer and educated woman. Mr. de Pisano, unlike his wife, did not share the then widespread opinion that women did not need education.
Under the guidance of her father, Christina studied the works of classical authors of Rome, knew French perfectly and wrote poetry in the most romantic language in the world. The girl read a lot, was extremely inquisitive and absorbed knowledge like a sponge, happily comprehending the unknown.
Christina was lucky not only with her father, but also with her husband, whom Tommaso himself chose for his beloved daughter. The nobleman Etienne de Gastel, who served as a notary at the royal court, also had nothing against female education and was himself to some extent a scientist. Christina's husband had a good disposition, an easy, flexible character and loved his wife very much, who answered him in kind. The happy couple had two sons and a daughter growing up.
However, Etienne unexpectedly dies and Christine, at the age of 25, is left alone with her children, with her aging mother and little brothers in her arms. The beloved father had also died by that time. The young woman wrote: “My happy days are over...”. Such a blow of fate, problems and difficulties can break another man, but Christina found the strength to move on.
It would not be surprising if we were talking about our time - today women strive for independence, and many do it well. And most importantly, society does not interfere with them. Then, in the Middle Ages, this behavior shocked many. The custom of that time ordered that a new husband be urgently found, but Madame Christina quite rightly feared that the new husband would not be as enlightened and kind as the deceased, and would forbid her to strive for knowledge. Or maybe the young woman simply could not forget her beloved first and only man and chose widowhood.
Christina not only did not break down, but also began to earn good money. Through her work as a writer, she became the first professional woman writer of the Middle Ages. The young lady was showered with ridicule and attacks. But Christina was lucky - she found a patron in the person of the famous philanthropist and collector, the influential Count of Berry. At the beginning of her independent creative journey, she copied books for the count, made illustrations for them, and little by little wrote herself. At first, “to order,” that is, for a fee, she could compose a poem about some noble person.
Having received the task of writing a biography of King Charles V, Christina was finally, quite deservedly, able to congratulate herself. And at the same time, to prove to everyone that a woman in medieval society was capable of scientific work, and not just giving birth to children and pleasing her husband in everything. Christina Pisanskaya wrote in different genres, this revealed her thirst to create on paper, which replaced the thirst to read a lot, which accompanied her throughout her childhood.
Among the writer's works there are lyrical poems, biographies, treatises on various problems of that time - how to run a household, about church schism and internecine wars, about politics and economics, and even about military reforms. Christina also tried herself in literary criticism. She disseminated philosophical, medical, astronomical and historical knowledge, introduced French society to the works of Petrarch, Dante and Boccaccio. She wrote about everything that interested her and society.
Christina of Pisa acquired unprecedented authority, people listened to her opinion. We can say that the woman achieved her goal and proved that not only men can be smart. The family's financial situation improved noticeably: Madame Christina raised her children and brothers, gave them a decent education and upbringing.
The daughter went to a monastery, where the writer herself later came to live. And this despite the fact that she was asked to stay at court, and was even invited to the English royal court, although there was a military conflict between the countries - the Hundred Years' War, so great was her fame as a learned lady. But it was not the brilliance of luxury and intrigue that a creative personality needed. Having achieved her goal of providing for her family, Christina only wanted to write and study further. In the monastery there were more opportunities for this, a lot of time, no secular fuss. For 11 years she calmly put her thoughts on paper.
The writer writes several works in defense of women, the most famous of which is “On the City of Women,” glorifying virtuous and talented ladies, thereby trying to protect the weaker sex from blooming male egoism and condescending contempt. It was Christina who dared to put forward the idea of women’s right to education, which aroused the dissatisfaction of the then misogynist humanists. Thus began the famous “dispute about women,” which lasted several centuries between humanists. The very existence of such disputes gave impetus to the emancipated movement, the flowering of which, of course, was still far away, but everything has its beginning.
Christina of Pisa's last book was an essay about another extraordinary woman of the Middle Ages - the heroine of the Hundred Years' War, Joan of Arc. And it also became the first of numerous works dedicated to Jeanne.
Many researchers attribute Christina of Pisa to the role of the founder of feminism. But Christina did not call for hating men, but only insisted that women are not inferior to them just because they are women. And that virtue is above all, and it does not matter who we are talking about - a man or a woman. Christina of Pisa had the right to think so and say so; she was not unfounded, but brilliantly proved the equality of women with men by her own example.
Tags: biographies, Middle Ages, woman, writers
Top 10 Most Popular Women Writers
08/07/2016
Women are successful in a variety of fields, and writing is no exception. Here is a list of ten of the most famous women writers whose books are read around the world.
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1. JK Rowling. Creator of the Harry Potter series of children's books, which have sold over 450 million copies. A whole series of big-budget films were made based on her books. Popular books: all books about Harry Potter.
2. Danielle Steele. Steele is currently the best-selling living author, with more than 800 million copies of her books in print. In addition to bestselling books, she also writes poetry and children's fiction. Danielle Steele's books have been translated into 28 languages, and 22 of her works have been adapted into films. Popular books: “Hotel Vendome”, “Miracle”, “Zoe”, “Echoes”.
3. Toni Morrison. Toni Morrison has received several prestigious awards for her work, including the Pulitzer Prize, the Nobel Prize in Literature and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Her books are characterized by interesting characters and meaningful dialogue. Popular books: “Beloved,” “Tar Effigy,” “Song of Solomon.”
4. Stephenie Meyer. Stephenie Meyer is the author of the popular vampire novel series, her books have been translated into more than 37 languages and have been adapted into a number of films. Recently, the writer's annual income exceeded $50 million. Popular books: “Twilight”, “New Moon”, “For”, “The Guest”.
5. Mary Higgins Clark. Famous American writer, author of more than 40 bestsellers in the thriller genre. Mary Clark's books are very famous in the United States and Europe, and she was also elected president of the Crime Writers Association of America. Popular books: "A Look in the Dark", "The Children Won't Return", "A Cry in the Night".
6. Maya Angelou. Maya Angelou was a famous and very talented American writer and poet. She wrote seven autobiographies, five books of essays, and several collections of poems. Popular books: “I Know Why the Bird Sings in the Cage,” “The Heart of a Woman.”
7. Alice Walker. Popular African-American writer and civil rights activist, winner of the prestigious Pulitzer Prize. Popular books: “The Color Purple”, “Meridian”.
8. Jhumpa Lahiri. Famous American writer of Bengali origin, Pulitzer Prize winner and Man Booker Book Prize nominee. Popular books: “The Namesake”, “An Unusual World”.
9. Joyce Carol Oates. A prolific and popular writer, one of the leading novelists since the early 60s. More than 50 novels by Joyce Carol Oates have been published, several of them nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Popular books: “Blonde”, “The Heart Collector”, “Black Water”.
10. Isabel Allende. Chilean writer and journalist, whose books have sold more than 35 million copies and have been translated into 27 languages. Popular books: “The Japanese Lover”, “Maya’s Diary”, “The Forest of the Pygmies”.
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