No, it’s not a miracle. The great Nobel Prize winning author has not returned from the dead. It’s his widow, Natalya Solzhenitsyn, who is returning to the United States to present, for the first time, her husband’s Archive. It’s part of a huge festival of Russian literature being held in New York City next week. Here’s the press release:

 

LARGEST-EVER RUSSIAN BOOK & LITERARY ARTS CELEBRATION
ARRIVING IN NYC

Over 50 Russian Writers to Headline

New York, NY, May 29, 2012—The Russians Are Coming!  Read Russia (www.readrussia2012.com<http://www.readrussia2012.com>), a new initiative celebrating contemporary Russian literature and book culture, will host more than 50 Russian writers, publishers, librarians, journalists, and historians in events around New York City, June 2-7.

Literary and promotional events will highlight the best of current Russian literature and nonfiction works as well as launch an Institute of Translation and a new 100-volume Russian Library of Russian literary classics in English.  Presentations will focus on fiction, biography, politics, and culture with events featuring readings, workshops, and film screenings.

Highlights include: Natalia Solzhenitsyn presenting, for the first time, the Alexander Solzhenitsyn Archive; bestselling authors Edward Radzinsky and Solomon Volkov, announcing new historical novels and cultural histories of Russia; Russian and American publishers describing their cooperation on the new Stalin Digital Archive; and readings by award-winning writers Mikhail Shishkin, Andrei Gelasimov, Vlad[X]imir Makanin, Dmitry Bykov, Anna Starobinets, and Zakhar Prilepin, whose new works are now being published in English.  All participants are available for press interviews.

In addition, a new public exhibition of avant-garde art from Russian children’s books, 1881-1939, opens June 4 at Gallery 172 (172 Duane Street), and a series of late-night parties, music, and live performances devoted to Russian literature called Read Russia Roof runs June 5 and 6 at the Dream Hotel.  The full schedule is available at www.readrussia2012.com<http://www.readrussia2012.com>.

Some events are being held in association with BookExpo America (BEA), where Russia is the 2012 guest of honor, and sponsored by Russia’s Federal Agency for Press and Mass Communication.  Read Russia is by far the largest and most complete program promoting Russian literature and culture ever organized in the United States.  Most of the events are free and open to the public and offer readers opportunities to meet and engage with a new generation of Russian literary leaders and newsmakers.

For a complete listing of events or additional information about Read Russia, please visit:www.readrussia2012.com<http://www.readrussia2012.com>