Writer Valentin Rasputin has died. Biography of Valentin Rasputin: life milestones, key works and public position

20.04.2019

The title itself reflects the main essence of the work. To build a new hydroelectric power station, the village will have to be flooded. These are not just a few buildings - they are small homeland each of its inhabitants who love this small piece of land with all their hearts. This is their father's home, their continuation. And of course, they take the upcoming farewell hard. There are too many things associated with this place. And even though now they are not young in body, they are young in soul. Their words and thoughts about a piece of their homeland resonate with incredible force in the heart of every reader. Sometimes it is difficult for a city dweller to understand the feelings of a village resident. And rural elderly people find it difficult to get used to the need to move to the city. Both the village cemetery and Matera itself will go under water, and at the same time the memory will go away. Rasputin raises a wave of patriotism in the soul. After all, if everyone loves and protects their Matera, then maybe life will be different.

Catherine

I met Rasputin at school, I really liked the work “French Lessons”, and later I decided to read other works by this author. In the story " Deadline"Rasputin paints brightly village life, but even more clearly reflects the relationships of people close to each other. In the village, Old Woman Anna is dying. She had 5 children, the children grew up and scattered from their parents' nest in all directions. I only lived with Anna youngest son. Seeing that his mother had little left, he calls all his relatives to come and say goodbye to her. The children come, except for their beloved daughter Anna Tanchora. But instead of loving each other, they experience indifference and squabbles arise. They are like strangers to each other. And they are unlikely to communicate after the death of their mother. They left their parents’ nest and don’t remember at all about their mother, who dedicated her life to them, they have their own affairs, their own problems. They have no time for an old person who needs the attention and care of children.

Catherine

IN school course includes several of Valentin Rasputin's most famous works. And this book from the “Classics at School” series was created specifically for schoolchildren. The title of the collection includes the title of the story “French Lessons,” but the book begins with another work that deserves to be discussed in detail.
The story “The Deadline” is a sketch imbued with light sadness last days a person who looks at the life he has lived from the height of his years, and waits for death, which lingers, if not at the threshold, then certainly somewhere at the gate. Old woman Anna comes to her senses after a long period of oblivion on the border of that world and this one, and remembers. In these memories there are bright pictures, filled with sunlight and breathing the fullness of village life.
Children come to say goodbye to their mother, whom she tries to recognize as those whom she once cradled in her shaky life and raised. Grown-up children worry about vodka for funerals, swear, drink in the bathhouse and can’t wait for their belated death, and when they don’t wait, they leave. “Lord, let me go, I’ll go,” the old woman asks, not complaining about anything, and only feeling guilty for burdening the children and the new world around with her presence. And her request was heard when the others did not expect it.
This book is a reminder of what everyone will have to endure - withering and the end of their earthly journey. For many people, old age comes as a surprise - they are surprised at what their body and fading mind have become, many regret what they did not do, and those who do not regret carry within themselves a twinkle of envy at their youth and energy. Such people, being young, often do not notice old people - neither their own nor strangers. And old age becomes for them a revelation, an insight and a silent reproach - they could have done everything, but didn’t.
After reading “The Deadline” I feel an unbearable desire to visit my old people. For once in your life, take your time, fussing around the doorstep. Don’t answer the questions yourself, but ask your grandmother, your aged mother. In this conversation in a simple kitchen, where you are always welcome and loved, sometimes something important is revealed to us about our family, and about ourselves - through our roots. Visit your elderly without waiting until the deadline.

RASPUTIN
Valentin Grigorievich

Writer, Hero of Socialist Labor, laureate of USSR State Prizes

Born on March 15, 1937 in the village of Ust-Uda Irkutsk region. Father - Rasputin Grigory Nikitich (1913-1974). Mother - Rasputina Nina Ivanovna (1911-1995). Wife - Rasputina Svetlana Ivanovna (born 1939), pensioner. Son - Sergey Valentinovich Rasputin (born 1961), teacher English language. Daughter - Rasputina Maria Valentinovna (born 1971), art critic. Granddaughter - Antonina (born 1986).
In March 1937, in the family young worker The regional consumer union from the regional village of Ust-Uda, lost on the taiga bank of the Angara almost halfway between Irkutsk and Bratsk, had a son, Valentin, who later glorified this wonderful region throughout the world. Soon the parents moved to their father's family nest - the village of Atalanka. The beauty of the nature of the Angara region overwhelmed the impressionable boy from the very first years of his life, settling forever in the hidden depths of his heart, soul, consciousness and memory, sprouted in his works as grains of fertile shoots that nourished more than one generation of Russians with their spirituality.
A place from the banks of the beautiful Angara became the center of the universe for a talented boy. No one doubted that he was like that - in the village, after all, everyone is visible in plain sight from birth. Valentin learned to read and write from an early age - he was very greedy for knowledge. The smart boy read everything he could find: books, magazines, scraps of newspapers. His father, having returned from the war as a hero, was in charge of the post office, his mother worked in a savings bank. His carefree childhood was cut short at once - his father’s bag with government money was cut off on the ship, for which he ended up in Kolyma, leaving his wife and three young children to fend for themselves.

