Alexander Melentyevich Volkov

Alexander Melentjewitsch Volkov (Russian: Александр Мелентьевич Волков, scientific transliteration Aleksandr Volkov Melent'evič; * 2 Junijul / June 14 1891greg in Ust -Kamenogorsk, Russian Empire, .. † July 3, 1977 in Moscow, Soviet Union) was a Russian writer. He gained popularity with his children's book " The Wizard of the Emerald City ," and the following volumes of The Land of Oz series ( also called Wonderland series ).

Biography

Born in the east of present-day Kazakhstan Volkov dealt with as a teenager intensive literature. His father, a retired sergeant, had already taught him four years to read. Due to its good reading skills, he was two years later enrolled directly into the second class. He finished primary school with twelve years as the best student of his year, and then laid in high school his degree from. From 1907 to 1910 he studied mathematics at the State Pedagogical Institute in Tomsk. He then worked as a teacher, first in Kolyvan in the Altai and then in Ust -Kamenogorsk at his former school. In the 1920s, he first moved to Yaroslavl, was there the school director and in 1929 in Moscow Deputy head of the worker faculty. After a seven -month course of Mathematics at Moscow University, he worked from 1933 to 1953 as a lecturer and later as a lecturer at the Department of Higher Mathematics at the National Institute of Non-ferrous metals and gold.

Since 1917, he published his first literary work. In the 1930s, he began learning the English language and also translated the first works into Russian. He wanted "to translate the story of The Wizard of Oz ," the author Lyman Frank Baum. The translation was to influence his literary work. During compilation, Volkov added gradually different elements. Finally he took before complete changes to the names of persons and events, creating a stand-alone book: The Wizard of the Emerald City. The work was first published in 1939 in the Soviet Union. In 1959, the book provided in a revised version, and with the drawings by Leonid Wladimirski been reissued. In subsequent years, the children's book was reissued successfully in the states of the Eastern Bloc, and especially in the GDR over again. After the great success of the first volume Volkov wrote in 1963, five more books that continue to tell the story of the magic country.

Works

Land of Oz series

" The Wizard of the Emerald City ", the first book of the Emerald City - books is still very much " inspired tree book The Wizard of Oz ." The consequence books cover always conflicts between or with the peoples of the magic country and propagate this egalitarian - humanistic morality.

The last part increases with the arrival of aliens in a playful way even science fiction elements. The popularity of the books and the delightful illustrations by graphic artist Leonid Wladimirski have contributed.

• The Wizard of the Emerald City ( Волшебник Изумрудного города in 1939, revised 1959)
• The sly Urfin and his wooden soldiers ( Урфин Джюс и его деревянные солдаты; 1963)
• The seven underground kings ( Семь подземных королей; 1964)
• The Fire God of the Marranos ( Огненный бог Марранов; 1968)
• The yellow fog ( Жёлтый Туман; 1970)
• The mystery of the abandoned castle ( Тайна заброшенного замка, 1976, 1982)

Since 1993, the series was continued by other authors, including Klaus Moeckel and Aljonna Moeckel ( under the pseudonym Nikolai Bachnow ).

The six original books by Volkov were eingesprochen between 2006 and 2011 by Katharina Thalbach and published as audio books.

Other works

• Two Brothers (1950 )
• The Builder (1954 )
• Journey into the Third Millennium (1963 )
• Numerous translations (eg works of Jules Verne )

Radio

• Thomas Gevaert: "Ways to Oz " radio feature on Lyman Frank Baum, Alexander Volkov and Leonid Wladimirsky, Production: Southwest Broadcasting (55 min ), first broadcast 21 June 2009 SWR 2