Ivan Shamiakin

Ivan Shamiakin (, 30 January 1921 – 14 October 2004) was a Soviet Belarusian writer, perhaps one of the most prolific of the BSSR, writing in a socialist realist style.

He was born in 1921 in the village of Karma, Gomel Region, Belarus, studied construction engineering in a vocational school in 1940, then fought in World War II, taking part in battles near Murmansk and in Poland. After the war he studied at the Homel Pedagogical University, worked as an editor and had different Communist Party positions in the local party offices in Belarus. In 1958 Shamiakin, along with some other Belarusian writers, took part in the anti-Boris Pasternak campaign. In 1991 he confessed that he had never been familiar with Pasternak and never read Doctor Zhivago, but had followed in the steps of older comrades. Shamiakin also mentioned Pasternak's "typically Jewish cowardice".

In 1963 Shamiakin worked at the United Nations as part of the Belarusian UN delegation. In 1980 he became the chief editor of the Byelorussian Soviet Encyclopedia and remained in this position until 1992. In 1994 he became the academician of the National Academy of Sciences.

Books

Novels Hlybokaja Plyn (Deep streams), 1949 U dobry chas (In the Good Times), 1953 Niepautornaja viasna (Unrepeatable Spring), 1957 — a part of the pentalogy Tryvoznaje scascie (Restless Happiness) Krynicy (The Springs), 1957 Nachnyja zarnicy (Lightnings in the Summer Night), 1958 — a part of the pentology Tryvoznaje scascie (Restless Happiness) Ahon i snieh (Fire and Snow), 1959 — a part of the pentology Tryvoznaje scascie (Restless Happiness) Poshuki i sustrechy (Searching and getting together), 1959 — a part of the Tryvoznaje scascie (Restless Happiness) Serca na daloni (The Heart on the Open Palm), 1964 Most (The Bridge), 1965 — a part of the pentology Tryvoznaje scascie (Restless Happiness) Snieznyja zimy (Snowy winters), 1970 Atlanty i karyjatydy (Telamones and Caryatides), 1974 Vazmu tvoj bol (I will take your pain), 1979 Petrahrad-Brest (Petrograd-Brest), 1983 Zenit (Zenith), 1987 Zlaja zorka (Wicked Star), 1993

Shorter novels and short stories collections Pomsta (Revenge), 1945 Na znajomych shlachach (On the Familiar Path), 1949 Dzvie sily (Two Forces), 1951 Apaviadanni (Stories), 1952 Piershaje spatkannie (The First Date), 1956 Matchyny ruki (Mother's Hands), 1961 Viacherni seans (Late-evening movie), 1968 Lios majho ziemlaka (The Fate of My Fellow Countryman), 1970 Backa i dzieci (Father and children), 1971 Sciahi pad shtykami (Flags under bayonets), 1976 Handlarka i paet. Shlubnaja noch. (Saleswoman and poet. Prima notte), 1976 U rodnaj siamji (In the Native Family), 1986 Drama (Drama), 1990 Apoviesci Ivana Andrejevicha (Stories of Ivan Andreevich), 1993 Dzie sciezki tyja... (Where are those paths...), 1993 Padziennie (The Falling), 1994 Sataninski tur (Satan's tour), 1995

Plays Nie viercie cishyni (Don't Believe in Silence), 1958 Vyhnannie bludnicy (Eviction of the adulteress), 1961 Dzieci adnaho doma (Children of one house), 1967 I zmoukli ptushki (And the Birds Stopped Singing), 1971 Ekzamen na vosien (Exam for the Autumn), 1973 Batalija na luzie (The Battle on the Meadow), 1975 Zalaty medal (The Gold Medal), 1979

Non-fiction Razmova z chytachom (Talking to the Reader), 1973 Karenni i haliny (Roots and Branches), 1986 Rozdum na aposhnim pierahonie: Dzionniki 1980–1995. (Thoughts before the last station: Diary 1980–1995), 1998