Yuri Pavlovich Kazakov
Yuri Pavlovich Kazakov was a notable Russian writer born in Moscow in 1927, stemming from a humble background. His early life was marked by poverty, particularly during World War II, which influenced his later works. Initially trained as a musician, he graduated from the Gnesin Music School as a double bass player, while also working as a reporter. Kazakov's literary career began in earnest in the 1950s, with his first book, *Teddi*, published in 1957, exploring themes of nature and survival. His stories often reflect a profound connection to the Russian landscape and the human experience, delving into spiritual themes that resonate with the works of great authors like Leo Tolstoy. Notable collections include *Man'ka* and *Autumn in the Oak Woods*, which showcase his unique blend of nature and psychological insight. Despite facing criticism from the literary establishment, Kazakov continued to write and gain recognition, earning awards for his contributions to literature. He passed away in 1982, leaving behind a legacy that intertwines spirituality with the natural world.
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Yuri Pavlovich Kazakov
- Born: August 8, 1927
- Birthplace: Moscow, Soviet Union (now in Russia)
- Died: November 29, 1982
- Place of death: Moscow, Soviet Union (now in Russia)
Biography
Yuri Pavlovich Kazakov was born in Moscow in 1927. His parents were originally country people from Smolensk who moved to Moscow. His father, Pavel, had a succession of menial jobs and was once arrested in 1933. His mother, Ustin’ia Andreevna, was a nanny with some nursing skills. His family was very poor, especially after the German invasion of Russia in 1941. In 1944, Yuri managed to finish his primary education and enrolled in the Moscow Architectural and Construction Technical College before transferring to the Gnesin Music School in 1946. He graduated as a double bass player but had to supplement his earnings as a reporter. In 1953 he had a few sketches published by Soviet Sport and began to think of writing as a career. He joined the Literary Institute, graduating in 1958. By this time, many of his articles and short stories were appearing in magazines.
At the time, writers in the Soviet Union were allowed to travel; Kazakov chose to visit the far north of Russia, reawakening his passion for the backwoods and hunting, as well as giving him many psychological insights into the people he met. He also traveled widely in Europe and the United States. In 1965, he married Tamara Sudonik, and the couple had a son, Aleksei. By the late 1960’s, he was increasingly leading a reclusive life in his home in Abramtsevo, heavily criticized by the literary establishment. He died of a brain hemorrhage in 1982.
His first book, Teddi (1957), was about a caged brown bear who escapes and slowly learns how to readapt to the wild. He published a collection of short stories, Man’ka, in 1958. The title story is about a young woman who acts as mail courier in the isolated north of Russia. Another story, “Pomarka,” is about a ninety-year-old woman who has always been in touch with nature but never with the Soviet establishment. A modest collection of children’s stories, Arktur—gonchii pes (1958; Arcturus the Hunting Hound, and Other Stories, 1968), contained the title tale about Arktur, a blind dog who still has the instincts for hunting. His death touches the humans around him.
Kazakov’s novel, Adam I Eva (1962), centered on a theme that would become increasingly important to him: the search for the spiritual in a secular culture. The novel is about an artist hero who is arrested by an old church and its bell tower. Like author Thomas Hardy, Kazakov uses nature to parallel man’s moods and happenings. In later years, his short stories increasingly dealt with the spiritual lyricism and darkness of nature, the best-known collection being Osea’v dibovykh lesakh (1969; Autumn in the Oak Woods, 1970). In 1962, Kazanov won a prize for the best book translated into French, and in 1970 he was awarded the Dante Prize. Kazanov returned Russian fiction to the spirituality of author Leo Tolstoy, refining its psychological analysis of character.