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Mark Aldanov

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Mark Aldanov was a prominent Russian and French writer and literary critic. He is best remembered for his historical novels. These stories used the past to explore complex human events. Aldanov was also a prolific essayist and critic. He published 16 large literary works during his career. His writing reached people across many different languages.

Aldanov's literary career focused on major historical shifts. He first gained widespread popularity with a book about Vladimir Lenin. This work was translated into several languages. Following this success, he wrote a trilogy of novels. This trilogy attempted to trace the origins of the Russian Revolution. He also composed a tetralogy, or a series of four books, about the Napoleonic Wars. These works included titles like "The Ninth Thermidor" and "The Devil's Bridge."

His life was marked by significant movement and academic study. Born Mordkhai-Markus Israelevich Landau in Kiev, he grew up in a wealthy Jewish industrialist family. He attended Kiev University to study law. He also studied in the physical-mathematical department. Because of this training, he published serious research papers in the field of chemistry. These scientific studies showed his diverse intellectual interests.

Political and social changes led Aldanov to live in many countries. He emigrated to France in 1919. He later lived in Berlin from 1922 to 1924. During the years 1941 to 1946, he resided in the United States. These periods of emigration shaped his perspective as a writer. He eventually settled in Nice, France, where he died on February 25, 1957.

Aldanov received immense respect from his peers in the literary world. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature thirteen times. The writer Ivan Bunin supported him significantly. Bunin was the first Russian writer to win a Nobel Prize. Bunin nominated Aldanov for the prize six times between 1938 and 1950. This level of recognition highlights his status among the great authors of his era.

While living in New York in 1942, Aldanov helped found a magazine. He cofounded Novy Zhurnal, which means "The New Review." He started this publication with his friend and colleague, Mikhail Tsetlin. They both served as Editors-in-Chief until November 1945. Novy Zhurnal is the oldest Russian-language literary periodical published outside of Russia. It provided a space for many notable Russian emigre writers.

Many famous authors contributed to Novy Zhurnal. These included Vladimir Nabokov, Ivan Bunin, Joseph Brodsky, and Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. The magazine helped maintain a connection to Russian literature for those living abroad. The legacy of the publication continues through the Aldanov Literary Prize. Since 2007, this prize has been awarded by Novy Zhurnal. It honors the best novella or novelette written by a Russian-language writer living outside of Russia.

Aldanov's influence extends through his extensive personal correspondence. After his death, many of his letters were published. He wrote to famous figures such as Vladimir Nabokov and Alexander Kerensky. These letters offer a window into the lives of prominent emigre celebrities. His life connected science, history, and literature across several continents.

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