Boris (Gregory) Shalvovich Akunin (Chkhartishvili)

For a start - a biographical note about Mr. Chkhartishvili, known for a wider range as Boris Akunin. Yaponist, literary critic, translator Gregory Shalvovich Chkhartishvili was born May 20, 1956 in Georgia. But it could be described as a Georgian if not Moscow filling as he called himself Okudzhava, then, at least, Moscow excerpts. His father was an artillery officer, his mother a teacher of Russian language and literature. Chkhartishvili lives in Moscow with two years of age, studied at two schools. In early childhood, I read some Japanese books, but in my youth I first saw the Japanese Kabuki theater - and ill Japan. Passion led to the fact that he went to the historical-philological department of the Institute of Asia and Africa, Moscow State University and devoted his life to the study of Japanese literature and culture. He was engaged in translations from Japanese and, more rarely, with English. Translated the works of Yukio Mishima, Malcolm Bradbury, Kobo Abe. Until then, until he became a freelance artist, worked in the magazine "Foreign literature ', was deputy editor. He left that post in 2000. Journals published brilliant essay Chkhartishvili - one of them is awarded the prize of the journal 'Banner'. He worked at the Guild of translators, is one of its founding fathers. But - before the birth of Boris Akunin. He was born just a bearded man flourishing age, around 1998 - more difficult to say exactly. Appeared, oddly enough, by chance. Somehow Mr. CHhartishvili transferred to the publisher Igor Zakharov biography of Queen Elizabeth II. And after a while, as evidenced by the publisher, Grisha called and timidly said so: 'I immediately wrote a detective story ...' So, the first in April 1998 published the first book of B. Akunin, which includes two novels 'Azazel' and 'Turkish Gambit'. However, the original book in no hurry to buy up. It was found in a wine publisher: akuninsky debut was marred by bad design covers. Very crude green cover, on which were painted cards, the bloody glove, and something in the same way, attracting fans vulgar reading matter, the same 'as if the detectives' baked countless editions. However, they, . leafed through a book at the counter, . postponed to the side: the language of some old-fashioned, . no fights and eroticism - to whom such tyagomotina need? A, . just, . those readers, . for whom the book was intended, . frightening showy and vulgar Cover,
. As soon as the company emerged stylish design books about Fandorin - cover with a collage of works of German artist Max Ernst - author and reader 'to find each other'.

. Many critics believe that the mystery surrounding the real name Boris Akunin - thoughtful move
. Incredibly often in connection with this name are the words 'commercial project', 'the best advertisement', 'advertising campaign', 'untwisted', etc.. But alias - first of all need. After Akunin - is an entirely different person, no longer Chkhartishvili. Chkhartishvili never wrote novels! They wrote and wrote Akunin. Since very carried away mentality, we are trying, with some data, to characterize the personality of Grigory Chkhartishvili.

So, Mr. Chkhartishvili. Reliable and contradictory man. Clever, clever, inventive, original. It has a large reserve of energy, persistence. Temperamental and headstrong, quick-tempered, but temper quickly subsides. Succeeds, if it does not interfere in this. Has a sense of humor. Sly and cunning. Intellectual, big thirst for knowledge, knows infinitely many things. Inventors in the extreme and is able to solve the most difficult problems with amazing speed. Possesses common sense and admirable ability to fool people. Is all this not felt between the lines in the book? Novels we read, 'joke' only conditionally, because the writer wanted, from that angle it more convenient 'chosen' to their heroes. If all the writers of Russia's so fun and relaxed, our literature comes to a qualitatively new level!

Yes, a pseudonym - clever game interesting Chkhartishvili. 1956 - year of birth Chkhartishvili - Year of the Monkey, 1998 - the year of birth Akunin - Year of the Tiger. Monkey defies magnetism of the Tigris, on which laughs. That's Chkhartishvili said in an interview Ogonek: - I love to play. When I was younger, playing cards. Then he began to play on the computer in the strategy. And then it turned out that writing novels - it is even more exciting than playing with the computer ... When I worked on 'A writer and suicide', the book is very dark on the topic of depression, I felt that the time begins to choke. We had to take breaks. And I was interrupted three times, and wrote three of the first detective novel. It was like a breath of fresh air. Besides me it was interesting from a literary point of view, because in Russian literature is not completely fictional genre. Yes or literature, which tends to the sky, or literature, which is digging in the dirt. And in the middle of emptiness. <...> From Soviet times, I know of only one full-length fictional novel - 'The Two Captains' Kaverina. But he was too fat and understandably overwhelmed by ideology.

The interviewer wonders says that writing novels - something like a hobby. Yes, a hobby, and turning mountains of documents in the archives: letters, lists, newspapers and special literature - one of his favorite sides ...

When still no one knew who this Akunin, made the most improbable assumption. Were called various names until Yevgeny Primakov and Vladimir Zhirinovsky: readers at a loss. Really, . known, . that Primakov, . Zhirinovsky and Education Orientalists, . but if it was the only condition for writing such novels! Must be able not only mystify, . but also to compose beautiful, . elegantly, . with a unique style, . producing masterful plot and characters,
. It is unlikely that these people would be able to write so. But it can Akunin, whose real name is now well known. Chkhartishvili himself with some confusion, as any intelligent, engaging in intrigue, admits: Actually, this story started a pseudonym was not in order to arrange a hoax. Alias I needed, because this kind of writing is very unlike all my other classes. When the computer sits Akunin and starts banging on the keyboard, he thought not work like Chkhartishvili, the writer of the article or essay. We are very different. Akunin much kinder than me. This is the first. Secondly, unlike me, he is an idealist. And, thirdly, he knows full well that God exists, what I envy him. Besides, I should not have to write detective novels under his own name yet because Commodity in stores could not pronounce the name Chkhartishvili. In fact: when the name on the ears, it is easy to misinterpret.

General, Aku-nin in Japanese means 'bad person', 'bastard'. And some see the combined B. Akunin some mockery of the famous Russian revolutionary and one of the leading theoreticians of anarchism, Mikhail Bakunin. Well, maybe. But Akunin admires the works of German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche fought against the mob, threatening, as he supposed, all the noble and sublime. Bakunin was a staunch opponent of Marxism - exercises, claiming the transition to communism, ie. destruction of private and public property claims. It turns out that there are some similarities in the ideas.

There is a version of people who know Japanese - Baku-nin - a man hiding behind a screen. However, all these assumptions recede into the background after the missed about Fandorin novel 'The Diamond Chariot' ...

'... he, of course, Akunin, but not the weakling. - Someone who? - Fandorin frowned when he heard an unfamiliar word. - Akunin - is how evil man or a villain, - tried to explain Asagava. - But not quite ... I think in English there is no exact translation. Akunin - is a villain, but it is not a petty man, he is a strong man. He has his own rules that it sets for itself. They do not coincide with the requirements of the law, but for their rights Akunin will spare no lives, and because it causes not only hatred, but also respect ...'.

. Perhaps one of the reasons that this novel came out later than everyone else, whereas Fandorin is only twenty-two - this is the explanation
. Akunin not want to prematurely disclose all its secrets. There remains no doubt love this man to a hoax!