A short biography of Albert Likhanov is the most important thing. Albert Likhanov. Books about wartime childhood Dmitry Likhanov is a worthy son of a writer

The activities of the children's library are inextricably linked with the name of the world-famous talented writer, amazing person, our contemporary Albert Anatolyevich Likhanov with the adoption of a decision by the board of the culture department of the Belgorod region on October 5, 2000 to assign the name “Belgorod State Children's Library of A. A. Likhanov” to the library. This is a great honor, trust and responsibility. Albert Anatolyevich Likhanov is a public figure, academician, honorary professor at a number of Russian universities, including Belgorod, as well as the Japanese Soka University (Tokyo), director of the Research Institute of Childhood.

The biography of Albert Anatolyevich (,) included the turning point historical, tragic events of the era, which he experienced and artistically presented in his works, responding to all events.

From point of view famous writer Konstantin Paustovsky, The very activity of writing forces a person to lead a varied, intense life, intervene in different areas of our reality, meet many people and penetrate into all corners of the country. ...He is not a writer who has not added at least a little vigilance to a person’s vision.

Albert Anatolyevich is distinguished by caring, kind-heartedness, decency and amazing philanthropy. In his work, Albert Likhanov focuses on the troubles, joys, sorrows, achievements, and complexities of the children's and adolescent world, which are often misunderstood, rejected or ignored by adults.

Albert Anatolyevich himself, in the preface to his collected works for children and youth in 15 volumes, writes that even while studying to be a journalist at the university ... I never thought about writing, about literature, considering this activity to be the destiny of celestials. True, I have always loved books. Inaccurate word - loved. I adored them....

For more than fifty years, Albert Likhanov has been writing about children and for children, during which time 106 of his books in 34 languages ​​have been published abroad: in the USA, Spain, Holland, Germany, Italy, France, Japan and other countries. In Russia, the works were published in 30 million copies, individual works, selected and collected works. In 1985, the publishing house “Young Guard” published Collected Works in 4 volumes. In 2000, Terra publishing house published the Collected Works in 6 volumes. Publishing, educational and Cultural Center"Childhood. Adolescence. Youth" released in 2005 the "Library "Love and Remember" in 20 books, and in 2010 the Collected Works for Children and Youth by Albert Likhanov in 15 volumes - with color illustrations and large print.

The work of Albert Likhanov was awarded state awards and literary prizes. Albert Likhanov was recognized as Person of the Year in Russia in 2005, 2007 and 2010, in the USA in 2005, and in 2006 he was awarded the world medal “Freedom” - “For his hourly and daily contribution to the world's treasury of goodness." Cambridge university(England) included him in the list of 1000 outstanding Europeans of the 21st century. In 2010, he was awarded the International Award Pace (International Peace Prize) in the USA, in 2010, the Biographical Center of Cambridge (England) recognized him as Person of the Year in the field of literature and humanism, and the American Biographical Institute (USA) elected him as its lifelong academician of humanism. In December 2010, the Russian Biographical Institute (Moscow) awarded him the title “Person of the Year 2010” in the “Childhood Protection” category.

For personal merits achieved as a result professional activity Albert Likhanov was awarded the Ludwig Nobel Prize (2014). He was awarded a gold commemorative medal, special prize, diploma and Chest sign laureate.

Albert Likhanov became the laureate of the “Person of the Year - 2017” award in the “Asceticism” nomination for his active social activities for Child Protection.

Writer, public figure.

Born September 13, 1935 in Kirov in a working-class family.
In 1958 he graduated from the Ural State University them. M. Gorky (Sverdlovsk), Faculty of Philology, Department of Journalism. He gave essays about youth.
The first book is “Yurka Gagarin, namesake of the cosmonaut” (1966).
1961-1964 - editor-in-chief of the newspaper “Komsomolskoe Plemya”,
1964-1966 - Komsomolskaya Pravda's own correspondent for Western Siberia(Novosibirsk)
1975-87 - Editor-in-chief of the magazine "Smena".
1987-1992 - Chairman of the Board of the Soviet Children's Fund named after. V.I.Lenin,
Since 1991 - Chairman of the Board of the Russian Children's Fund, President of the International Association of Children's Funds, Director of the Research Institute of Childhood of the Russian Children's Fund (since 1988).

