Alexander Belyaev - works and biography of a science fiction writer

2014 marks 130 years of birthfamous Russian writer Alexander Romanovich Belyaev. This outstanding creator is one of the founders of the genre of science fiction literature in the Soviet Union. Even in our time, it seems incredible that a person in his works can display events that will occur several decades later.

The early years of the writer

So who is Alexander Belyaev? The biography of this person is simple and unique in its own way. But unlike the millions of copies of works by the author, not so much has been written about his life.

Alexander Belyaev was born the fourth of March 1884years in the city of Smolensk. In the family of an Orthodox priest, a boy from childhood was introduced to love music, photos, and he developed an interest in reading adventure novels and learning foreign languages.

Having finished a seminary at the insistence of his father, the young man chooses a path to jurisprudence, in which he is a good success.

The first steps in the literature

Making decent money on legalA field, Alexander Belyaev began to be more interested in works of art, travel and theater. He also actively joins directing and dramaturgy. In 1914 his debut play “Grandma Moira” was published in the Moscow children's magazine “Protalinka”.

Insidious disease

In 1919, tuberculous pleurisy stoppedplans and actions of the young man. More than six years Alexander Belyaev struggled with this ailment. The writer struggled to eradicate this infection in himself. Due to an unsuccessful treatment, spinal tuberculosis developed, which led to paralysis of the legs. As a result, out of six years spent in bed, the patient spent three years in a cast. The indifference of the young wife further undermined the morale of the writer. During this period, it is no longer the carefree, cheerful, and resilient Alexander Belyaev. His biography is full of tragic life moments. In 1930, his six-year-old daughter Lyuda died, the second daughter Svetlana became ill with rickets. Against the background of these events, the illness tormenting Belyaev is becoming aggravated.

Throughout his life, fighting with his illness, this man found strength and immersed himself in the study of literature, history, foreign languages ​​and medicine.

The long-awaited success

In 1925, living in Moscow, the beginnerthe writer publishes in Rabochey Gazeta the story "The head of Professor Dowell". From this point on, the works of Alexander Belyaev are in large quantities published in the well-known at the time magazines “World Pathfinder”, “Knowledge is Power” and “Around the World”.

During his time in Moscow, a young talent creates a lot of great novels - "Amphibian Man", "The Last Man from Atlantis", "The Island of Perished Ships" and "Fighting on the Air."

At the same time, Belyaev is published in the unusual newspaper “Gudok”, in which such Soviet writers as M.A. left their mark. Bulgakov, E.P. Petrov, I.A. Ilf, V.P. Kataev, M.M. Zoshchenko.

Later, after moving to Leningrad, they were releasedbooks "The Miracle Eye", "Underwater Farmers", "The Lord of the World", as well as the stories "Inventions of Professor Wagner", with which Soviet citizens enthusiastically read out.

The last days of prose life

Когда началась Великая Отечественная война, семья Belyaevs lived in the suburb of Leningrad, the city of Pushkin, and was in occupation. A weakened body could not bear the terrifying famine. In January 1942, Alexander Belyaev died. After some time, the writer's relatives were deported to Poland.

Until today, remains a mystery, where he wasAlexander Belyaev is buried, his brief biography is full of man’s constant struggle for life. Nevertheless, in honor of the talented prose writer, a memorable stele was installed in Pushkin at Kazan cemetery.

The novel "Ariel" is the latest creation by Belyaev, it was published by the Publisher "Modern Writer" shortly before the death of the author.

"Life after death

It has been more than 70 years sinceRussian science fiction, but the memory of him lives in his works to this day. At one time, the work of Alexander Belyaev was subjected to severe criticism, sometimes he heard mocking reviews. However, the ideas of science fiction, which previously seemed ridiculous and scientifically impossible, eventually convinced even the most inveterate skeptics to the contrary.

The works of the author and in our days continue to be published, they are quite in demand by the reader. Belyaev’s books are instructive, his works call for kindness and courage, love and respect.

Based on novels prose writer shot a lot of movies.Thus, since 1961, eight films were filmed, some of which are part of the classics of the Soviet cinema - Amphibian Man, Testament by Professor Dowell, Isle of Fallen Ships Island and Air Seller.

The story of Ihtiandr

Perhaps the most famous work of A.R. Belyaev is the novel Amphibian Man, which was written in 1927. It was him, along with Professor Dowell's Head, that was highly appreciated by Herbert Wells.

On the creation of "Amphibian Man" Belyaev podvigli,first, memories of the novel read by the French writer Jean de la Ira "Ictaner and Moisette", secondly, a newspaper article about the trial in Argentina in the case of a doctor who conducted various experiments on people and animals. To date, to establish the name of the newspaper and the details of the process is almost impossible. But this once again proves that while creating his science fiction works, Alexander Belyaev tried to rely on real life facts and events.

In 1962, the directors V.Chebotarev and G.Kazansky filmed “Amphibian Man”.

"The last man from Atlantis"

Did not go unnoticed in the Soviet and worldliterature one of the very first works of the author - "The last man from Atlantis." In 1927 it was included in the first author's collection of Belyaev, along with "The Island of the Dead Ship". From 1928 to 1956, the work was forgotten, and only from 1957 it was repeatedly reprinted on the territory of the Soviet Union.

The idea of ​​finding the lost civilization of the Atlanteanslit up Belyaev after reading the article in the French newspaper Le Figaro. Its content was such that a society for the study of Atlantis existed in Paris. At the beginning of the twentieth century, such associations were quite common, they enjoyed the increased interest of the population. This and decided to take the insightful Alexander Belyaev. The science fiction writer used the note as a prologue to "The Last Man from Atlantis." The work consists of two parts, the reader perceives quite simple and exciting. The material for writing the novel will be taken from Roger Devin's book, The Disappeared Mainland. Atlantis, the sixth part of the world. "

The prophecies of science fiction writer

Comparing the predictions of representatives of science fiction, it is important to note that the scientific ideas of the books of the Soviet writer Alexander Belyaev were realized by 99 percent.

So, the main idea of ​​the novel "The head of the professorDowell ”was the possibility of reviving the human body after death. After several years after the publication of this work, Sergey Bryukhonenko, the great Soviet physiologist, carried out similar experiments. The achievement of medicine that is widespread today - the surgical restoration of the lens of the eye - was also foreseen by Alexander Belyaev more than fifty years ago.

The novel Amphibian Man became prophetic inscientific development of technologies for a long stay of a person under water. So, in 1943, the French scientist Jacques-Yves Cousteau patented the first scuba, thereby proving that the Ichthyander is not such an unattainable image.

Successful testing of the first unmanned aerial vehiclesapparatus in the thirties of the twentieth century in the UK, as well as the creation of psychotropic weapons - all this was described by the science fiction writer in the book "The Lord of the World" in 1926.

The novel "The Man Who Lost His Face" tells aboutthe successful development of plastic surgery and the ethical problems arising in this connection. According to the plot, the state governor reincarnates into a Negro, taking upon himself all the racial discrimination. Here you can draw a parallel in the fate of the aforementioned hero and the famous American singer Michael Jackson, who, fleeing from unfair persecution, did a considerable number of operations to change the skin color.

All his creative life Belyaev struggled witha disease. Deprived of physical abilities, he tried to reward book characters with unusual abilities: to communicate without words, to fly like birds, to swim as well as fish. But to infect the reader with an interest in life, to something new - isn't this the true talent of the writer?