In Atalanka there was only a four-year school. For further studies, Valentin was sent to the Ust-Udinsk secondary school. The boy grew up from his own hungry and bitter experience, but an ineradicable thirst for knowledge and serious responsibility that was not childish helped him to survive. Rasputin would later write about this difficult period of his life in the story “French Lessons,” which is surprisingly reverent and truthful.
Valentin's matriculation certificate showed only A's. A couple of months later, in the summer of 1954, having passed the entrance exams brilliantly, he became a student at the Faculty of Philology at Irkutsk University, and was interested in Remarque, Hemingway, and Proust. I haven’t thought about writing—apparently, the time hasn’t come yet.
Life was not easy. I thought about my mother and the younger ones. Valentin felt responsible for them. Earning extra money for a living wherever possible, he began to bring his articles to the editorial offices of radio and youth newspapers. Even before the defense thesis he was accepted into the staff of the Irkutsk newspaper “Soviet Youth”, where the future playwright Alexander Vampilov also came. The genre of journalism sometimes did not fit into the framework of classical literature, but allowed us to acquire life experience and stand stronger on your feet. After Stalin’s death, my father was granted amnesty, returned home disabled and barely reached the age of 60...
In 1962, Valentin moved to Krasnoyarsk, the topics of his publications became larger - the construction of the Abakan-Taishet railway, the Sayano-Shushenskaya and Krasnoyarsk hydroelectric power stations, shock work and the heroism of youth, etc. New meetings and impressions no longer fit into the framework of newspaper publications. His first story, “I forgot to ask L?shka,” is imperfect in form, piercing in content, and sincere to the point of tears. At a logging site, a falling pine tree hit a 17-year-old boy. The bruised area began to turn black. Friends agreed to accompany the victim to the hospital, which was a 50-kilometer walk. At first they argued about a communist future, but Leshka was getting worse. He didn't make it to the hospital. But the friends never asked the boy if happy humanity would remember the names of simple hard workers, like him and L?shka...
At the same time, Valentin’s essays began to appear in the Angara almanac, which became the basis of his first book, “The Land Near the Sky” (1966) about the Tafalars, a small people living in the Sayan Mountains.
However, the most significant event in the life of the writer Rasputin happened a year earlier, when at once, one after another, his stories “Rudolfio”, “Vasily and Vasilisa”, “Meeting” and others appeared, which the author now includes in published collections. With them he went to the Chita meeting of young writers, among the leaders of which were V. Astafiev, A. Ivanov, A. Koptyaeva, V. Lipatov, S. Narovchatov, V. Chivilikhin. The latter became " godfather"a young writer whose works were published in metropolitan publications ("Ogonyok", " Komsomolskaya Pravda") and got interested wide circle readers “from Moscow to the very outskirts.” Rasputin still continues to publish essays, but most of his creative energy is devoted to stories. They are expected to appear and people show interest in them. At the beginning of 1967, the story “Vasily and Vasilisa” appeared in the weekly magazine “ Literary Russia"and became the tuning fork of Rasputin's prose, in which the depth of the characters' characters is defined with jeweler precision by the state of nature. It is an integral component of almost all of the writer’s works.
...Vasilisa did not forgive her long-standing resentment to her husband, who once, while drunk, took up an ax and became the culprit in the death of their unborn child. They lived side by side for forty years, but not together. She is in the house, he is in the barn. From there he went to war, and returned there. Vasily looked for himself in the mines, in the city, in the taiga, he remained with his wife, and brought the lame-legged Alexandra here. Vasily's partner awakens in her a waterfall of feelings - jealousy, resentment, anger, and later - acceptance, pity and even understanding. After Alexandra left to look for her son, from whom they were separated by the war, Vasily still remained in his barn, and only before Vasily’s death Vasilisa forgives him. Vasily both saw and felt it. No, she did not forget anything, she forgave, removed this stone from her soul, but remained firm and proud. And this is the power of the Russian character, which neither our enemies nor ourselves are destined to know!
In 1967, after the publication of the story “Money for Maria,” Rasputin was admitted to the Writers' Union. Fame and fame came. People started talking about the author seriously - his new works are becoming the subject of discussion. Being an extremely critical and demanding person, Valentin Grigorievich decided to study only literary activity. Respecting the reader, he could not afford to combine even such closely related genres as journalism and literature.
In 1970, his story “The Deadline” was published in the magazine “Our Contemporary”. It became a mirror of the spirituality of our contemporaries, that fire by which we wanted to warm ourselves so as not to freeze in the bustle of city life. What is it about? About all of us. We are all children of our mothers. And we also have children. And as long as we remember our roots, we have the right to be called People. The connection between mother and children is the most important on earth. It is she who gives us strength and love, it is she who leads us through life. Everything else is less important. Work, success, connections, in essence, cannot be decisive if you have lost the thread of generations, if you have forgotten where your roots are. So in this story, the Mother waits and remembers, she loves each of her children, regardless of whether it is alive or not. Her memory, her love do not allow her to die without seeing her children. Following an alarming telegram, they come to their home. The mother no longer sees, does not hear, and does not get up. But some unknown force awakens her consciousness as soon as the children arrive. They have long since matured, life has scattered them across the country, but they have no idea that these are words mother's prayer the wings of angels spread over them. The meeting of close people who had not lived together for a long time, almost breaking the thin thread of connection, their conversations, disputes, memories, like water in a dry desert, revived the mother, giving her several happy moments before her death. Without this meeting, she could not leave for another world. But most of all, they needed this meeting, already hardened in life, losing family ties in separation from each other. The story “The Deadline” brought Rasputin worldwide fame and was translated into dozens of foreign languages.
The year 1976 gave fans of V. Rasputin new joy. In “Farewell to Matra,” the writer continued to depict the dramatic life of the Siberian hinterland, revealing to us dozens of brightest characters, among whom the amazing and unique Rasputin old women continued to dominate. It would seem, what are these uneducated Siberian women famous for? for many years I either didn’t manage to live, or I didn’t want to see big world? But their worldly wisdom and years of experience are sometimes worth more than the knowledge of professors and academicians. Rasputin's old women are special. Strong in spirit and strong in health, these Russian women are from the breed of those who “will stop a galloping horse and enter a burning hut.” It is they who give birth to Russian heroes and their faithful girlfriends. It is their love, hatred, anger, joy that our mother earth is strong. They know how to love and create, argue with fate and win over it. Even when offended and despised, they create and do not destroy. But then new times have come, which the old people are unable to resist.
...Consists of many islands that shelter people on the mighty Angara, the island of Mat?ra. The ancestors of the old people lived on it, plowed the land, gave it strength and fertility. Their children and grandchildren were born here, and life either boiled or flowed smoothly. Here characters were forged and destinies were tested. And the island village would stand for centuries. But the construction of a large hydroelectric power station, such people need and the country, but leading to the flooding of hundreds of thousands of hectares of land, the flooding of all former life along with arable land, fields and meadows, for young people this may have been a happy exit into great life, for old people - death. But in essence, it is the fate of the country. These people don’t protest, they don’t make noise. They're just grieving. And my heart breaks from this aching melancholy. And nature echoes them with its pain. In this, the stories and stories of Valentin Rasputin continue the best traditions of Russian classics - Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Bunin, Leskov, Tyutchev, Fet.
