While known primarily for his translations from Russian, Andrey Kneller has also written a great deal of his own poetry. He was born and grew up in Moscow, Russia. In 1993, when he was ten, his family immigrated to United States. He has been writing and translating poetry since the age of fourteen. His work has appeared in a number of literary magazines and journals, including National Forum, Gentle Reader, Unlikely Stories, and the Hypertexts. This book is a complete collection of his poetry from 1999 to 2012.
Vladimir Mayakovsky (July 19, 1893 - April 14, 1930) is one of the most recognized and celebrated poets of the Russian canon. One of the leaders of the Russian Futurism movement, which sought to capture the wonder of the fast-paced modern world and renounced the static art of the past, Mayakovsky completely bent the boundaries of language and introduced an entirely different style of poetry. His irregular line-breaks, his use of internal rhyme, his control of meter and his sense of rhythm combined together to form his unique style. His imagery is overflowing with allusions, metaphors and hyperboles. His major works, "A Cloud in Trousers," "Backbone Flute," and "I Love," sparkle with wit, wisdom and originality. This quality of his work is what also makes it incredibly difficult to translate.In this dual-language selection of Mayakovsky's poetry, Andrey Kneller attempts to capture not only the general meaning, but also the lyrical quality of the poetry that makes Mayakovsky a truly unique writer.
One of the greatest poets of the Silver Age, Boris Pasternak (February 10, 1890 - May 30, 1960) became known in the west after he was awarded the 1958 Nobel Laureate in Literature and was forced by the Russian authorities to decline the prize. This scandal won him a large audience in the west and his novel, Dr. Zhivago became an instant success. However, contrary to popular belief, Boris Pasternak has never actively rebelled against the Soviet regime. His poetry has always reflected his inner self and was not dictated by the atmosphere of the epoch. In Russia, where the novel, Dr, Zhivago, had been banned until the late 1980's, Boris Pasternak was primarily known for his work as a poet. Boris Pasternak, whose first true love was music, brings a unique sense of melody to his poetry. Barely a whisper, one almost needs to overhear the subtle song in his words. It is this quality of his poetry that sets him apart from his contemporaries and makes his work moving and unforgettable.Nearly all of the poems from Dr. Zhivago (with the exceptions of "Wedding," "Star of Nativity," and "The Miracle," which proved to be too difficult to translate adequately) are included in this dual-language edition, as well as some other poetry written throughout his life. Great emphasis has been placed on retaining the musical quality of the work, without sacrificing the content.
