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News

Developing the Project “Readers’ Letters to M.A.Sholokhov”

A group of researchers from the Institute of the World Literature (IWL) and the National M.A.Sholokhov Museum-Reserve work over developing the project of the Russian Humanitarian Scientific Fund (RHSF) “Readers’ Letters to M.A.Sholokhov: 1930–1970s”. It will issue in a scientific publication of readers’ letters about the works of M.A.Sholokhov of that period of time.

The group includes the IWL workers: N.V.Korniyenko, Correspondent Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, O.I.Alexeyeva, Candidate of Philology, O.V.Bystrova, Candidate of Philology (the leader of the project), G.N.Vorontsova, Candidate of Philology, E.A.Papkova, Candidate of Philology, the workers of the Museum-Reserve: L.T.Afanasyeva, senior researcher, E.B.Karbysheva, senior researcher, A.M.Kochetov, senior researcher, E.V.Popova, senior researcher, L.P.Razogreyeva, general researcher.

Over the past year, the project members carried out a great research work. The IWL workers investigated the relevant materials from different Russian State archives and selected the letters to be published; the Museum workers studied the readers’ letters from the big family archives of M.A.Sholokhov, made an inventory of the letters viewed and selected.

In September of 2016, in Stanitsa Vyoshenskaya, there was held the International Scientific and Practical conference “Modern Studies in the Work of M.A.Sholokhov: Problems, Concepts and Approaches (“Sholokhov Readings-2016”). The work of the conference was joined by N.V.Korniyenko, E.A.Papkova, O.V.Bystrova, O.Y.Alexeyeva, G.N.Vorontsova and L.P.Razogreyeva, who made their talks on the problems connected with the project of the RHSF.

The project participants published 14 articles, some of them were published in the journal “Mir Sholokhova” (2016, No1 (5)); L.P.Razogreyeva (The Prototype of the Hero of the novel “And Quiet Flows the Don” (p.98–111); in “Vyoshensky Vestnik” (2016, No 16): O.V.Bystrova (Implicit Reader of the Texts of M.A.Sholokhov (p.63–72)); G.N.Vorontsova (Criticism of the Novel “And Quiet Flows the Don” in the materials of Mikhail Polikarpov (p. 84-95)); E.B.Karbysheva (Readers’ Letters to M.A.Sholokhov (p. 138–147)); N.V.Korniyenko (The First Readers’ Congress on the Literary Process of the First Soviet Decade (p. 148–164)); A.M.Kochetov (“Most of the Letters are not ”Hello and Good-Bye”…) (p.181–192)); E.A.Popkova (The Novel “Virgin Soil Upturned” as Evaluated by Criticism and Readers. 1933–1935 (p.255–236));

E.V.Popova (“The Film is Made very Well…” (p.237–249)); L.P.Razogreyeva (“Tales from the Don”: Reality and Fiction (p.250–261)); in the newspaper “The Quiet Don”: A.M.Kochetov (To M.A.Sholokhov from Soldiers (2016.7 May)); A.M.Kochetov (Cinematruth (2016.21 May)); on the website of the National M.A.Sholokhov Museum-Reserve: E.B.Karbysheva (“…Letters Come to Me from Those Who was Held Captive”: date of address 12.12.2016)); E.V.Popova (He Fought for His Country: date of address 12.12.2016)); E.V.Popova (Everyone Liked the Film…: date of address 12.12.2016)).

Within the project there were articles written by L.T.Afanasyeva: “Virgin Soil Upturned”: “How Exactly Everything is Written…” (“Mir Sholokhova”, in print now) and “Meeting on the Western Front” (“Military History Journal”, in print now).

Next year, the project participants will continue their work over the materials of the 1950–1960s. The IWL workers will be engaged in preparing the texts of the readers’ letters for publication and making the necessary comments. The Museum workers will make further inventory on the epistolary materials, will prepare the texts of the readers’ letters for publication and the necessary comments for the materials to be published.

Olga Bystrova