Annotation
ABOUT A BOOK
Залесский Владимир Владимирович
Залесский Владимир Владимирович
About A Book
ABOUT A BOOK
Short Preface
At some point, the author realized that at his disposal there are several miniatures devoted to books, devoted to creating, publishing books. Naturally there was an intention: to make the collection. How to name such collection? "A book"? ""A book and nearby with a book"? "A book: writing, publishing, reading"? On may 24, 2018, the author continued to translate into English the miniature "The Monologue about the Petya's Father is Good at Arithmetic". Is there a regulatory translation of the word "офеня" ("ofen")? On the Internet links the author "released" on narratives D. N. Mamin-Sibiryak under the title "About a book". Unwittingly, the author was distracted from the process of translation and read these not long stories. A nice, light, "flying" things. There is probably nothing in them about the gold, nor the entrepreneurs, nor the ruin, nor of the deaths. They are describing a good people, a wonderful childhood. They depict an unusual, amazing picture of the Russian provincial society on the border of the 19th and 20th centuries, a society far from alcoholism, ignorance, primitivism and cruelty, a society overcome by the thirst for knowledge, a society loving books. The author decided to use this name. Even if in the miniatures intended for inclusion in the collection, the theme of "a book " is set out, in general, in a different context. There was no special desire to be engaged in compilation of the collection on may 24. But, as was reported by the media, may 24 is celebrated as the day of the Slavic writing. Cyril and Methodius were the first translators of liturgical books from Greek into Slavic. Perhaps the themes of "book" and "writing" are interrelated. And the author made a collection of miniatures"About a book".
Contents:
1. The tale about cafe-library of Maxim Gorky.
2. The Tale of the Conversation of Maxim Gorky and Jack London.
3. The tale about not-sent letter. Of Maxim Gorky to Ivan Bunin.
4. The dialogue about Peter the Great.
5. The Tale about William Gladstone and about an exhibition.
6. Dialogue about Lack of Preliminary Censorship.
7. The Christmas story.
8. The Sketch about the Literary Dispute.
9. The Short Story about the Bottom.
10. Dialogue of colleagues.
11. The Short Story about Progress in Fishing.
12. Dialogue of Stop Down - Start Up.
13. The Monologue about Knowledge.
14. The Fairy Tale about Pushkin on Easter Island.
15. The Fairy Tale, devoted March 8, about Lermontov.
16. The Fairy Tale about the Library on the Seacoast.
17. The Story about the Young man.
18. The Short Story about ventilators and about Hegel.
19. Sketch about Modern Realities.
20. The Short Story about Dramaturgy.
21. Dialogue about an adventure literature.
22. Sketch about the celebration of the 150 anniversary.
23. Sketch about the celebration of the 150 anniversary. Series 2.
24. The Fairy Tale about the creative activity.
25. The Fairy Tale about Mark Twain, the publisher.
26. Questions about the Internet-Platform for Publications and about the deletion of the User's Account.
27. Questions about an Internet-Platforms for Publications and about a "Traditional" Publishing Houses.
28. The Sketch about the Literary Prikaz.
29. The Sketch about a Timekeeping.
30. The Monologue about the Petya's Father is Good at Arithmetic.
1. The tale about cafe-library of Maxim Gorky
Florenty Pavlenkov entered not locked door.
His eyes opened a large hall, divided into two parts.
In one semi-hall there were tables of library's type, chairs, racks with books, acounter for the librarian. For many tables sat the readers.
In the other half, there were several tables "like in a cafe" with chairs. And next to several tables for a free approach with the exhibited unpretentious food: sliced bread, sauerkraut, simple salads, portions of mashed potatoes, something else simple and cheap.
It was possible to pass freely from one half of the hall into another. Having inspected the space, Florenty Pavlenkov walked toward the place of librarian.
There he was met with a smile by Maxim Gorky (Alexei Maximovich Peshkov).
- Please, please, Florenty Fyodorovich. Chairs - beside readers' desks. And behind the counter I'm - like Henry Schliemann behind the bureau. I work standing. If you wish, then you pass to the hall, sit down.
The chairs are beside the tables of readers. And behind the counter I'm - like Henry Schliemann behind the bureau.
- No, Alexei Maximovich! Data on your cafe-library reached, that you are a benefactor to youth, talents. I decided to come. to Look, to communicate, to talk.
- "I am a benefactor" - loudly sounds, Florenty Fyodorovich. I got used to communicate. A habit to communicate. Having arrived home, I decided to give the to a habit a way of realization. Here's the Cafй library. In library readers borrow books, read. Free of charge, naturally.
In cafe it is possible to drink coffee - free of charge. Also bread and sauerkraut are free. Other products aren't expensive. Cash or coupons payment.
If you read in day of 500 pages, then you receive in your hands coupons, which provides such reader with the simplest a breakfast, a lunch and a dinner.
There is also an innovation. If which of readers wishes that I got acquainted with its literary work or any creative project, then I get acquainted and I inform such reader about my opinion. Here, Florenty Fyodorovich, my "good deeds".
- And what? How do public accept your cafe-library? Are the persons coming? - Pavlenkov asked.
- As you can see. There isn't a lot of places. But the majority of places is taken.
- Probably, pupils? - again Pavlenkov took an interest.
