Опубликовано в журнале Дружба Народов, номер 3, 2011
VLADIMIR NECKLYAYEV. Vera’s Home-Coming.
This long short story was written in 2008, when there was still two years till December, 2010, and V. Necjcklyayev himself has been neither the leader of the drive “Tell the Truth” nor a rival of the present president at the elections but just one of the best-known Belorussian writers and the head of Belorussian PEN-center. Half-detective “realistic surrealism” of the story doesn’t lay claim either of today’s regime exposure or criticism of the opposition. The author is looking inside trying to understand what is going with the nation and the national character of his compatriots within and outside Belorussia.
Lithuanian poetry in translations of GEORGIJ EFREMOV and ELENA PECHERSKAYA is presented by lyrics of the spiritual leader of the Lithuanian people BERNARDAS BRAZDZIONIS who lived in the USA the most part of his life and also of the wonderful poet and translator YONAS STRELKUNAS who used to be our author and who, alas, passed away last year.
ELENA CHUMAYEVA. In a Small Hospital Next to Moscow.
“…I’m opening a tiny container with an artificial crystalline lens, taking it with the micropincers and putting it in the eye cavity. With one motion the lens surprisingly goes in its place. The tension in my hands and mind drops to the zero mark. It really reminds the devastation after the culmination of the love act…”
ULVI MEKHTI MAMEDOV. Abroad.
“A rare Azerbaijanian remembers today when the last train, the last plane, the last bus started from Azerbaijan to the neighbouring republic of Armenia,” — thus begins his “travel notes” Azerbaijanian cinematologist and film director Ulvi Mekhti Mamedov who after a long interval did accomplish a roundabout trip to Armenia to take part in the Fest of Turkish Cinema and told of his impressions with wit, keenness of observation and — which is most important — kindness.
ALEXANDER DJUMAYEV. An Attempt to Comprehend Incomprehensible City.
“The real Bukhara, Bukhory Sharif, Noble Bukhara, is concealed, coiled up inside, inaccessible for every- and anyone; it is impossible to comprehend it acting on impulse… Having undergone many ordeals on its historical way Bukhara has worked out its forms of cultural protection. The city is opening itself little by little, slowly, gradually”. Our regular author Uzbek art critic A. Djumayev is setting ajar for us the mysteries and peculiarities of this unique city.