The Akunin Project
The Mysteries and Histories of Russia's Bestselling Author
Stephen M Norris editor Elena V Baraban editor
Format:Hardback
Publisher:University of Toronto Press
Published:16th Feb '21
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
The Akunin Project is the first book to study the fiction and popular history of Grigorii Chkhartishvili, one of the most successful writers in post-Soviet Russia. In the first two decades of the twenty-first century, Chkhartishvili published over sixty books under the pen names Anatolii Brusnikin, Anna Borisova, Akunin-Chkhartishvili, and, most commonly, Boris Akunin. His series featuring the tsarist secret policeman Erast Fandorin has sold over 15 million books in Russia alone, making Akunin one of the bestselling authors of the post-Soviet era. Combining intertextuality, allusions, pastiche, and other markers of postmodern playfulness, many of Akunin’s works have been translated into English and have also been adapted for film and television. Akunin’s public profile has been further enhanced by his active involvement in mass political protests against Vladimir Putin.
Despite Akunin’s international reputation as a celebrated writer, there is very little critical work on his literary output and his mysterious persona. Bringing together scholars of literature, history, and culture, The Akunin Project fills this gap by exploring the author’s bestselling adventure novels and recent histories of the Russian state. The book includes translations of five short works previously unavailable in English as well as an interview with the author.
"One fascinating feature of The Akunin Project is its intention to experiment with the traditional form of an academic collected volume as well as epitomize postmodernist aesthetics both thematically and stylistically in this project."
-- Olga Breininger-Umetayeva, Higher School of Economics * The Soviet and Post-Soviet ReviewISBN: 9781487508265
Dimensions: 234mm x 157mm x 30mm
Weight: 600g
372 pages