Basic literary works- stories “Clean Pebbles”, “Deception”, “Labyrinth” (trilogy “Family Circumstances”), “Good Intentions”, “Calvary”, “Innocent Secrets”, “The Ultimate Measure”, “Flood”, “Nobody”, “ Broken doll." The novel in the stories “Russian Boys” and the novel “Men’s School” form a duology about military operations.

In 2005, the collected works of Albert Likhanov were published in the form of a library of 20 books. More than 100 of his books have been published abroad. Seven of the writer’s works have been filmed, three have been dramatized.

prizes and awards

Creative and social-pedagogical activities of A.A. Likhanova has been awarded numerous domestic and international awards: State Prize of Russia, Russian Prize named after. A.S. Green, Lenin Komsomol Prize, International Prize. M. Gorky, International Prize named after. Janusz Korczak, International Cultural Prize. Victor Hugo, American Oliver Award, Japanese Sakura Award, awards named after. N. Ostrovsky, named after. B. Polevoy, Great Literary Prize of Russia, Prize of the President of the Russian Federation in the field of education.
He was awarded many medals of the USSR, the medal of K.D. Ushinsky, N.K. Krupskaya, L. Tolstoy, the Order of the Badge of Honor and the Red Banner of Labor, the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, III and IV degrees, the Georgian Order of Honor, the Ukrainian Order of Merit, medals of Belarus and Armenia.
A.A. Likhanov was recognized as Person of the Year in Russia and the USA in 2005, and in 2006 he was awarded the World Medal of Freedom “Freedom” in the USA “for his hourly and daily practical contribution to the global treasury of good.”

Albert Anatolyevich Likhanov - writer, academician, public figure, children's and youth writer, President of the International Association of Children's Funds, Chairman of the Russian Children's Fund, Director of the Research Institute of Childhood, Academician of the Russian Academy of Education was born on September 13, 1935 in Kirov.

Albert Anatolyevich wrote in the preface to one of his books: “People don’t choose their parents, people don’t choose their childhood... Our childhood was during the war, and we were called the children of war.” He was well aware of the lives of people during those difficult war years, which cast a shadow over the childhood of boys like him. Scary, long, difficult four years. This is seeing off my father to the front, my mother’s work in the hospital, communication with my grandmother, Maria Vasilyevna.

Like the heroes of his future books, he went hungry, went to classes in a cold, unheated school, helped adults, wrote letters to the front and waited for his father to return. All this and much, much more will subsequently become the rich literary basis for numerous works, reading which we think about our past, our present, and our future.

It is difficult to call the book by A.A. Likhanov, in which he would not talk at all about the war, about wartime, which influenced the characters and destinies of children and adolescents. The military theme in the writer’s work acquires special significance and organicity, because it embodies his idea of ​​​​life values, honor, duty, feat, and human dignity. Albert Likhanov says: “The war was difficult for everyone: soldiers and generals, men and women. But it was the most difficult for the children.”

A.A. Likhanov wrote a number of wonderful works about his wartime childhood. In them he conveys the feelings of what he experienced during the Great Patriotic War.

Stories “The Shop of Beloved Aids”, “The Last Cold”, “Children’s Library” form a kind of trilogy about wartime childhood. They are close intonationally, written in the same psychological key, told by the same hero - the boy Kolya.

Tale "The Last Cold"(1984) is one of the most dramatic works about wartime childhood. Like other works in this series, it is addressed not only to children, but also to adults - parents, teachers. The story in the work is told on behalf of the boy Kolya, a third grade student. The story is written in the form of a boy's thoughts about himself, about life, about his parents, friends, and school teachers. This book is about mercy, about kindness, about humanity. She teaches you to be sensitive to other people's misfortunes. The story was adapted into a film of the same name in 1993.

Likhanov touches on the military theme in the story "Military echelon" in the novel "My general".

The book “My General” (1975), the genre of which Likhanov defined as a novel for children, he addresses to teenagers and youth. This novel is about love for people, one’s country, and the emotional experiences of the hero – a student. modern school, about the large and complex life of the country. The novel was one of the works for which the author was awarded the State Prize. N.K. Krupskaya, translated to foreign languages. A film of the same name was made based on it.