- Now at library there is one famous designer of equipment. He is engaged in missile and space launches. Reads article about Czeslaw Boyarski. That was a talented engineer, the inventor. He Got a lot of patents. As the case something went wrong.
As a result Czeslaw Boyarski has organized illegal production of false banknotes of one European country. All were surprised. Printing of banknotes - the " business" demanding use of the non-standard equipment, involvement of many narrow experts - is a very complex.
And he - alone. With high quality. So the engineering talent, technical genius were "realized". Production of false banknotes has come to the end with trial, in a court.
- Curious, - Pavlenkov exclaimed. - Do the writers come in?
- Yes, they come in. People are different. Who writes about the village, and who - about the city. Who about heroism, and who - about life. Not so that everyone, but many have got new apartments in houses for writers, dachas in settlements for writers...
One of the famous representatives of a literary profession has come yesterday and has taken to read Ron Hubbard's biography. Ron Hubbard is science fiction writer, the author more than 600 literary works, published in 30 languages of the world.
At the lecture in 1949 Hubbard has expressed such idea: "It is ridiculous to write, receiving a penny for a word. If someone really wants to make one million dollars, then the best way - to base own religion". Hubbard became the founder of church of a sayentologiya. Both the founder, and his church were pursued in a number of the countries. He was forced into hiding. Such, here, unenviable result.
The writer - by the way - read the book about Ron Hubbard attentively.
- So too... - Pavlenkov has thoughtfully said.
- Two days ago one of readers has come. He was among heads of construction of large hydroelectric power station, from among created according to the GOELRO plan. Have constructed this station in five years. Boss read about Nikolay Maksimovich Pavlenko.
Pavlenko by his intellect and by personal organizational efforts "has created" a rigged military-building unit, which enriched the swindler Pavlenko and his accomplices.
Reviews of quality of the works performed by Pavlenko's organization - it seems, positive. Claims weren't. activity of the rigged military-building unit Has ended with trial and executions.
- What you tell...-Pavlenkov has indefinitely reacted.
- Also politicians come, - Gorky answered. - For example, one my old acquaintance. Specializes in a peasant theme. They say, very spectacular: this politician comes to a reception, and there - bearded peasants with the cares. He will bypass all of them, will listen, will write down requests. Whether everything will solve problems? I can't tell. But the procedure of a bypass of applicants and conversations with them looks very solidly. Popular belief that he is the representative of the peasantry in the Highest Management Staff. This my acquaintance politician orders books about Grigori Rasputin. Reads with interest.
Alexei Maximovich made a pause. And continued.
- I consider you, Florenty Fyodorovich, our reader! Which books should I prepare to your next visit?
- Perhaps, books by the Kamensky Andrey Vasilyevich? Heroes of his biographic essays or from the sphere scientific and technical (James Watt, Thomas Edison, Samuel Morse), or social and political (Abraham Lincoln, William Gladstone, Robert Owen); Daniel Defoe - the English writer and the publicist.
- Yes, Florenty Fyodorovich. Kamensky's books are read often.
- Don't you object, Alexey Maksimovich if I - as the reader of your cafe-library - drink a cup of coffee?
- To your health, Florenty Fyodorovich! Taste what you fancy.
Florenty Pavlenkov thanked, said goodbye. He left because of the librarian's counter,He approached one of tables in cafe, He took a pinch of sauerkraut from a plate and he tasted. Then he chewed and he swallowed a bread piece. He drank a cup of coffee. Judging by a look, claims to quality didn't arise. He went outside.
Alexei Maximovich came back to the librarian's duties. Giving the book to one of readers, he asked him:
- How many did you pages read today? 300? Not badly, not badly...
He made an entry in his logbook.
30 April, 2017.
Translation from Russian into English: 04 Nov 2017 - 05 Nov 2017.
Владимир Владимирович Залесский 'Сказка о кафе-библиотеке А. М. Горького'.
2. The Tale of the Conversation of Maxim Gorky and Jack London
Сказка о беседе Максима Горького и Джека Лондона
The Tale of the Conversation of Maxim Gorky and Jack London
В кафе-библиотеку вошел Джек Лондон и направился к Максиму Горькому.
Jack London had entered the cafe library and headed to Maxim Gorky.
Тот вышел из-за стойки библиотекаря.
Gorky came out from behind the counter of the librarian.
Они дружески пожали друг другу руки.
They have shaken hands each other with friendly mood.
- Джек! Наконец мы встретились!
- Jack! At last we have met!
- Алексей! Мечтал о нашей встрече.
- Alexei! I dreamed of our meeting.
- Джек! В нашем кафе-библиотеке принято в свободное от чтения время пить кофе. Пойдем, присядем за столик, выпьем по чашечке.
- Jack! In our cafe-library it is accepted to have coffee in free time. Come on, sit down at the table. We will drink of coffee.
- С удовольствием, Алексей! Раз уж возникла возможность поговорить... Я часто размышляю о совпадениях и различиях в наших с тобой, Алексей, судьбах. Любопытно было бы узнать твое мнение по этому поводу.
- With pleasure, Alexei! We have an opportunity to talk... I am often reflecting on the similarities and differences between destinies - my fate and your's life route, Alexei. It would be interesting to know your opinion on this matter.