Writer Alexei Varlamov: biography and creativity

Alex Varlamov is a famous Russian novelist. He was born on June 23, 1963 in Moscow in the family of an employee of Glavlit and a teacher of the Russian language. Varlamov Alexey Nikolaevich since childhood was fond of reading, fishing, traveling. This was reflected in the autobiographical novel Kupavna, created in 2000. Alexei Nikolayevich traveled a lot around the world and Russia - he visited the middle zone of our country, the Caucasus, Siberia, the Urals, Baikal, the Carpathians, the Far East, the United States, Europe and China.

The first literary experiments

A. Varlamov, whose biography interests us, graduated in 1985 from the Moscow State University (philological faculty). His early literary experiences are also related to his early childhood. The writer remembers that he always liked to invent various stories and record them. In 1987, the magazine "October" (No. 12) published his first work (the story "Cockroaches"). Already in the early work of this writer is visible his orientation to classical Russian literature. Varlamov's works were greatly influenced by the prose of Chekhov, Pushkin, Bunin, and also Yu.P. Kazakova and A.P. Platonov.

The way from stories to novels and stories

Alex Varlamov is a writer whose way in literary creativity lies from stories to more voluminous genres - novels and novels. In 1991, the stories "Sacrament" and "Pokrov" were published in "Banner", in 1992 in the "New World" - "Galash" and "Christmas Eve". Then followed the story "Hello, prince!", "Mountain". In 1995, Varlamov's first novel, Loch, appeared. At the same time essays, literary and journalistic articles, critical essays were written. At the same time, two plays are written. One of them deserved the high esteem of M. Roshchina and was staged on stage at the festival of young dramaturgy.

The story "Birth"

Varlamov gained fame in the literature after the novel "Birth" was published (in 1995 in the "New World"). In it, the life of one married couple is compared with the vicissitudes of the history of Russia. The author will repeatedly use the method of matching. A difficult pregnancy, followed by heavy births, and then a newborn's illness are presented against the backdrop of the shooting in October 1993 of the White House in Moscow. The final of the story is well-received: a new life begins in the family. This gives an opportunity to optimistically interpret author's forecasts about the new life of our country.

The novel "Loch"

In the novel "Loch", written in 1995, the theme of Russia is continued. The work is built according to the canons of the famous folk tale, whose main character is Ivan the Fool. In the novel, this is Alexander Tezkin - the third son, who was born in a prosperous family from Moscow. Almost 30 years covers the time of action (from 1963 to 1993). The geographical space of the work (Moscow, Munich) in it is supplemented by a spiritual space - terrestrial and heavenly. In this novel, the motif of wanderery, traditional for domestic literature, is used. The hero likened the earthly world to a well-guarded zone, and the heavenly to freedom, to which the soul of man is torn. The story of life and love of Alexander Tezkin is given against the backdrop of the history of our country, which, according to Tezkina, is going through the last days before the end of the world. G. Mikhaylova noted that Varlamov told on the continent's territory the national history of the collapse of the once great empire and the death of all mankind.

"Sunken Ark"

These themes develop in further works. In 1997, the novel The Sunken Ark was published. In the center of the narrative is the life and death of a sect of Skoptsi living in a remote corner of the North. Ilya Petrovich is in love with Masha, her student. He prophesies about what awaits Russia, and turns out in the work "the fortress of the Lord" (this is how the name of this hero is translated). Luppo depicts the Messiah. He turns out to be a wolf in sheep's clothing, a kind of werewolf. "Ljuppo" is translated from Latin - "wolf". Maria is a heroine, bearing a Christian name, a righteous woman, without which no city, as you know, is worth it.

"Dome"

Trilogy completes the novel "Dome". It was published in 1999 in the journal "October". 35 years cover events - from 1965 to 2000. "Dome" is a colorblind confession that yearns to see the world in color. His illness explains the events that are fantastic in the work. This is a novel about Russia during perestroika and subsequent years, when a unique natural phenomenon arises over the country - a dome of fog. The dome is a symbol of Russia's isolation.

"Warm islands in the cold sea"

In 2000, a story appeared entitled "Warm Islands in the Cold Sea". Her theme is the journey of two friends to the Russian North. The islands in the cold White Sea are warmed by the prayers of monks for Russia.

"The Minded Wolf" by Alexei Varlamov

This is the last novel of the writer to date, which was published in 2014. The action "The Minded Wolf" by Alexei Varlamov begins 100 years ago and lasts 4 years. The writer is interested in the Silver Age - "rich", "saturated", "muddy", "fascinating time". Alex Varlamov analyzes the First World War and the revolution that followed it.

The main characters of the work are Vasily Komissarov (small engineer) and Pavel Legkobytov (writer). They seek to survive and hunt the wolf. A tender and sensitive daughter of Vasily Ulya and his wife are troubled, trying to escape from a predator. However, it is impossible to hide from him, nor defeat him: according to Varlamov, "the mental wolf" is the diagnosis of the Silver Age. This is his mental epidemic. The mental wolf is the title metaphor of the work. It is the embodiment of the thought that gives rise to all sin. This image was taken from ancient Orthodox prayers, in which the desire to be trapped from the "mental wolf" is expressed. And the heroes of Varlamov, who really existed and fictitious, are fighting with a thoughtful wolf that is dominating the whole country, furiously, but in vain.

Alexey Varlamov. Our days

Since 1993, Varlamov is a member of the Writers' Union of Russia. He lives in Moscow. Today Alexei Varlamov is a doctor of philology, professor, permanent author of the ZhZL series, laureate of Solzhenitsyn's prizes, "The Big Book", "Antibuker", etc. Presenting the Russian Writers' Union as a secretary, he performs at various events and festivals.

His creativity is well known not only in our country, but also abroad. The works of Alexei Nikolayevich Varlamov have been translated into several foreign languages. As part of official delegations, he represents our country at international bookshops and fairs. In 1997, Alexey Nikolayevich participated in the American international writing program. He gave lectures at Stanford, New York, Yale, Boston and other leading universities in the United States. Varlamov also taught at universities in Germany, Belgium, Slovakia, France, etc.