Novel in stories "Russian boys" and novel "Men's School" make up a duology about military operations.

In the story "Steep Mountains" the author raises actual problems character development and moral education teenagers Shows how children develop and learn in complex war time, reveals the origins of the birth of love for the Motherland.

The little hero of the story “Steep Mountains,” Kolya, has to quickly learn a lot of sad concepts that the war brought with it. My father went to war, and everyone began to miss him. Especially little Kolya. Seeing his father off to war, he still didn’t understand anything, he was happy, and waved after him in a friendly manner. Saying goodbye to my father the second time, after a short meeting, was completely different: “I rushed to my father... hugged me, greedily inhaled my father’s smells, trying to remember them, and barely restrained myself from crying.” Kolya lacked his father's support, protection and help. And the boy gradually learned what war was.

At first these were letters, or rather postcards, on which a woman was drawn and the inscription “The Motherland is calling!” Then food stamps. And when the flour ran out, Kolya’s mother took out another dress from the wardrobe and exchanged it for food.

A cruel joke, a prank on the neighbors. This is the only way the hero of the story initially assessed the theft: “I was shaking all over, I was shaking - the theft was just reaching my consciousness.” Traces of cruel and merciless force caused a protest in the child’s soul, a desire to settle scores. After they were robbed and everything valuable was taken out of the house: things, dad’s suit, money, food coupons, after two days of hunger, Kolya’s mother could not stand it and, in order to save the boy, she went and donated blood for food rations.

Donor ration. What price was paid for it: “I looked at the little bags that lay in front of me, looked into my mother’s face and cried because I turned out to be a scoundrel. After all, I ate my mother’s blood, and it was terrible...”

In the second autumn of the war, Kolya went to school. The school was old, small, and not suitable for so many students. But large and comfortable schools were given to the wounded as hospitals. Because there was a war. And they wrote on newspapers, not on notebooks, because the factories where notebooks were made were destroyed. And instead of light bulbs, kerosene stoves burned, because there was not enough energy for the factories, which were working at full capacity to make more shells.

The image of the teacher Anna Nikolaevna is interesting. Strict, always smart, she commanded the respect of her students: “ She walked along narrow corridors, lit candles... saw everything, understood everything... and most of all she did not like deception.” The funeral that came to her made Kolya understand that there was no escape from the war.

It was Anna Nikolaevna who led her students to the ambulance train, where they first saw wounded and killed soldiers. This left its mark on their souls. After this, Kolya began to think about the war and hate it. After all, the war took away his childhood, and not only from him, but from many children. And the boy decided for himself, in order to somehow help his homeland, he would study well, sew pouches and hate the Nazis.

A whole basket of pouches for fighters. Then, handing out pouches to the fighters, the boys will not be able to hold back their tears, because it was the fighters who shouted to them "hooray!". This will never be forgotten, no matter how much time passes.

Kolya understood the value of love for his mother, for his grandmother, for his father, who might not return from the war, for the soldiers who defended the Motherland, so that children like him could live and study.

At the end of the story we see the main character seeing off a silent train with people ready to fight.

“...The train was leaving for the war. The war continued... And there was a lot ahead of everything. I have steep mountains. Father is having difficult days...”

Vladimir Nabokov said: “The real virtue of a writer... is the ability to excite spiritual awe in others.” Such a writer for children and adults is Albert Anatolyevich Likhanov.

Krapivin, V. P. Hole Moon [Electronic resource]; An airplane named Seryozha: stories / V. Krapivin; read by I. Knyazev. A Wizard of Earthsea: a novel / read by M. Ivanov. Left hand Darkness: a novel / W. Le Guin; read by Yu. Zaborovsky. Shop of Beloved Aids; Music. Kikimora; Last cold weather; Clean pebbles: stories / A. Likhanov; read by Yu. Zaborovsky. Eye of the wolf / D. Pennac; read by A. Chovzhik. – M.: Logosvos, 2014. – 1 fk., (69 hours 33 min.).

