Vasily Aksyonov

The Millions contributor Garth Risk Hallberg recommends Vasily Aksyonov: "The Russian novelist Vasily Aksyonov isn’t exactly obscure here in the States, but given the quality of his work, I feel he should be a household name. Generations of Winter is simply the finest novel of the last twenty-five years. It is a kind of Stalin-era War and Peace, following a fictional family placed at the center of real historical events. Like War and Peace, it is intellectually brilliant, morally irreproachable, aesthetically beautiful, and ultimately life-changing. I will never forget its conclusion, and I hope to read it many times in my life. A sequel, The Winter’s Hero, is less transcendent, but it’s a pleasure to be able to stay in the world of Generations of Winter. And I hear good things about The New Sweet Style, which is on my reading list."

More about Vasily Aksyonov

+  Two audio interviews with Aksyonov at Wired for Books
+  Short biography at PEN Russia site
+  Excerpt of his novel The New Sweet Style

Comments

[Gwenda]

The New Sweet Style is wonderful. Great pick!

[Jenny D]

Mmmm, I loved Generations of Winter, what a very good novel indeed (have recommended it to several people also); must get New Sweet Style in near future...

[James]

Aksyonov's earlier work is less straightforward than Generations of Winter, so be on the watch for something a bit more experimental if you delve into his back catalog. I liked New Sweet Style, but I think I prefer The Burn and The Island of Crimea.