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Anatoly Genrikhovich Naiman

アナトリー・ゲンリヒロヴィチ・ナイマン

Anatoly Genrikhovich Naiman

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1936-04-23 （Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg, Russia)）
Died
2022-01-21 （Moscow, Russia） age 85
Nationality
Soviet Union, Russia
Languages
Russian
Residence History
Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg, Russia) → Moscow, Russia → Oxford (fellowship)

Career

Occupations
Poet, Translator, Writer
Active Years
1954-2022
Affiliations
University of Oxford (fellowship), Kennan Institute, Woodrow Wilson Center
Influenced By
Anna Akhmatova, Joseph Brodsky (contemporary poet/peer)

Education

Leningrad Technological Institute
Country: Soviet Union
University of Oxford (fellowship)
Country: United Kingdom
Participated as a research fellow
Kennan Institute, Woodrow Wilson Center (fellowship)
Country: United States
Held a fellowship

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Flamence

1983 Translation (poetry)

A collection of translated poems demonstrating Naiman's skills as a translator and his poetic sensibility.

translationmeter and lyricismmedieval/classical poetry

Songs of the French Troubadours

1987 Translation (poetry)

A collection translating medieval French troubadour songs, chosen for their musicality and historical character.

medieval poetrymusicalitytranslation

Clouds at the End of the Century

1993 Poetry collection

A poetry collection exploring personal memory, time, and urban landscapes, lyrical and introspective in tone.

memorytimeurban life

The Rhythm of a Hand

2000 Poetry collection

A collection focusing on corporeality and rhythm, attentive to the sound and tempo of language.

bodyrhythmsonority of language

Lions and Acrobats: Selected Poetry of Anatoly Naiman

2005 Selected poetry (English translation)

An English selection of Naiman's poetry translated by Margo Shohl Rosen and F. D. Reeve, introducing key works to international readers.

international introductionselected workspoetry translation
Translations
  • Lions and Acrobats (English selected poems)

Sir

2001 Novel

A novel exploring personal identity and social contexts.

identitysociety

Kablukov

2005 Novel

A novel published in the 2000s that weaves together social and historical elements.

historysociety

Bibliography

  • Flamence (1983)
  • Songs of the French Troubadours (1987)
  • Clouds at the End of the Century (1993)
  • The Rhythm of a Hand (2000)
  • Sir (2001)
  • Lions and Acrobats: Selected Poetry of Anatoly Naiman (2005)
  • Kablukov (2005)

Adaptations

  • Film 'The Amazing Boy' (1970) — wrote lyrics for songs

Translations by Author

  • Flamence (translation, 1983)
  • Songs of the French Troubadours (translation, 1987)

Translations of Works

  • Lions and Acrobats: Selected Poetry of Anatoly Naiman (English translation, 2005)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
lyrical and symbolic poetic stylemeticulous expression emphasizing wordplay and sonoritya style shaped by sensibilities as a translator
Recurring Motifs
memory and timeurban landscapesmusicality and rhythmclassical and historical motifs

Health

  • Stroke
    2022年1月（死の直前）
    Suffered a stroke days before his death in January 2022; the stroke was followed by his passing.

Legacy

Anatoly Naiman, known as one of Anna Akhmatova's 'Orphans', was a Russian poet, translator, and writer who played a significant role from the late Soviet period into the post-Soviet era. His work, both original and translated, has been appreciated domestically and internationally.

In Popular Culture

  • Lyrics he wrote for a 1970 children's film were performed by famous singer Alla Pugacheva

Trivia

  • Considered one of Anna Akhmatova's group of protégés known as 'Akhmatova's Orphans'.
  • Published some works under pseudonyms in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
  • Wrote lyrics for songs in the 1970 film 'The Amazing Boy', performed by artists including Alla Pugacheva.
  • Held fellowships at the University of Oxford and at the Kennan Institute, Woodrow Wilson Center.