Rasputin does not break into accusations and criticism, does not become a tribune and herald calling for rebellion. He is not against progress, he is for a reasonable continuation of life. His spirit rebels against the trampling of traditions, against the loss of memory, against apostasy from the past, its lessons, its history. Russian roots national character precisely in continuity. The thread of generations cannot and should not be interrupted by “Ivans who do not remember their kinship.” The richest Russian culture is based on traditions and foundations.
In Rasputin's works, human versatility is intertwined with subtle psychologism. The state of mind of his heroes is a special world, the depth of which is subject only to the talent of the Master. Following the author, we plunge into the whirlpool life events his characters, we are imbued with their thoughts, we follow the logic of their actions. We can argue with them and disagree, but we cannot remain indifferent. This harsh truth of life touches the soul so much. Among the writer’s heroes there are quiet pools, there are almost blissful people, but at their core they are powerful Russian characters who are akin to the freedom-loving Angara with its rapids, zigzags, smooth expanse and dashing agility.
The year 1977 is a landmark year for the writer. For the story “Live and Remember” he was awarded the USSR State Prize. The story of Nastena, the wife of a deserter, is a topic about which it was not customary to write. In our literature there were heroes and heroines who performed real feats. Whether on the front line, deep in the rear, surrounded or in a besieged city, in a partisan detachment, at the plow or at the machine. People with strong characters, suffering and loving. They forged Victory, bringing it closer step by step. They could doubt, but still accepted the only the right decision. Such images fostered the heroic qualities of our contemporaries and served as examples to follow.
...Nastena’s husband returned from the front. Not as a hero - during the day and throughout the village with honor, but at night, quietly and stealthily. He is a deserter. The end of the war is already in sight. After the third, very difficult wound, he broke down. Come back to life and suddenly die? He could not overcome this fear. The war took away from Nastena herself best years, love, affection, did not allow her to become a mother. If something happens to her husband, the door to the future will slam in her face. Hiding from people, from her husband’s parents, she understands and accepts her husband, does everything to save him, rushes into the winter cold, making her way into his lair, hiding her fear, hiding from people. She loves and is loved, perhaps for the first time, like this, deeply, without looking back. The result of this love is the future child. Long-awaited happiness. No, it’s a shame! It is believed that the husband is at war, and the wife is walking. Her husband's parents and fellow villagers turned their backs on Nastena. The authorities suspect her of having a connection with the deserter and are keeping an eye on her. Go to your husband - indicate the place where he is hiding. If you don't go, you'll starve him to death. The circle closes. Nastena rushes into the Angara in despair.
The soul is torn to pieces from pain for her. It seems that the whole world is going under water along with this woman. There is no more beauty and joy. Not the sun will rise, will not rise in the field of grass. The forest bird will not trill, the children's laughter will not sound. Nothing alive will remain in nature. Life ends on the most tragic note. She, of course, will be reborn, but without Nastena and her unborn child. It would seem that the fate of one family, and the grief is all-encompassing. So, there is such a truth. And most importantly, you have the right to display it. To remain silent, no doubt, would be easier. But no better. This is the depth and drama of Rasputin’s philosophy.
He could write multi-volume novels - they would be read with delight and filmed. Because the images of his heroes are excitingly interesting, because the plots attract with the truth of life. Rasputin preferred convincing brevity. But how rich and unique is the speech of his heroes (“some kind of hidden girl, quiet”), the poetry of nature (“the hard snow playing sparklingly, taking in the crust, the first icicles rang, the air was lit up by the first melting”). The language of Rasputin’s works flows like a river, replete with wonderful-sounding words. Every line is a treasure trove of Russian literature, speech lace. If only Rasputin’s works reach descendants in the next centuries, they will be delighted with the richness of the Russian language, its power and uniqueness.
The writer manages to convey the intensity human passions. His heroes are woven from the traits of national character - wise, flexible, sometimes rebellious, from hard work, from being itself. They are popular, recognizable, live next to us, and therefore are so close and understandable. At the genetic level, with their mother’s milk, they pass on their accumulated experience, spiritual generosity and perseverance to the next generations. Such wealth is richer than bank accounts, more prestigious than positions and mansions.
A simple Russian house is a fortress behind whose walls human values rest. Their bearers are not afraid of defaults and privatization; they do not replace conscience with well-being. The main standards of their actions remain goodness, honor, conscience, and justice. It is not easy for Rasputin's heroes to fit into the modern world. But they are not strangers to it. These are the people who define existence.
Years of perestroika market relations and timelessness shifted the threshold moral values. This is what the stories “In the Hospital” and “Fire” are about. People search and evaluate themselves in difficult modern world. Valentin Grigorievich also found himself at a crossroads. He writes little, because there are times when the artist’s silence is more disturbing and more creative than words. This is what Rasputin is all about, because he is still extremely demanding of himself. Especially at a time when new Russian bourgeois, brothers and oligarchs emerged as “heroes”.
In 1987, the writer was awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor. He was awarded the Order of Lenin, the Red Banner of Labor, the Badge of Honor, and the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, IV degree (2004), and became an honorary citizen of Irkutsk. In 1989, Valentin Rasputin was elected to the Union Parliament, under M.S. Gorbachev became a member of the Presidential Council. But this work did not bring moral satisfaction to the writer - politics is not his destiny.
Valentin Grigorievich writes essays and articles in defense of desecrated Baikal, working in numerous commissions for the benefit of people. The time has come to pass on experience to the young, and Valentin Grigorievich became the initiator of the annual autumn festival “Radiance of Russia” held in Irkutsk, which brings together the most honest and talented writers to the Siberian city. He has something to tell his students.
Many of our famous contemporaries in literature, cinema, on stage and in sports come from Siberia. They absorbed their strength and sparkling talent from this land. Rasputin lives in Irkutsk for a long time, every year he visits his village, where his relatives and family graves are. Next to him are family and congenial people. This is a wife - a faithful companion and closest friend, a reliable assistant and simply loving person. These are children, granddaughter, friends and like-minded people.
Valentin Grigorievich is a faithful son of the Russian land, defender of its honor. His talent is akin to a holy spring, capable of quenching the thirst of millions of Russians. Having tasted the books of Valentin Rasputin, having known the taste of his truth, you no longer want to be content with surrogates of literature. His bread is bitter, without any frills. It is always freshly baked and without any flavor. It is not capable of becoming stale, because it has no statute of limitations. From time immemorial, such a product was baked in Siberia, and it was called eternal bread. So the works of Valentin Rasputin are unshakable, eternal values. Spiritual and moral baggage, the burden of which not only does not weigh you down, but also gives you strength.
Living in unity with nature, the writer still discreetly, but deeply and sincerely loves Russia and believes that its strength is enough for the spiritual revival of the nation.

