TEHRAN – The Book City Institute in Tehran will review works by Russian writer Eugene Vodolazkin, whose novels examine the nature of time and history, drawing on his medieval scholarship.

Vodolazkin and Iranian scholars Zahra Mohammadi, Zeinab Yunesi and Narges Sanai will attend the review program entitled “An Evening with Vodolazkin”.

The session, which will be held on May 13 at 3 pm, will also be screened live on www.instagram.com/ketabofarhang.

A Persian translation of Vodolazkin’s 2016 novel “The Aviator” by Zeinab Yunesi has been published by the Nilufar publishing house in Tehran.

The book paints a vivid, panoramic picture of life in Russia at the beginning of the twentieth century, richly evoking the sights, sounds and political turmoil of those days.

In addition, his 2018 book “Brisbane” translated by Narges Sanai will be published by the Now publishing company in the near future.

Vodolazkin was born in Kyiv, Ukraine. His second novel, Laurus, won both of Russia’s major literary awards, the National Big Book Award and the Yasnaya Polyana Book Award, and was shortlisted for the National Bestseller Prize and the Russian Booker Prize. 

His debut novel, “Solovyov and Larionov”, was shortlisted for the Andrei Bely Prize and the Big Book Award. 

Three other critically acclaimed novels, “The Aviator”, “Brisbane” and “A History of the Island”, have also been translated into English. 

Vodolazkin has worked in the Department of Old Russian Literature at Pushkin House since 1990. 

He is an expert in medieval history and folklore and has numerous academic books and articles to his name. The author lives with his family in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Photo: Russian writer Eugene Vodolazkin in an undated photo. (Antonio L. Juarez)

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