Fabio Izzo: In your latest book There is not here
your literary soul is divided in two. You have broken your way
adapting it to the writing section, so-called "American" and
Russian section. As a result which your soul feels
more?
Yuri Druzhnikov: The
recognize both my hips as if in a different way. I spent the first half of my life
in the Soviet Union and the second here in America.
I had the chance to develop material for my writing
write all the "my" countries.
In my recent book, published by Barbera Editore, I realized
that the people I met, both in Russia and in
U.S., they were so funny or so strange that each of them
, every one of those quirky personality,
were perfect for a special story, but short-lived.
The stories told here are true with humor and particular
selezionatoe from life as you
may be for Italian coffee lovers, an exquisite blend of coffee.
FI: From the first part of your book (the "here")
come out all the foibles and fears of the population
typical Western eviscerated in your personal style as fresh
genius that can be compared in the field
film of Monty Python gags.
back instead in the literature, do you think the future is closely linked to Western
pills Murtibing predicted by Witkiewicz?
YD: As indicated by the great Polish skeptical Milosz,
Nobel Prize for literature and my colleague at the University of California
, predicting Witkiewicz directly linked to Western society but in my opinion not only that, the pills also concerned the company communist.
If we want the pills for my short stories I think would be an exaggeration to compare a novel, important as that of Mitkiewicz.
as pills, my satirical stories, give a healthy skepticism and help to better understand the world revolves around us.
FI: In the second part, the Russian (the "there"), is almost impossible not to notice your ability to represent a world sharply divided on concepts and ideas.
What will be your second thought, the future of the Eastern Hemisphere?
YD: I do not want to neglect my being a witness to all that was the Soviet Union, a look at Thomas More's Utopia and George Orwell's 1984, there have portraits plausible than it was.
Speaking of the future, I would like to see Eastern Europe as rich as America, as a free and peaceful Europe such as Iceland, but for now I am aware of the improbability of my prediction
In fact, the Eesti
is poor, subject to half totalitarianism and aggression like the Nazis.
The war in Iraq is a mistake because Hussein knew how to manipulate the fanaticism and now the Western world must be strong in the Arab world much more dangerous than the Warsaw Pact.
I also think that an improvement for the 'Europe and the U.S. would be to use fewer soldiers, tanks, and intelligence services in that part of the world.
will also be a good capture of Osama bin Laden.
I believe in a slow process of the eastern hemisphere.
If we look at China and India has to wonder if one day these two countries will help us to combat terrorism.
FI: Are you a Russian intellectual who works in the U.S..
This fact how it affects your writing?
YD: Here in America I found my independence, no one controls me in California on what I say or write.
This does not save them from being targets of my pen.
The percentage of silly being the same here that there .
not now have official data about the phenomenon of alcoholism, but almost certainly the situation is problematic both in the U.S. than in Russia, as well as for the homeless and other social problems.
twenty years I now live in the States and this has given me the chance to see two different realities, the my homeland and my adopted country.
Russia is a police state, where the party KGB manipulated the country.
I think that for stability and democracy in Russia are necessary another 50 years or even 100 years.
FI: In my book (Eco-disposable) states, among other things the last century can be defined as "Russian century" because of the great events that have disrupted the course (just look at the dates 1917 and 1991).
Now as the power, who moved to America, literature has also followed the same path.
Do you agree?
YD: In principle yes, but I would like to add something. We do not know exactly how many deaths there were in Russia during the period 1917-1991 (60 million officially listed, but according to my estimate would be 90 million)
Power has moved to America but the art and literature are still flourishing in Europe.
In Italy I have seen the Literature Festival in Mantua.
America is the land of pop culture.
FI: On what project you working on now?
YD: I just completed a detective story based on a true story.
Here the documentation and the search for witnesses took me a long time.
in Italy is now being translated and will soon be published by my publisher
FI: If you feel up to give us some advice: what we should be careful for our future?
YD: First, your health!
The longevity and quality of life. So, for example, that Italy is at the forefront in cancer research.
This commitment, together with that of others could mean that in future people will be freed from this evil.
to think, we could hear Pavarotti sing much longer.
FI: What is your advice for a better life in the monster world?
YD: Save our cultures and traditions. Keep the values: family, love and friendship.
represent an 'alternative to commercial television noise above us and frightens us.
The individual needs of a niche where you can love your neighbor, reading, writing, taking photos and collecting stamps.
FI: In 2001 he received a nomination for the Nobel Prize but have not won (and I'm sorry). Now, ironically, you have the chance to convince the jury to give her the Nobel.
YD: But as a soldier does not want to become a general!
Solzhenitsyn wrote in his diary: "The award was given, and once again not to me," then later he was given.
to joke I could try to convince jurors of the Nobel reading my pills "There is not here," . If I can make them laugh even change their minds.
