A Writer Who Changed
a Nation
Writers seek to touch readers at an emotional level—to tell
a story that they can relate to. Some stories actually affect changes in society.
Upton Sinclair’s novel The Jungle led
to the creation of the precursor of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Other writers have changed nations.
One such author was Alexander Pushkin, considered the
founder of modern Russian literature. Best known for his poetry, he also penned
operas, novels, and fairy tales. Basically, the man was the Grimm brothers,
Shakespeare and Dante all in one. And he lived only 38 years, dying from wounds
received in a duel.
He set the traditions for Russian writing for the next 200
years and was credited with raising the Russian language to new heights,
choosing that language for his literary works (instead of French) and creating
new words where none existed to express a concept. His stories became the basis
for numerous operas, including Eugene
Onegin and The Queen of Spades. Generations
of Russians learned to read from primers with his poems and stories in them.
Even my children at the Anglo-American School were introduced to his fairy
tales. They all knew about Baba Yaga, an old witch who lived in a house with
bird’s feet. My Russian language textbook included bits of his poetry. I still
remember one where he described how winter refused to come out of the woods.
While I lived in Russia, I had the chance to see the
original of a famous portrait of him at the Tretyakov museum in Moscow. The
artist, Vasily Tropinin, portrayed him with a dark complexion (a reference to
his great-grandfather, an African general under Peter the Great) and wearing a
Scottish plaid to symbolize his noble ancestry. Another famous drawing is a
self-portrait (he apparently enjoyed sketching himself and friends in his
manuscripts) that appeared on some commemorative cups sold during the 200th
birthday. I was able to snag two of them from a kiosk one day.
If you’ve never read about Alexander Pushkin or any of his
stories, I would encourage you to learn more because his influence is still
alive today.
How familiar are you with Alexander Pushkin? What do you
think of the role of literature in culture? Can you think of any present day
examples of books or poems creating change?
Bio:
Liese Sherwood-Fabre grew up in Dallas, Texas and knew she was destined to write when she got an A+ in the second grade for her story about Dick, Jane, and Sally’s ruined picnic. After obtaining her PhD from Indiana University, she joined the federal government and had the opportunity to work and live internationally for more than fifteen years. After returning to the states, she seriously pursued her writing career and has had numerous pieces published. You can follow her upcoming releases and other events by joining her newsletter atwww.liesesherwoodfabre.com, or visiting her Facebook, Twitter, or Bebo accounts. You can also contact her atliese@liesesherwoodfabre.com.
Blurb:
In one of Siberia's formerly closed cities, Alexandra Pavlova, an unemployed microbiologist, struggles to save her daughter’s life. When she turns to Vladimir, her oldest friend, for help, she's drawn into Russia’s underworld. His business dealings with the Iranians come to the attention of Sergei Borisov, an FSB (formerly the KGB) agent. Alexandra finds herself joining forces with Sergei to stop the export of a deadly virus in a race to save both her daughter and the world.
"An alpha female heroine and a tantalizing premise that toys with the most basic of emotions --- a parent's drive to save their child.Nothing frilly or fancy, just good old-fashioned, gimmick-free storytelling. And what could be better than that."
--Steve Berry, New York Times’ bestselling author of the Cotton Malone series and The Romanov Prophecy.
“Liese Sherwood-Fabre has concocted an extremely well-written story that grabs you from the beginning and holds you relentlessly through all the twists and turns until the unexpected end.”
--Paula G. Paul, mystery writer and winner of the Willa award.
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