Valentin Grigorievich Rasputin(March 15, 1937, Ust-Uda village, East Siberian region - March 14, 2015, Moscow) - Russian writer and publicist, public figure. One of the most significant representatives of “village prose”. In 1994 he initiated the creation All-Russian festival“Days of Russian spirituality and culture “The Shining of Russia”” (Irkutsk). Hero of Socialist Labor (1987). Winner of two State Prizes of the USSR (1977, 1987), the State Prize of Russia (2012) and the Prize of the Government of the Russian Federation (2010). Member of the USSR Writers' Union since 1967.

Born on March 15, 1937 in the village of Ust-Uda, East Siberian (now Irkutsk region) region in a peasant family. Mother - Nina Ivanovna Rasputina, father - Grigory Nikitich Rasputin. From the age of two he lived in the village of Atalanka, Ust-Udinsky district. After graduating from the local elementary school, he was forced to move alone fifty kilometers from his home, where the high school was located, about this period will later be created famous story“French Lessons”, 1973. After school he entered the Faculty of History and Philology of Irkutsk State University. IN student years became a freelance correspondent for a youth newspaper. One of his essays caught the editor's attention. Later, this essay under the title “I forgot to ask Lyoshka” was published in the Angara almanac in 1961.

In 1979 he joined the editorial board of the book series “ Literary monuments Siberia" East Siberian Book Publishing House. In the 1980s he was a member of the editorial board of Roman Newspaper.

Lived and worked in Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk and Moscow.

On July 9, 2006, as a result of a plane crash that occurred at the Irkutsk airport, the writer’s daughter, 35-year-old Maria Rasputina, a musician-organist, died. On May 1, 2012, at the age of 72, the writer’s wife, Svetlana Ivanovna Rasputina, died.

Death

On March 12, 2015, he was hospitalized and was in a coma. On March 14, 2015, 4 hours before his 78th birthday, Valentin Grigorievich Rasputin died in his sleep, and according to Irkutsk time it was March 15, so his fellow countrymen believe that he died on his birthday. Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences to the writer’s family and friends. On March 16, 2015, mourning was declared in the Irkutsk region. On March 19, 2015, the writer was buried in the Znamensky Monastery in Irkutsk.

Creation

After graduating from the university in 1959, Rasputin worked for several years in newspapers in Irkutsk and Krasnoyarsk, and often visited the construction of the Krasnoyarsk hydroelectric power station and the Abakan-Taishet highway. Essays and stories about what he saw were later included in his collections “Bonfires of New Cities” and “The Land Near the Sky.”

In 1965, he showed several new stories to Vladimir Chivilikhin, who came to Chita for a meeting of young writers of Siberia, who became the “godfather” of the aspiring prose writer. Among the Russian classics, Rasputin considered Dostoevsky and Bunin to be his teachers.

Since 1966 - a professional writer, since 1967 - a member of the Union of Writers of the USSR.

The first book, “The Edge Near the Sky,” was published in Irkutsk in 1966. In 1967, the book “A Man from This World” was published in Krasnoyarsk. In the same year, the story “Money for Maria” was published in the Irkutsk almanac “Angara” (No. 4), and in 1968 it was published a separate book in Moscow in the publishing house "Young Guard".

The writer’s talent was revealed in full force in the story “The Deadline” (1970), declaring the author’s maturity and originality.

This was followed by the story “French Lessons” (1973), the story “Live and Remember” (1974) and “Farewell to Matera” (1976).

In 1981, new stories were published: “Natasha”, “What to convey to the crow?”, “Live a century - love a century”.

The appearance of the story “Fire” in 1985, characterized by the severity and modernity of the problem, aroused great interest among the reader.

In recent years, the writer has devoted a lot of time and effort to social and journalistic activities, without interrupting his creativity. In 1995, his story “To the Same Land” was published; essays "Down the Lena River". Throughout the 1990s, Rasputin published a number of stories from the “Cycle of Stories about Senya Pozdnyakov”: Senya Rides (1994), Memorial Day (1996), In the Evening (1997).

In 2006, the third edition of the album of essays by the writer “Siberia, Siberia...” was published (previous editions were 1991, 2000).

In 2010, the Union of Writers of Russia nominated Rasputin for the award Nobel Prize according to literature.

In the Irkutsk region, his works are included in the regional school curriculum in extracurricular reading.

Stories

Money for Maria (1967)
Deadline (1970)
Live and Remember (1974)
Farewell to Matera (1976)
Fire (1985)
Ivan's daughter, Ivan's mother (2003)

Stories and essays

I forgot to ask Lyoshka... (1965)
The edge near the sky (1966)
Bonfires of New Cities (1966)
French Lessons (1973)
Live a century - love a century (1982)
Siberia, Siberia (1991)
These Twenty Killing Years (co-authored with Viktor Kozhemyako) (2013)

Film adaptations

1969 - “Rudolfio”, dir. Dinara Asanova
1969 - “Rudolfio”, dir. Valentin Kuklev (student work at VGIK) Rudolfio (video)
1978 - “French Lessons”, dir. Evgeniy Tashkov
1980 - “Meeting”, dir. Alexander Itygilov
1980 - “Bearskin for Sale”, dir. Alexander Itygilov
1981 - “Farewell”, dir. Larisa Shepitko and Elem Klimov
1981 - “Vasily and Vasilisa”, dir. Irina Poplavskaya
1985 - “Money for Maria”, dir. Vladimir Andreev, Vladimir Khramov
2008 - “Live and Remember”, dir. Alexander Proshkin
2017 - “Deadline.” The Culture channel filmed the performance of the Irkutsk Drama Theater. Okhlopkova

