The pinnacle of world science fiction: an evening dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Arkady Strugatsky at the National Centre RUSSIA

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The meeting of the Literary club "What to Read?!", dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the birth of Arkady Strugatsky, took place on 28 August at the National Centre RUSSIA. Together with experts, guests discussed the works of the brothers Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, new books in the science fiction genre, as well as the dreams that inspire modern society. The meeting was traditionally moderated by Alexei Chesnakov, Head of the Academic Council of the Centre for Political Conjuncture, Professor at the Higher School of Economics, and author of the Telegram channel "Chesnakov. Library".

The name of Russian writer Arkady Strugatsky has become synonymous with classic science fiction. His collaboration with his brother Boris made an invaluable contribution to literature and to the world’s cultural legacy, opening for readers the doors to fascinating worlds of the future, innovation and philosophical reflection.

"The works of the Strugatskys laid the foundation for a vast layer of Soviet and contemporary Russian culture. And we must understand that through the images they created, they largely shaped our current perception of the future, of how to dream and work with meanings," said Alexei Chesnakov. 

Invited experts shared their insights into the works of the Strugatskys, along with personal recommendations on how best to approach their reading.

"Arkady Natanovich cannot be considered separately from his brother. They were a single writer — the Strugatsky brothers. I would like to recommend to potential readers who will discover the works of the Strugatskys to explore them in chronological order — as the books were written — in order to better understand how the authors developed. Science fiction is, first and foremost, literature that calls us into the future, teaches us to think about where humanity is going, why certain processes are happening. And it teaches through a kind of imaginative modelling, which captivates the reader and allows not only specialists but a wide audience to engage with these questions," said science fiction writer Boris Dolingo, Chairman of the Sverdlovsk regional branch of the Union of Writers of Russia. 

Together with the speakers, guests recalled the most significant works of the Strugatskys, discussed their relevance in today’s world, and tried to glimpse the future through the prism of their ideas.

"In the books of the Strugatsky brothers, issues of moral choice, the interaction of the individual and the state, the education of man and the evolution of humanity are explored. These questions were relevant for the writers’ contemporaries and remain so today. This is one of the reasons for the interest of the younger generation in the Strugatskys’ work. The brilliant, utopian image of the future they described in their early works dedicated to the 'Noon Universe' has great appeal. It is a world one would want to live and work in. It is a future one would want to create and bring to life," said critic and historian of science fiction Sergei Shikarev, author of the books "13" (2014) and "Coordinates of Science Fiction" (2019), co-founder of the literary prize "New Horizons" and Executive Secretary of the "Future History" prize, finalist of the Arkady and Boris Strugatsky Prize. 

Participants of the meeting reflected on why science fiction literature remains relevant today, which ideas imagined and developed by the Strugatskys may be in demand in the future, and what science fiction literature really is: entertainment, education, or prognosis.

"It is undeniable that the Strugatsky brothers left an enormous, perhaps the most vivid mark among genre writers in the history of Russian and world literature. This is precisely one of those unique cases when science fiction broke out of its 'ghetto' and began to be perceived by serious literary circles not as popular science, but as an example of major adult literature. Publishing and library statistics also confirm this: the Strugatskys consistently remain among the most requested authors, especially by young readers. Moreover, their works are still being eagerly translated into foreign languages, and I believe this is absolutely the right thing to do," said writer, critic, musician, Chairman of the Council on Science Fiction and Adventure Literature of the Union of Writers of Russia, and Head of the Centre for Humanitarian Projects and Research at the Russian State Library for Young Adults, Yevgeny Kharitonov.

At the end of the meeting of the Literary club, the authors of the best audience questions to the experts received Strugatsky books as gifts.

The Literary club "What to Read?!" is an original project of the National Centre RUSSIA, an intellectual platform for discussing literary heritage and exchanging ideas and experiences. The club’s meetings focus on meaningful writing and the promotion of a culture of reading.

Joining the club’s events and many other educational and cultural programmes at the National Centre RUSSIA is free of charge with prior registration on the russia.ru website. Up-to-date information about the events can be found in the "Events" section.