The most unusual novel about the collapse of the world—from the point of view of a person who no longer has any place in it.
Dmitry Bykov is a prose writer, poet, publicist, radio and TV journalist. His lectures from the cycle “Direct Speech” enjoy huge success. He is the author of many novels and original literary biographies of Boris Pasternak, Bulat Okudzhava, Maxim Gorky, and Vladimir Mayakovsky. Twice winner of the “Big Book” prize.
In the novel “Orthography,” Dmitry Bykov paints a picture of post-revolutionary Petrograd. Hunger, cold, books are burned in stoves—no one yet understands what the new era will bring, but they already removed the letter “yat,” along with it—Russian literacy. Fear and the search for truth, honor and betrayal, a special humor, a special love “of the abyss at the edge.” In these settings live the characters of an exciting adventurous narrative.
“Orthography” is the second novel of the O- trilogy.
“Orthography” is probably the most unusual novel about the Russian Revolution—a novel about orthography reform from the point of view of a letter, about the collapse of the world—from the point of view of a person who has no place in it anymore. This is a book written on credible historical material, but in a much greater sense it is about what will happen now. Right now. With you.
Dmitry Bykov