“You Consider My Entire Fiction Activity as a Mistake...”: Letters from Mark Aldanov to Yuly Aikhenwald

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.22455/Emigr.3034-3518-2025-3-220-238
  • УДК / UDC: 821.161.1
  • EDN:

    https://elibrary.ru/XTYSXY
  • Publication Type: Research Article and Publication of Archival Documents
  • For Citation:

    Kochergina, I.V. “‘You Consider My Entire Fiction Activity as a Mistake...’: Letters from Mark Aldanov to Yuly Aikhenwald.” Emigrantica. Issue 3, ed.-comp. E.R. Ponomarev, acad. ed. E.R. Ponomarev, ed. A.V. Protopopova, M.S. Shchavlinskii, D.V. Zaitsev. Moscow, IWL RAS Publ., 2025, pp. 220–238. (In Russian) https://doi.org/10.22455/Emigr.3034-3518-2025-3-220-238
  • Author 1: Irina V. Kochergina
  • Information about the Author 1:

    Irina V. Kochergina, PhD in Philology, Researcher, A.M. Gorky Institute of World Literature of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Povarskaya St., 25А, bld. 1, 121069 Moscow, Russia.
    E–mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1298-089X
  • Abstract: The article traces the history of the relationship between the writer Mark Aldanov and critic Yuly Aikhenwald. Aikhenwald was among the first to respond to the writer’s literary works, positively assessing the first volume of the historical and literary book Tolstoy and Rolland (1915). During the emigrant period, the critic regularly published reviews of Aldanov’s historical novels and essays: the publication provides a study of these reviews, which also mention the author’s lack of artistic talent. Aldanov was dissatisfied with some of the critic’s analyses of his works, which he wrote about in a letter. In particular, he was hurt by reproaches for imitating the style and techniques of L.N. Tolstoy, as well as for the insignificance of some of the heroes of his novels, who, in the critic’s opinion, were not suitable for the role of a “prism” of historical events. At the same time, the critic highly appreciated Aldanov as a master of historical essay, repeatedly referring to his works of this genre. For the first time, three letters and one postcard from Aldanov to Aikhenwald are published: all of them date back to the time of emigration. Publications are provided with notes.
  • Keywords: Mark Aldanov, Yuly Aikhenwald, Russian emigration, literary criticism, correspondence, 1920s
  • Страницы / Pages: 220–238

References

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  5. “‛«Sovremennye zapiski», s kotorymi ia tak sviazan...’: M.A. Aldanov” [“‛«Modern Notes», with which I am so connected...’: M.A. Aldanov”], publication, introductory article and notes by E.B. Rogachevskaia. “Sovremennye zapiski” (Parizh, 1920–1940): Iz arkhiva redaktsii [“Modern Notes” (Paris, 1920–1940): From the Editorial Archive], ed. by O.A. Korostelev and M. Shruba, vol. 2. Moscow, Novoe literaturnoe obozrenie Publ., 2012, pp. 31–132. (In Russian).
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  7. Chernyshev, A.A. “‛Oni sluzhili svoim ideiam i sluzhili im s chest'iu…’: Iz politicheskoi perepiski M. Aldanova” [“‛They Served Their Ideas and Served Them with Honor...’: from the Political Correspondence of M. Aldanov”]. Oktiabr', 1996, no 6, pp. 115–140. (In Russian).
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  • Received: November 24, 2023
  • Approved after Reviewing: September 17, 2024
  • Publication Date: December 29, 2025

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