Social and political activities

With the beginning of “perestroika,” Rasputin became involved in a broad socio-political struggle, took a consistent anti-liberal position, signed, in particular, an anti-perestroika letter condemning the magazine “Ogonyok” (Pravda, January 18, 1989), “Letter from Writers of Russia” (1990) , “Word to the People” (July 1991), appeal of the forty-three “Stop Death Reforms” (2001). The catchphrase of counter-perestroika was Stolypin’s phrase quoted by Rasputin in his speech at the First Congress of People’s Deputies of the USSR: “You need great upheavals. We need a great country.” On March 2, 1990, the newspaper Literary Russia published a “Letter from the Writers of Russia,” addressed to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, the Supreme Council of the RSFSR and the Central Committee of the CPSU, which, in particular, said:

“In recent years, under the banners of the declared “democratization”, the construction of a “rule of law”, under the slogans of the fight against “fascism and racism” in our country, the forces of social destabilization have become unbridled, and the successors of open racism have moved to the forefront of ideological restructuring. Their refuge is multimillion-dollar periodicals, television and radio channels broadcast throughout the country. Massive persecution, defamation and persecution of representatives of the indigenous population of the country, unprecedented in the entire history of mankind, is taking place, essentially declared “outlaw” from the point of view of that mythical “legal state" in which, it seems, there will be no place for either Russians or other indigenous peoples of Russia."

He was among the 74 writers who signed this appeal.

In 1989-1990 - People's Deputy of the USSR.

In the summer of 1989, at the first Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR, he first made a proposal for Russia to secede from the USSR. Subsequently, he asserted that in it “those with ears heard not a call for Russia to slam the union door, but a warning not to make a scapegoat out of a stupor or blindly, which is the same thing,” from the Russian people.

In 1990-1991 - member of the USSR Presidential Council under Gorbachev. Commenting on this episode of his life in a later conversation, the writer considered his work on the council to be fruitless and regretted agreeing to participate in it.

In December 1991, he was one of those who supported the appeal to the President of the USSR and the Supreme Soviet of the USSR with a proposal to convene an emergency Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR.

In 1996, he was one of the initiators of the opening of the Orthodox women's gymnasium in the name of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Irkutsk.

In Irkutsk, he contributed to the publication of the Orthodox-patriotic newspaper “Literary Irkutsk”, and served on the board of the literary magazine “Sibir”.

In 2007 he came out in support of Gennady Zyuganov. He was a supporter of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation.

Respected historical role Stalin and his perception in the public consciousness. Since July 26, 2010 - member of the Patriarchal Council for Culture (Russian Orthodox Church)

On July 30, 2012, he expressed support for the criminal prosecution of the famous feminist punk band Pussy Riot; Together with Valery Khatyushin, Vladimir Krupin, Konstantin Skvortsov, he published a statement entitled “Conscience does not allow you to remain silent.” In it, he not only advocated for criminal prosecution, but also spoke very critically of the letter of cultural and artistic figures written at the end of June, calling them accomplices of a “dirty ritual crime.”

On March 6, 2014, he signed an appeal from the Writers' Union of Russia to the Federal Assembly and Russian President Putin, in which he expressed support for Russia's actions in relation to Crimea and Ukraine.

Family

Father - Grigory Nikitich Rasputin (1913-1974), mother - Nina Ivanovna Rasputina (1911-1995).

Wife - Svetlana Ivanovna (1939-2012), daughter of the writer Ivan Molchanov-Sibirsky, sister Evgenia Ivanovna Molchanova, wife of the poet Vladimir Skif.

Son - Sergei Rasputin (born 1961), English teacher.

Daughter - Maria Rasputina (May 8, 1971 - July 9, 2006), musicologist, organist, teacher at the Moscow Conservatory, died in a plane crash on July 9, 2006 in Irkutsk, in memory of her in 2009, the Soviet Russian composer Roman Ledenev wrote “ Three dramatic passages" And " Last flight", in memory of his daughter, Valentin Rasputin gave Irkutsk an exclusive organ made many years ago by the St. Petersburg master Pavel Chilin especially for Maria.

Bibliography

Selected works in 2 volumes. - M.: Young Guard, 1984. - 150,000 copies.
Selected works in 2 volumes. - M.: Fiction, 1990. - 100,000 copies.
Collected works in 3 volumes. - M.: Young Guard - Veche-AST, 1994. - 50,000 copies.
Selected works in 2 volumes. - M.: Sovremennik, Bratsk: OJSC “Bratskkompleksholding”., 1997.
Collected works in 2 volumes (Gift edition). - Kaliningrad: Yantarny skaz, 2001. (Russian way)
Collected works in 4 volumes (set). - Publisher Sapronov, 2007. - 6000 copies.
Small collected works. - M.: Azbuka-Atticus, Azbuka, 2015. - 3000 copies. (Small collected works)
Rasputin V.G. Russia remains with us: Sketches, essays, articles, speeches, conversations / Comp. T. I. Marshkova, preface. V. Ya. Kurbatova / Rep. ed. O. A. Platonov. - M.: Institute of Russian Civilization, 2015. - 1200 p.

Awards

State awards:

Hero of Socialist Labor (Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated March 14, 1987, Order of Lenin and gold medal"Hammer and Sickle") - for great achievements in development Soviet literature, fruitful social activities and on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of his birth
Order of Merit for the Fatherland, III degree (March 8, 2008) - for great achievements in development Russian literature and many years of creative activity
Order of Merit for the Fatherland, IV degree (October 28, 2002) - for his great contribution to the development of Russian literature
Order of Alexander Nevsky (September 1, 2011) - for special personal services to the Fatherland in the development of culture and many years of creative activity
Order of Lenin (November 16, 1984) - for services to the development of Soviet literature and in connection with the 50th anniversary of the formation of the Union of Writers of the USSR
Order of the Red Banner of Labor (1981),
Order of the Badge of Honor (1971),

Ceremony of awarding the Great Literary Prize of Russia for 2011.
December 1, 2011

Awards:

