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Andrey Bely

Author profile

born

October 26, 1880 in Moscow, Russian Federation

died

January 08, 1934

gender

male

genre

Literature & Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction

About this author

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Andrei Bely was a Russian novelist, poet, theorist, and literary critic. His miasmal and profoundly disturbing novel Petersburg was regarded by Vladimir Nabokov as one of the four greatest novels of the twentieth century.

Nikolai Bugaev was well known for his influential philosophical essays, in which he decried geometry and probability and trumpeted the virtues of hard analysis. Despite — or because of — his father's mathematical tastes, Boris Bugaev was fascinated by probability and particularly by entropy, a notion to which he frequently refers in works such as "Kotik Letaev".

Bely's creative works notably influenced—and were influenced by—several literary schools, especially symbolism. They feature a striking mysticism and a sort of moody...more Andrei Bely was a Russian novelist, poet, theorist, and literary critic. His miasmal and profoundly disturbing novel Petersburg was regarded by Vladimir Nabokov as one of the four greatest novels of the twentieth century.

Nikolai Bugaev was well known for his influential philosophical essays, in which he decried geometry and probability and trumpeted the virtues of hard analysis. Despite — or because of — his father's mathematical tastes, Boris Bugaev was fascinated by probability and particularly by entropy, a notion to which he frequently refers in works such as "Kotik Letaev".

Bely's creative works notably influenced—and were influenced by—several literary schools, especially symbolism. They feature a striking mysticism and a sort of moody musicality. The far-reaching influence of his literary voice on Russian writers ( and even musicians ) has frequently been compared to the impact of James Joyce in the English-speaking world. The novelty of his sonic effects has also been compared to the innovative music of Charles Ives.

Bely's symbolist novel "Petersburg" ( 1916; 1922 ) is generally considered to be his masterpiece. The book is vivid and memorable, and employs a striking prose method in which sounds often evoke colors. The novel is set in the somewhat hysterical atmosphere of turn-of-the-century Petersburg and the Russian Revolution of 1905. To the extent that the book can be said to possess a plot, this can be summarized as the story of the hapless Nikolai Apollonovich, a never-do-well who is caught up in revolutionary politics and assigned the task of assassinating a certain government official — his own father. Nikolai is pursued through the impenetrable Petersburg mists by the ringing hooves of the famous bronze statue of Peter the Great.

In his later years Bely was influenced by Rudolph Steiner’s anthroposophy and became a personal friend of Steiner's.

Bely has been credited with foretelling in this novel, which some have called semi-autobiographical, the Russian Revolution, the rise of totalitarianism, political terrorism, and even chaos theory.

Bely was one of the major influences on the theater of Vsevolod Meyerhold.

He is the namesake of the Andrei Bely Prize (Russian: Премия Андрея Белого), one of the most important prizes in Russian literature.(less)

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Average rating: 3.99 · 871 ratings · 80 reviews · 40 distinct works

	Petersburg by Andrey Bely, Robert A. Maguire (Translator), John E. Malmstad (Translator) 3.99 avg rating — 782 ratings — published 1913 — 32 editions	My rating:
	The Silver Dove by Andrey Bely, Antony Wood, Andrei Bely 3.89 avg rating — 28 ratings — published 1974 — 5 editions	My rating:
	Kotik Letaev by Andrey Bely, Andrei Bely, Gerald J Janecek (Introduction) 3.71 avg rating — 17 ratings — published 1922 — 3 editions	My rating:
	The Dramatic Symphony; The Forms Of Art 3.91 avg rating — 11 ratings	My rating:
	Петербург. Стихотворения by Andrey Bely, Андрей Белый 4.50 avg rating — 6 ratings — published 2000 — 2 editions	My rating:
	Собрание сочинений. Стихотворения и поэмы 4.33 avg rating — 6 ratings — published 1994	My rating:
	Симфонии by Andrey Bely, Андрей Белый 4.75 avg rating — 4 ratings — published 1991	My rating:
	Стихотворения by Andrey Bely, Андрей Белый 3.80 avg rating — 5 ratings — published 1988	My rating:
	Complete Short Stories 4.25 avg rating — 4 ratings	My rating:
	La Colombe D'argent: Roman by Andrey Bely, Georges Nivat (Postface), Anne-Marie Tatsis-Botton (Traduction) 4.50 avg rating — 2 ratings — published 1990	My rating:

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Quotes by Andrey Bely

“People as such do not exist: they are all 'things conceived”
― Andrey Bely, Petersburg

2 people liked it

“As ruas de Petersburgo possuem uma propriedade indubitável - a de transformar transeuntes em sombras.”
― Andrey Bely, Petersburg

2 people liked it

“A renda transformou-se em Petersburgo matinal: lá estavam os prédios de cinco andares cor de areia; o palácio ruivo-avermelhado coloriu-se de aurora.”
― Andrey Bely, Petersburg

2 people liked it

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Andrey's Fans (13)

Andrey Bely

Author profile

combine editionsBooks by Andrey Bely

Quotes by Andrey Bely

Topics Mentioning This Author

combine editions
Books by Andrey Bely