Russia and Eastern Europe - Writers Forum

shanghai_nobody · 03-25-2007, 07:38 PM

Hey I am looking for some people who hopefully live or have lived in Russia or Eastern European countries. Reading about them and there history is good but it doesn't give you what you need to create characters.

So anyone who can help and willing to please let me know. Thanks.

ruksak · 03-25-2007, 07:42 PM

I lived in Russia for 5 years, am married to a Russian, so visit there yearly, and speak the language.

Erm, what do you want to know because there is a lot to know?!?

shanghai_nobody · 03-25-2007, 07:44 PM

Yeah there is a lot to know, I wanted to know a little bit more of the history from an actual Russian point of view and the way there social structure works. Basically just what it's like to be a real Russian.

ruksak · 03-25-2007, 07:55 PM

I suppose in brief you could say historically there has been an incredible shift - perhaps I'd call it an earthquake - in social structure. I mean I have travelled a lot and never witnessed a country which is so tied on an individual's level to to the politics of that country.

100 years ago you were royal or royally connected or in poverty - hence the revolution. Then from 1917 until 1991 everyone was equal - equally in borderline poverty to be frank, but whether you were a doctor, a street cleaner or a scientist you lived in the same size apartment had access to the same goods and had the same rights and lack of rights. Since 1991 the social structure has changed massively with widespread crime (500 murders a year in Moscow), rampant alcoholism (on a much larger scale than during Communism) and a huge and increasing gap between rich and poor. Moscow now has more millionaires than New York or London - to imagine that 17 years ago it had none is amazing.

Anyway, I will think of more and write more. To be honest many of my stories centre on life in Russia and whilst I feel cheap for promoting my blog perhaps a look around there might give you some insights - the link is below. To be honest though there is a lot to sift through there, so if you'd like to ask some more questions, please go ahead. I'm always happy to talk about Russia.

blademasterzzz · 03-26-2007, 03:32 AM

There were ups and downs all throughout until 1986, or 1991 I guess. During the late fifties and until the end of the sixties there was a massive bard movement, which caused thousands of people to start writing their own songs and poetry, as the official music scene was hopelessly corrupt and rife with censorship. This produced amazing poets & songwriters such as Okudzhava, Vysockij, Vizbor - all that was unique to Russia. Later the "ottepel" - the more or less free time ended, and by the 1970s, all the poets were shunted, their concerts and books blocked and censored, they were forbidden to perform or leave the country.

Just another aspect.

Banzai · 03-26-2007, 03:56 AM

See if you can find some fairly recent Russian literature to read. I don't know if you'll be able to find any from after the fall of communism (that has been translated into English...no problem if you're fluent in Russian). The only Russian author I can think of is Anton Chekov, but the only problem is he is from around the turn of the 20th century. The Seagull and the Cherry Orchard are still damn good plays though.

blademasterzzz · 03-26-2007, 05:43 AM

You can always read Bulgakov.

ruksak · 03-26-2007, 09:22 AM

There are dozens of Russian writers you could read across all periods. I would say they have the second richest body of literature after the English language. In fact, there are a couple you should read, whether or not you are researching Russia: Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy - between them they are regarded as the fathers of the modern novel. In fact Dostoyevsky's effect on literature, philosophy and even the history of the 20th century cannot be overestimated.

Other than these two giants there are many more. Chekov is good for giving you sense of Russian society pre-revolution. Gogol is excellent for pre-revolutionary comedic insights into officaldom (try The Overcoat). Solzinityn is superb for showing the horrors and ordeals suffered under communism (try A Day in the Life Ivan Denisovich or The Gulag Archipeligo). Bulgakov is also great for a slightly more mystical, askew look at Russia under communism (try Master and Magherita or Heart of a Dog). Of course there is Pushkin for the old style romantised stuff (try Onegin). For a Soviet view on dystopia there is Evegeny Zamyatin's We as well. There are many more which will come to mind and new authors which are widely translated and well worth a look are Boris Akunin and Victor Pelevin. I almost forgot Vladimir Nabokov who is a fabulous writer, but didn't write about Russia particularly.

Anyway, a lot to get through there! I would say start with Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment if you haven't read it already - it's what I would call a dangerous book it's so good.

Banzai · 03-26-2007, 11:37 AM

*Slaps forehead*

Tolstoy! Of course! How could I have forgotten that? War and Peace is definitely worth a read (provided you can manage the length of it).

Was Vladimir Nabokov the one who wrote Lolita?

ruksak · 03-26-2007, 06:43 PM

Yep, Nabokov wrote Lolita. I recommend for anyone interested doing a quick search for Russian writers through Google. I had a look at Wikipedia and there page on the area is very good.