State Prize Laureate Russian Federation for outstanding achievements in the field of humanitarian work 2012 (2013)
Laureate of the President of the Russian Federation Prize in the field of literature and art (2003),
Laureate of the Russian Government Prize for outstanding achievements in the field of culture (2010),
Laureate of the USSR State Prize (1977, 1987),
Laureate of the Irkutsk Komsomol Prize named after. Joseph Utkin (1968),
Winner of the award named after. L. N. Tolstoy (1992),
Laureate of the Prize of the Foundation for the Development of Culture and Art under the Committee of Culture of the Irkutsk Region (1994),
Winner of the award named after. Saint Innocent of Irkutsk (1995),
Laureate of the Siberia magazine award named after. A. V. Zvereva,
Laureate of the Alexander Solzhenitsyn Prize (2000),
Laureate of the Literary Prize named after. F. M. Dostoevsky (2001),
Winner of the award named after. Alexander Nevsky “Russia's Faithful Sons” (2004),
Winner of the Best foreign novel year. XXI century" (China, 2005),
Laureate of the All-Russian Literary Prize named after Sergei Aksakov (2005),
International Unity Foundation Award Winner Orthodox peoples (2011),
Winner of the Yasnaya Polyana Prize (2012),

Honorary citizen of Irkutsk (1986), Honorary citizen of the Irkutsk region (1998).

Memory

On March 19, 2015, the name of Valentin Rasputin was given to secondary school No. 5 in Uryupinsk (Volgograd region).
The name of Valentin Rasputin was given to the scientific library of ISU.
The magazine “Siberia” No. 357/2 (2015) is entirely dedicated to Valentin Rasputin.
A secondary school in Ust-Uda (Irkutsk region) will be named after Valentin Rasputin.
A school in Bratsk will be named after Valentin Rasputin.
In 2015, the name of Valentin Rasputin was assigned to Baikalsky international festival popular science and documentary films "Man and Nature".
On March 15, 2017, the Valentin Rasputin Museum was opened in Irkutsk.

Biography of the writer

Valentin Grigorievich Rasputin

15.03.1937 - 14.03.2015

Russian writer, publicist, public figure, full member of the Academy Russian literature, honorary professor of Krasnoyarsk pedagogical university them. V. P. Astafieva, honorary citizen of the city of Irkutsk, honorary citizen of the Irkutsk region. Author of many articles, dedicated to literature, art, ecology, preservation of Russian culture, preservation of Lake Baikal. Novels, short stories, essays and articles by V.G. Rasputin's works have been translated into 40 languages of the world. Many works have been staged in theaters across the country and filmed.

Most famous works : stories “Money for Maria” (1967), “Deadline” (1970), “Live and Remember” (1974), “Farewell to Matera” (1976), “Ivan’s Daughter, Ivan’s Mother” (2003); stories “Meeting” (1965), “Rudolfio” (1966), “Vasily and Vasilisa” (1967), “French Lessons” (1973), “Live a Century, Love a Century” (1981), “Natasha” (1981), “What should I tell the crow?” (1981); book of essays “Siberia, Siberia...” (1991).

V. G. Rasputin was born on March 15, 1937 in the village of Ust-Uda. Mother - Nina Ivanovna Chernova, father - Grigory Nikitich Rasputin. The building of the clinic where the future writer was born has been preserved. When flooded, it was dismantled and moved to the new village of Ust-Uda. In 1939, the parents moved closer to their father’s relatives, to Atalanka. The writer's paternal grandmother is Maria Gerasimovna (nee Vologzhina), grandfather is Nikita Yakovlevich Rasputin. The boy did not know his maternal grandparents; his mother was an orphan.

From 1st to 4th grade Valentin Rasputin studied in Atalanskaya elementary school. From 1948 to 1954 - at the Ust-Udinsk secondary school. Received a matriculation certificate with only A's and a silver medal. In 1954 he became a student at the Faculty of History and Philology at Irkutsk State University. On March 30, 1957, the first article by Valentin Rasputin, “There is no time to be bored,” about the collection of scrap metal by students of school No. 46 in Irkutsk, appeared in the newspaper “Soviet Youth.” After graduating from the university, V. G. Rasputin remained a staff member of the newspaper “Soviet Youth”. In 1961 he got married. His wife was Svetlana Ivanovna Molchanova, a student at the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics at ISU, eldest daughter famous writer I. I. Molchanov-Sibirsky.

In the fall of 1962, V. G. Rasputin, his wife and son, left for Krasnoyarsk. Works first in the newspaper “Krasnoyarsky Rabochiy”, then in the newspaper “Krasnoryasky Komsomolets”. Vivid, emotional essays by V. G. Rasputin, distinguished by the author’s style, were written in Krasnoyarsk. Thanks to these essays, the young journalist received an invitation to the Chita seminar of young writers of Siberia and Far East(autumn 1965). Writer V. A. Chivilikhin noted the artistic talent of the aspiring writer. In the next two years, three books by Valentin Rasputin were published: “Bonfires of New Cities” (Krasnoyarsk, 1966), “The Land Near the Sky” (Irkutsk, 1966), “A Man from This World” (Krasnoyarsk, 1967).

In 1966, V. G. Rasputin left the editorial office of the newspaper “Krasnoyarsk Komsomolets” and moved to Irkutsk. In 1967 he was admitted to the Union of Writers of the USSR. In 1969 he was elected a member of the bureau of the Irkutsk Writers' Organization. In 1978 he joined the editorial board of the series “Literary Monuments of Siberia” of the East Siberian Book Publishing House. In 1990-1993 was the compiler of the newspaper “Literary Irkutsk”. On the initiative of the writer, since 1995 in Irkutsk and since 1997 in the Irkutsk region, Days of Russian spirituality and culture “Radiance of Russia” and Literary evenings “This Summer in Irkutsk” have been held. In 2009, V. G. Rasputin participated in the filming of the film “River of Life” (dir. S. Miroshnichenko), dedicated to the flooding of villages during the launch of the Bratsk and Boguchansk hydroelectric power stations.

The writer died in Moscow on March 14, 2015. He was buried on March 19, 2015 in the necropolis of the Znamensky Monastery (Irkutsk).

