Paustovsky biography of abraham

ALMOST THERE |  ISSUE SEVEN

Konstantin Paustovsky: an interesting life

Paustovsky’s real life was every bit as intriguing as one of his stories...

Introduction

As I mentioned in a previous post, there are a good number of talented Russian writers of the Soviet period that are barely known in the West, and as a consequence it is difficult to find their works in translation.

I intend to make my own modest contribution towards redressing the balance by translating Snow, a short story by Konstantin Paustovsky.

This also gives me an excuse to provide a little biographical background on a man who was in his day, one of the most popular writers in the USSR and whose literary output and qualities as a human being make him, in my opinion, someone who should be much more well-known than he is.

Early life

Paustovsky’s early life was a strange mix of comedy, tragedy, incredible twists of fate and above all adventure.¹ It all began conventionally enou