The Voice of Russia ( Vassily Grossman )

VASSILY GROSSMAN

Vassily Grossman was born in 1905.When a student of the Moscow State University he began writing short stories.He continued his literary activity working as an engineer in Ukraine.One of the young author's first stories entitled "In the town of Berdichev" drew attention of prominent Russian writer Maxim Gorky who advised Grossman to concentrate on his literary work.In many years a well-known

film,"The Commissar", was shot after that short story telling about events of the civil war in a small town.In the 1930s Grossman's short stories and novels about workers and miners were published.

When the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 began the writer went to the front as a war reporter.Essays and reports of the first years of the war were a good school of journalism for Vassily Grossman and attempts to penetrate into the gist of the war.Shortly his novel "The People is Immortal" appeared.It was published by a newspaper at the time when the Nazis launched their summer offensive.One of the most important events of the war--the Stalingrad Battle--is described in his other book entitled "Stalingrad".

Vassily Grossman continued writing about the Stalingrad Battle after the war.His novel in two parts entitled "The Right Cause" and "Life and Destiny" is considered to be one of the best books about the Great Patriotic War.He put his heart and soul into it.That is the truth about the war through the eyes of the author.The novel is tragic.The book's way to the reader was not easy. The first part of the novel was subjected to severe criticism whereas the second part - "Life and Destiny" - became available for general public some 25 years after it was written.Few of the author's post-war short stories saw the light during his lifetime.Those short stories about the gone-by war are the author's reflections about future of the world,totalitarianism and freedom.Grossman's last book was "Everything Goes by..." It was published when the author was already dead. Owing to his friends and relatives everything that was told by that kind and honest writer about life of the nation in various historical epochs has found its way to readers.