Valentin Grigoryevich Rasputin was awarded the 1977 USSR State Prize in the field of literature, art and architecture for the story “Live and Remember”, the 1987 USSR State Prize in the field of literature and architecture for the story “Fire”, the State Prize of the Russian Federation in the field of literature and art 2012 city, Prize of the Irkutsk OK Komsomol named after. I. Utkin (1968), Certificate of Honor of the Soviet Peace Committee and the Soviet Peace Fund (1983), Prizes from the magazine “Our Contemporary” (1974, 1985, 1988), Prize named after. Leo Tolstoy (1992), Prize named after. St. Innocent of Irkutsk (1995), Moscow-Penne Prize (1996), Alexander Solzhenitsyn Prize (2000), Literary Prize them. F. M. Dostoevsky (2001), Prize named after. Alexander Nevsky’s “Faithful Sons of Russia” (2004), Award “Best Foreign Novel. XXI century" (China) (2005), Literary Prize named after. S. Aksakov (2005), Prize of the International Foundation for the Unity of Orthodox Peoples (2011), Prize "Yasnaya Polyana" (2012). Hero of Socialist Labor with the presentation of the Order of Lenin and the hammer and sickle gold medal (1987). Other state awards of the writer: Order of the Badge of Honor (1971), Order of the Red Banner of Labor (1981), Order of Lenin (1984), Order of Merit for the Fatherland, IV degree (2002), Order of Merit for the Fatherland, III degree (2008).

March 15. Born into the peasant family of Grigory Nikitich (born in 1913) and Nina Ivanovna Rasputin in the village of Ust-Uda, Ust-Udinsky district, Irkutsk region. My childhood years were spent in the village of Atalanka, Ust-Udinsky district.

Study time at Atalan Primary School.

Study time in grades 5-10 at Ust-Udinsk secondary school.

Study at the Faculty of History and Philology of Irkutsk State University. A. A. Zhdanova.

March. Start of work as a freelance correspondent for the newspaper “Soviet Youth”.

January. He was accepted into the editorial staff of the newspaper “Soviet Youth” as a librarian.
Continues to work for the newspaper “Soviet Youth”. Published under the pseudonym V. Kairsky.

January-March. In the first issue of the anthology "Angara" the first story "I forgot to ask Alyoshka..." was published (in later editions "I forgot to ask Alyoshka...").
August. He resigned from the editorial office of the newspaper “Soviet Youth” and took up the position of editor of literary and dramatic programs at the Irkutsk television studio.
November 21st. Birth of son Sergei.

July. Fired from the Irkutsk television studio together with S. Ioffe for a program about fate Siberian writer P. Petrova. Restored with the intervention of L. Shinkarev, but did not work in the studio.
August. Departure for Krasnoyarsk with his wife Svetlana Ivanovna Rasputina. Hired as a literary employee of the Krasnoyarsk Worker newspaper.

February. Moved to the position of special correspondent at the editorial office of the Krasnoyarsky Komsomolets newspaper.

September. Participation in the Chita zonal seminar for beginning writers, meeting with V. A. Chivilikhin, who noted the talent of the beginning author.

March. He left the editorial office of the newspaper “Krasnoyarsk Komsomolets” for professional literary work.
Returned with his family to Irkutsk.
In Irkutsk, at the East Siberian Book Publishing House, a book of essays and stories “The Land Near the Sky” was published.

May. Accepted into the USSR Writers' Union.
July-August. The story “Money for Maria” was first published in the Angara almanac No. 4.
The Krasnoyarsk book publishing house published a book of short stories, “A Man from This World.”

Elected to the editorial board of the anthology “Angara” (Irkutsk) (since 1971 the almanac has been titled “Siberia”).
Elected a member of the bureau of the Irkutsk Writers' Organization.
The Irkutsk television studio showed the play “Money for Maria” based on the story of the same name by V. Rasputin.

March 24-27. Delegate to the III Congress of Writers of the RSFSR.
July-August. The first publication of the story “The Deadline” appeared in the magazine “Our Contemporary” No. 7-8.
Elected to the audit commission of the Writers' Union of the RSFSR.
A trip to Frunze took place as part of the club of the Soviet-Bulgarian youth creative intelligentsia.

May. He made a trip to Bulgaria as part of the club of the Soviet-Bulgarian youth creative intelligentsia.
May 8. Daughter Maria was born.

The story “Live and Remember” was published for the first time in the magazine “Our Contemporary” No. 10-11.
The writer's father, Grigory Nikitich, has died.

Member of the editorial board of the newspaper Literary Russia.

May. Made a trip to Hungarian People's Republic as part of the delegation of the USSR Writers' Union.
December 15-18. Delegate to the IV Congress of Writers of the RSFSR.

June 21-25. Delegate to the VI Congress of USSR Writers.
Elected to the composition Audit Commission Union of Writers of the USSR.
July. A trip to Finland with prose writer V. Krupin.
September. A trip to the Federal Republic of Germany together with Yu. Trifonov to the book fair in Frankfurt am Main.
The story “Farewell to Matera” was first published in the magazine “Our Contemporary” No. 10-11.

September. Participation in the first world book fair (Moscow).
Elected as a deputy of the Irkutsk Regional Council of People's Deputies of the sixteenth convocation.
Moscow Theater named after. M. N. Ermolova staged the play “Money for Maria” based on the story of the same name.
The Moscow Art Theater staged the play “The Deadline” based on the play by V. Rasputin.

March. Traveled to the GDR at the invitation of the publishing house Volk und Welt.
The television film “French Lessons” directed by E. Tashkov was released on the screens of the country.
The VAAP Publishing House (Moscow) released the play “Money for Maria.”
October. Trip to Czechoslovakia as part of the delegation of the USSR Writers Union.
December. A trip to West Berlin for creative purposes.

March. Traveled to France as part of the VLAP delegation.
October-November. Trip to Italy for "Days Soviet Union"in Turin.
Elected as a deputy of the Irkutsk Regional Council of People's Deputies of the seventeenth convocation.

December. Delegate to the V Congress of Writers of the RSFSR. Elected to the board of the RSFSR Joint Venture.

June 30-July 4. Delegate to the VII Congress of Writers of the USSR.
Elected to the board of the USSR Joint Venture.
The feature film “Vasily and Vasilisa” directed by I. Poplavskaya was released.
Participation in a visiting meeting of the Council on Russian Prose of the Union of Writers of the RSFSR. The results of the work and V. Rasputin’s speech were published in the magazine “North” No. 12.
In the almanac “Siberia” No. 5 the story “What to convey to the crow?” is published.
The feature film “Farewell” directed by L. Shepitko and E. Klimov was released.

