The correspondence between symbolist poet Valery Bryusov and his lover, the writer Nina Petrovskaya, is one of the brightest and most emotional artifacts of the symbolist epoch. Apart from being a testament to Russian epistolary culture, these letters are also one of the key documents in the history of Russian symbolism, and are imbued with the movement’s urge for ‘fusing life and creativity’. At the same time, love is practically the sole subject of these letters. The reader will encounter little news of literary and political events, although both correspondents were at the centre of the literature and politics of the day. The letters tell of the passionate relationship between two people against the drab background of everyday life. The correspondence between these two luminaries of symbolism allows the reader to explore the minds that created this fascinating period of Russian literature.

The correspondence between Ilya Repin and Kornei Chukovsky spanned almost a quarter of a century. The period between 1906 and 1929 saw huge changes and shifts in society as well as the arts – changes, which affected each and every person living in Russia. At this time of upheaval, the painter and the writer were not silent onlookers: actively involved in the events, they described them passionately and vividly in their letters. This book not only brings us many fascinating facts – the style, vigour and culture of Repin and Chukovsky’s correspondence are truly captivating. The authors of these letters possessed the need, and the talent, not merely to describe events, but to expound on their views of current affairs, confiding to each other their hopes and sharing their concerns. We venture into the rich, creative worlds of two exceptionally gifted people: a great artist, and a talented critic, writer and literary expert.
Certain of Repin’s letters to Chukovsky, albeit heavily censored, have been published previously. Chukovsky’s seventy six to the artist, however, were found after their author’s death - most of these are published for the first time. With a new commentary, this fascinating correspondence has now been collected afresh.

Covering the period between 1964 and 1993, the correspondence between Yuri Lotman and Boris Uspensky touches on a wide range of contemporary issues in the humanities, as well as providing a fascinating look at student living and family life in the USSR. As we read about the development of academic thought, we also gain a unique insight into the personalities of Lotman and Uspensky.
‘It is hard for me to imagine, what the contemporary reader will gain from this correspondence, or how interesting it will seem,’ Uspensky writes. ‘But whether or not the reader is interested in the specific events we describe, our correspondence, I feel, gives a good idea of those times – of our life and work… We lived in a country that was not free, yet we strove towards inner freedom. There were many horrible things that happened back then, but there were also many good things. As a rule, the unpleasant things had to do with officialdom, while the good things came from the relationships between people. Our correspondence clearly shows this.’

Personal correspondence is not just a supplement to biography, it is a fragment of a life – a vivid snapshot of times past. By reading letters, the reader becomes a participant in events, and is able to empathize with the author as a person, not just as a historical figure.
Among the swathe of letters written by Boris Pasternak, his letters to his parents and sisters are particularly fascinating, as they outline the key events of his biography and reflect his wide range of interests. His letters to his family display the depth of his artistic nature, and also demonstrate the astonishing closeness and mutual understanding the poet had with his parents and sisters. Like his literary works, Pasternak’s correspondence is a first-hand representation of a period and its atmosphere. But unlike his poetry and prose, the letters allow us to see Pasternak’s immediate emotional response to the turmoil of his age.