Рассказы о Чике

by Fazil Iskander, Фазиль Искандер

Фазиль Абдулович Искандер - советский писатель и поэт, признанный классик отечественной литературы. Его творчество широко известно не только в России, но и во всем мире. Наибольшую популярность и любовь читательской аудитории автору принес цикл новелл, входящих в юмористический эпос "Сандро из Чегема", где с присущей Искандеру доброй иронией описаны приключения знаменитого горца.

Genres: Fiction, Russia

687 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

Fazil Abdulovich Iskander, also known in Russian as Фазиль Искандер, arguably the most famous Abkhaz writer, renowned in the former Soviet Union for his vivid descriptions, mostly written in Russian, of Caucasian life. He has written various stories, most famously "Zashita Chika", which star a crafty and likable young boy named "Chik".

The most famous intellectual of Abkhazia, he distanced himself from the Abkhaz secessionist strivings in the late 1980s and criticised both Georgian and Abkhaz communities of Abkhazia for their ethnic prejudices. He warned that Abkhazia could become a new Nagorno-Karabakh.

He was probably best known in the English speaking world for Sandro of Chegem, a picaresque novel that recounts life in a fictional Abkhaz village from the early years of the 20th century until the 1970s, which evoked praise for the author as "an Abkhazian Mark Twain." Mr. Iskander's humor, like Mark Twain's, has a tendency to sneak up on you instead of hitting you over the head. This rambling, amusing and ironic work has been considered as an example of magic realism, although Iskander himself said he "did not care for Latin American magic realism in general". A section of the novel dealing with Sandro's encounter with Joseph Stalin was made into the Russian film Baltazar's Feasts, or a Night with Stalin in 1989.

Iskander lived in Moscow and was a writer for the newspaper Kultura.

Reviews

[Katia26 · Rating 5 out of 5]

«When I found myself in times of trouble”…я перечитываю «Детство Чика» и всегда становится немного лучше. 10/10 по шкале укрытия от действительности
«Диссидентом он не был-он был просто независимым, свободолюбивым, порядочным человеком и отличным писателем» Наталья Борисовна Иванова о Фазиле (Чике) Искандере

[Lisa Hayden Espenschade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyable stories about a boy growing up in Stalin-era Abkhazia. Iskander's child psychology feels wonderfully flawless as he describes Chik's joys, fears, and annoyances. I look forward to reading more of the stories another time.

There's a bit more on my blog, here.

[Valentina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Искандер чертовски наблюдателен; жаль, что он большую часть своих книг написал при цензуре, было б очень инетересно почитать его совсем без купюр.

[Dmitriy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Очень интересные рассказы о мальчике из Абхазии

[Michael Lyapin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Немного занудно, но раскрыта тема жизни детей в раннем совке

[Lusia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Не думала, что детская книга будет такой глубокой. При этом чувствуется шлейф советской пропаганды, но довольно легкий на такой объем.

16.12.2024

[Mariangel · Rating 4 out of 5]

ENGLISH: Childhood stories much in the style of William Saroyan's "My name is Aram", placed in a small town in Abkhazia. Chik is a child who is the leader among his neighbours, and who observes the adults and draws conclusions about their puzzling behaviour. Includes a very interesting description of how to make bubble gum out of pine resin and berries.

SPANISH: Historias infantiles, al estilo de "Mi nombre es Aram" de William Saroyan. Chik es un niño que vive en un pueblo de Abjasia, y es el líder de la pandilla de sus vecinos, a los que explica sus conclusiones sobre el comportamiento para ellos inexplicable de los adultos. En una de las aventuras se describe cómo hacer chicle a partir de bayas y resina de pino.