June 1-3. Delegate to the IV Congress All-Russian Society protection of historical and cultural monuments (Novgorod).

A trip to Germany to a meeting organized by the Interlit-82 club.
Documentary released East Siberian studio “Irkutsk with us”, filmed according to the script by V. Rasputin.

Biography and episodes of life Valentina Rasputina. When born and died Valentin Rasputin, memorable places and dates of important events in his life. Writer quotes, photos and videos.

Years of life of Valentin Rasputin:

born March 15, 1937, died March 14, 2015

Epitaph

“Like conscience - not subject to jurisdiction,
Like light - necessary
To the Fatherland and people
Rasputin Valentin.
For many it is uncomfortable...
But he is the only one -
Always is and will be
Rasputin Valentin.
Vladimir Skif, from a poem dedicated to V. Rasputin

Biography

During his lifetime, Valentin Rasputin was called a classic of village prose. First of all, for the pictures of life ordinary people which he described sincerely and reliably. Secondly - for the wonderful language, simple, but at the same time highly artistic. Rasputin's talent was spoken of with great respect by contemporary writers, including A. Solzhenitsyn. His “French Lessons” and “Live and Remember” became a striking event in Russian literature.

Rasputin grew up in difficult Siberian conditions, in a poor family. He later described partly his own childhood in the story “French Lessons.” But the writer loved all his life native land and, even while working in Moscow, he often came here. In fact, he had two houses: in the capital and in Irkutsk.

Literary talent manifested itself in Valentin Grigorievich during his student years. He began working in a youth newspaper, and after graduating from college he moved to “adult” publications. But to artistic prose Rasputin did not come immediately. In a certain sense, his participation in a literary seminar in Chita, where the 28-year-old author met the writer V. Chivilikhin, became fateful for him. From that time on, the writer’s creative blossoming began.

V. Rasputin was known for his clear civic position. Shortly before the collapse of the USSR, he entered politics, although he later spoke of this decision with bitterness, admitting that his attempt to benefit home country could be considered naive. One way or another, throughout his adult life after this, Valentin Grigorievich openly declared his beliefs, which did not always coincide with the “general line” that ruled at that time.

The writer was crippled by two tragedies: first, the death of his daughter Maria in a plane crash in Irkutsk in 2006, then, in 2012, the death of his wife from serious illness. Valentin Grigorievich himself was already seriously suffering from cancer at this time, and recent events completely undermined his health. On the eve of his death, he fell into a coma, from which he did not emerge for 4 days, and died just one day short of his birth date.

Valentin Rasputin was buried in Irkutsk. More than 15,000 people came to say goodbye to the writer, and the ceremony lasted several hours.

Life line

March 15, 1937 Date of birth of Valentin Grigorievich Rasputin.
1959 Graduation from university, start working at a newspaper.
1961 Publication of Rasputin's first essay in the Angara almanac.
1966 Publication of V. Rasputin’s first book, “The Land Near the Sky.”
1967 Joining the Writers' Union.
1973 The story "French Lessons".
1974 The story “Live and Remember.”
1977 Receiving the first State Prize of the USSR.
1979 Introduction to lit. collegium of the series “Literary Monuments of Siberia”.
1987 Receiving the second USSR State Prize and the title of Hero of Socialist Labor.
1989-1990 Work as a people's deputy of the USSR.
1990-1991 Membership in the Presidential Council of the USSR.
2004 Publication of the writer’s last major form, “Ivan’s Daughter, Ivan’s Mother.”
2011 Awarding the Order of Alexander Nevsky.
2012 Receiving the State Prize of Russia.
March 14, 2015 Date of death of Valentin Rasputin.
March 18, 2015 Funeral service for V. Rasputin in Moscow.
March 19, 2015 Funeral of Valentin Rasputin at the Znamensky Monastery in Irkutsk.

Memorable places

1. Ust-Uda (East Siberian, now Irkutsk region), where Valentin Rasputin was born.
2. Village Atalanka, Ust-Udinsky district, where V. Rasputin spent his childhood (now moved from the area where the Bratsk hydroelectric power station was flooded).
3. Irkutsk state university, where V. Rasputin studied.
4. Krasnoyarsk hydroelectric power station, the construction of which V. Rasputin often visited, collecting materials for essays.
5. Chita, where the writer visited in 1965, and where his literary debut took place at a seminar by Vladimir Chivilikhin.
6. Starokonyushenny Lane in Moscow, where the writer moved in the 1990s.
7. Znamensky Monastery in Irkutsk, in the necropolis of which the writer was buried.

Episodes of life

Rasputin became a laureate of more than 15 allied and Russian awards, including the government award for outstanding achievements in the field of culture, the Solzhenitsyn, Tolstoy and Dostoevsky awards. He was also an honorary citizen of Irkutsk and the Irkutsk region.

V. Rasputin was an opponent of perestroika reforms, a supporter of Stalin and subsequently an opponent of V. Putin and supported the Communist Party until the last years of his life.

V. Rasputin's books have been filmed several times. The last lifetime film adaptation was “Live and Remember” by A. Proshkin in 2008.

Film “In the depths of Siberia”, dedicated to V. Rasputin

Testaments

“Don’t meddle in the people’s soul. She is not under your control. It's time to understand this."

“When everything is good, it’s easy to be together: it’s like a dream, just breathe, and that’s all. We need to be together when it’s bad - that’s why people come together.”

“A person grows old not when he reaches old age, but when he ceases to be a child.”

Condolences

“There are undoubted names in modern literature, without which neither we nor our descendants can imagine it. One of these names is Valentin Grigorievich Rasputin.”
Ivan Pankeyev, writer, journalist

“He is always active, especially with those close writers and people he likes. And in terms of creativity. And he simply did not communicate with opponents or people who stressed him.”
Vladimir Skif, poet

“Rasputin is not a user of language, but he himself is a living involuntary stream of language. He does not look for words, does not select them, he flows with them in the same stream. The volume of his Russian language is rare among modern writers.”
Alexander Solzhenitsyn, writer