Neo · 03-27-2007, 03:35 PM

ah, russia. those dastardly communists. i recommend you stay away from Tom Clancy, his writing may seem very fact-based but he's a hardcore american, if you know what I mean.

shanghai_nobody · 03-29-2007, 06:51 PM

It's not as much history and stuff I need to know I have a good idea about that. It's more like little common phrases they use, like every country and town has it's own phrases and certain things they like to do.

If anyone knows any feel free to let me know.

ruksak · 03-29-2007, 08:39 PM

There are so many. They have several gestures which are very interesting. When Russians say something which tempts fate, for example 'I hope my daughter never gets ill.', then they turn their head to the left shoulder and do a small, pretend spit three times - this is to knock the devil off that shoulder (an angel sits on the right one apparently). Russians in St.Petersburg also tap their neck with one finger three times to suggest 'Let's get drunk'.

With phrases I'm not sure where to begin. They have a lot of interesting swearing and also the words which are most offensive in English are not necessarily so in Russian - PM me on this one if you want more info as I don't want to offend anyone.

However, it is the everyday way in which Russians interact that I think you need to tune into. I could go on about it forever - I could write a book about it in fact! One more example: In response to the question 'How are you?' a Russian wouldn't automatically say 'fine thanks' - they would tell the truth whoever asked as the question is taken literally. It's not uncommon for a Russian to be asked by a stranger (perhaps a shop assistant) 'How are you today?' and for the customer reply 'Not good.'

It is these nuances which you can only really learn to any believable depth from reading extensively about Russia or living there. I would imagine the former is more accessible. Sorry to be not more helpful, but having lived there for five years and having read dozens of Russian authors I know I am not even halfway to understanding them or half their mannerisms or phrases.

Having said that, if you do have any more, perhaps more specific questions, please do ask.

cbrmale · 04-01-2007, 08:58 PM

I set my first published novel in Russia, it is a fascinating place at the moment. I used a Westerner as the narrator, which meant that he was only observing the surface of Russian life and probably missing a lot of the subtleties. But that wasn't enough, because he is surrounded by Russians thoroughout the story. For the Russian characters, in particular his Russian girlfriend, I interviewed Russian and Ukranian women living in Australia, I read as much as I could on contemporary Russian life, I read some on-line interviews with Russians (an interview with actress Oksana Akinshina was extremely valuable - she is a stereotypical contemporary young Russian woman).

The interviews were valuable, the woman from Moscow told me a lot, from the hustle and bustle of Tverskaya Avenue to the suburban apartment blocks surrounded by rubbish, junk and dead cars.

I watched several Russian films and television series, everything I could lay my hands on. Fortunately there are Russian films shown on television here, and there are quite a few available for rental on DVD. Contemporary Russian films are very true-to-life, starting with 'Syostry' (2001- dealing with the Russian mafia in Saint Petersberg) onwards.

It depends on the timeframe of your story, but if it is contemporary like mine then you won't get much value out of reading Nabokov or other Russian writers of the past. Russia is a much changed culture over the last decades, especially for younger city dwellers.

Evelyn · 04-01-2007, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ruksak

Yep, Nabokov wrote Lolita.

I'd recomend reading Russian writers*, but not Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov (not to learn about Russia, anyway - for good literature and general edification, I'd recommend that almost anyone read Lolita as soon as they get the chance).

Lolita was written in English, all the characters are American (Humbert Humbert is originally from somewhere in Europe, but that's a very American thing to be), and is set in the US. It is considered (and not just by me :) to be a broad-reaching cultural commentary on the US in the 1950's, and to be one of the great American road novels.
But I don't think there's a word in it about Russia.

Nabokov was Russian, but he learned English amazingly (mind-bogglingly, stupefyingly) well and wrote most of his notable works in English.

English is my first language, and not the thing I'm the worst at; but I would sell a 49% interest in my soul to be able to write in English as well as Nabokov did.

- Evelyn

*And also watching any Russian film and television you can get you hands on. And reading up on Russian history and affairs current to the period your work is set in. And travel guides - no matter if you're never going to go there, travel guides can tell you a lot.**
Wikipedia is almost always a good place to start :)

**For example, the Lonely Planet Guide*** to Britain informs me that, should I ever be priveleged to be in a rough bar in Glasgow and someone asks me whether I prefer the Celtics football team to the Rangers, the healthiest reply would probably be "Partick Thistle." :)

***Lonely Planet guides also recommend movies & fiction & non-fiction books that are helpful in learning about the place in question. They're pricey in bookstores, but libraries often have them for free.