“Fakel”

quarterly literary edition

368 pages, format 16/70/100

“Fakel” was founded by the Union of Bulgarian writers, Union of translators and Ministry of Culture of Bulgaria and started on February, 28 1981. The cover states “2-month edition of Soviet literature”. Step by step its pages began to give floor to works which hadn’t been published in the USSR before including “Dog’s heart” and “Fatal eggs” of M. Bulgakov, “Juvenile sea” and “Pit” of A. Platonov, “We” of E. Zamyatin, “Mashen’ka” of Vl. Nabokov, “Life and fate” of V. Grossman, “Doctor Zhivago” of B. Pasternak, “Kolyma stories” of V. Shalamov, “Moscow-Petushki” of V. Erofeev, unpublished poems and essayistic prose of V. Khlebnikov, O. Mandelshtam, A.Akhmatova and M. Tsvetaeva. Ill-wishers called “Fakel” “the horn of anti-Soviet literature”, in 1989 following the issue of A. Solzhenitsin’s “Archipelago GULAG” they tried to close the magazine, it survived only thank to assistance of outstanding Bulgarian people, support of “Literaturnaya gazeta” and a number of famous Russian poets and writers. “Fakel” had circulation of 25 000 copies and it collected 60 000 subscription applications for 1990, it was allowed for issuing but only for libraries with circulation of only 2 000 copies due to “the lack of paper”.

After the political coup “Fakel” was finally grounded as the independent edition of domestic and foreign literature. The main aim of it was creative pondering on problems connected with joint totalitarian experience of the former Warsaw Pact countries and their transition towards creation of civil society.

“Fakel” unites a broad range of authors:

P.Chaadaev, F.Dostoevsky, N.Berdyaev, V,Rosanov, Vl.Nabokov, O.Mandelshtam, D.Kharms, N.Zabolotsky, Z.Gippius, F.Sologub, N.Berberova, K.Chukovsky, Vl.Voynovich, Yu.Aleshkovsky, A.Rybakov, Yu.Trifonov, Yu.Nagibin, A.Sinyavsky, I.Brodsky, V.Aksenov, A.Bitov, G.Vladimov, Fr.Grnostein, V.Shukshin, S.Dovlatov, S.Sokolov, E.Limonov, L.Petrushevskaya, T.Tolstaya, V.Sosnora, V.Erofeev, E.Popov, A.Korolev, A.Kuchaev, V.Pelevin, Yu.Mamleev, Vl.Makanin, V.P’yetsukh, Vl.Tuchkov, Dm.Pirogov, I.Yarkevich, L.Ulitskaya, M.Shishkin, Vl. Bukovsky, Al.Zinov’yev, A.Amalrik, S.Averintsev, Al.Etkind, M.Epshtein, Al.Tsypko, Al.Dugin, Al.Genis, B.Grois, Sv.Boim, O.Kulik, Vl.Kantor ; Yu.Andrukhovich, A.Kurkov, S.Zhadan, Ch.Milosh, M.Kundera, St.Lem, Zb.Gerbert, V.Shimborska, I.Kadar, B.Shekhu, M.Pavich, V.Popa, Ion Syrbu, M.Dinesku, A.Blandiana, P.Ourzhednik, D.Ugreshich, A.Golovatski, I.Shatski, Ya.Stanishkis, F.Fekher; Marquis de Qiustin, G.K.Chesterton, Leoneardo da Vinchi, O.Wald, G.Oruell, K.G.Yung, K.Yaspers, G.Stanbeck, Yu.Mishima, A.Miller, F.Rot, G.Pinter, G.Grass, R. Kapushchinski, Yu. Habermas, E.Said, A.Besanson, L.Selin, Fr.Fukuyama, Zb.Bzhezhinski, N. Chomski, L.Selin, M.Fuko, U.Eco, J.Bodriyar, Jan-Fransua Revel, K.Kornelius, T.Walton, M.Mendra, T.Fransoase, D.Verne, A.Glyuxman, M.Dryuon, G.Heller, Fr.Forsight, John de Carre, S.Sontang, E.Warhall, Choran, M.Walback, St.Odiogui, M.Dyugen, M.Vishniek, E.Yelinek, O.Pamuk, R.Craver, A.Bariko;

as well as Bulgarian authors:

I.Radichkov, K.Pavlov, Bl.Dimitrova, Tsv.Todorov, V.Akiov, L.Levchev, St.Tsanev, Iv.Dinkov, M.Basheva, G.Markov, N.Radev, St.Igov, D.Korudgiev, S.Sevan, D.Enev, A.Popov, E.Alexieva, Kapka Kabasova, Al.Kiosev, Georgia Todorov, I.Velchev, I.Fintsi. El. Zakhariev, Yu.Stoyanov, M.Todorova, N.Popova, I.Vasilieva and others.

Besides uncontested artistic qualities of the given works “Fakel” attracts more and more readers and authors by its open and constructive atmosphere of discussion. Each new issue of the magazine provides opportunities to express and, likely, to oppose opinions, that is vitally important for multi-facet coverage of burning issues. It doesn’t serve to the interests of certain parties, groups and intellectual circles, the magazine positions itself as all-nation edition which is designed for familiarizing Bulgarian readers with spiritual values and trends of modern civilization. Its public authority owes to professional selection and high-quality translation of the published texts. By all means, “Fakel” is demanded by Bulgarian public and today is almost the only source of information on Russian literature which is targeted not only at literary experts, Slavic students, professors, intellectuals but also at ordinary readers who love Russian literature.

During 27 year “Fakel” published 1 425 authors.

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