Likhanov, A. A. Children's library [Sound recording]: stories / A. A. Likhanov. – M.: CPU UPP MGP VOS, 1987. – 3 mfk., (11 hours 30 minutes): 2.38 cm/s, 4 additional. – From the ed.: M.: Soviet writer, 1982.

Likhanov, A. A. Children's library [Text]: stories / A. A. Likhanov. – M.: Children's literature, 1986. – 254 p.

Likhanov, A. A. Boy and girl [Text]. – M.: Astrel, 2003. – 429 p.

Likhanov, A. A. My general [Text]: story / A. A. Likhanov. – M.: Childhood. Adolescence. Yunost, 2002. – 190 p.

Albert Anatolyevich Likhanov(b. September 13) - Soviet, then Russian children's and youth writer, public figure. President of the International Association of Children's Funds, Chairman of the Russian Children's Fund, Director of the Research Institute of Childhood.

Later, Albert Likhanov is invited to work in Moscow. Then he becomes a long-term employee of the popular youth magazine “Smena” - first as the executive secretary, and then, for more than thirteen years, as the editor-in-chief.

During these years, literary fame came to him. One after another, Yunost publishes his stories.

Returning to Moscow, Likhanov is doing a lot of work to prepare this important document for ratification. The Supreme Soviet of the USSR ratified the Convention, and it came into force on June 13, 1990. Later, all the republics that were part of the USSR, having received the status of independent states, confirmed the legality of the Convention on the Rights of the Child on their territories.

Likhanov also founded and headed the Scientific Research Institute of Childhood, created the literary club “Molodost” for aspiring authors, created the publishing house “Dom”, the magazines “We” for teenagers and “Tram” for kids, and subsequently the magazines “Guiding Star. School reading", "God's World", "Children of Man", "Foreign Novel". Opened the publishing, educational and cultural center “Childhood. Adolescence. Youth". On his initiative, a children's rehabilitation center of the International Association of Children's Funds was created in the Moscow region. In the Belgorod region there is an orphanage in the regional center of Rovenki, built with the financial participation of the Russian Children's Fund and also named after him. In Kirov there is a library for children and youth named after Albert Likhanov. The children's library named after Albert Likhanov operates in the city of Shakhty, Rostov region, and the Belgorod regional children's library has been given the status of "A. A. Likhanov's Library."

His works have been published in Russia in 30 million copies. Back in 1979, the publishing house "Young Guard" published "Favorites" in 2 volumes. In 1986-1987, the same publishing house published collected works in 4 volumes with a circulation of 150 thousand copies. In 2000, the Terra publishing house published a collection of works in 6 volumes. In 2005, the “Library “Love and Remember” was published in 20 books. And in 2010, “Terra” published a new collection of works in 7 volumes. In the same year, 2010, the publishing, educational and cultural center “Childhood. Adolescence. Youth” published a collection of works for children and youth by Albert Likhanov in 15 volumes with color illustrations and large print. In 2014-2015, the same publishing house published the novel “Russian Boys” in the form of a series of 11 large-format and high-quality illustrated books. In 2015, the Knigovek publishing house. published collected works in 10 volumes

In the Belgorod region (since 2000) and in the Kirov region (since 2001), annual Likhanov social-literary and literary-pedagogical readings are held, in which many children, parents, teachers, creative intelligentsia, and the public take part. In the Kirov region, the Albert Likhanov Prize was established for librarians of school, children's and rural libraries. For elementary school teachers, he established a prize named after his first teacher, A. N. Teplyashina, who taught him during the war and was awarded two Orders of Lenin. At the initiative of the writer, a memorial plaque was installed for her. 106 books by the writer have been published abroad in Russia in 34 languages.

The first collected works in 4 volumes were published in 1986-87 (“Young Guard”). In 2000 - in 6 volumes (Terra, Moscow). In 2005 - “Albert Likhanov’s Library “Love and Remember”, which included 20 non-standardly designed books (“Childhood. Adolescence. Youth”). In 2010 - a collection of works for children and youth in 15 volumes (“Childhood. Adolescence . Youth") and a collection of works in 7 volumes ("Knigovek") as a supplement to the magazine "Ogonyok".

The period of maturation of Likhanov’s talent can be roughly designated as 1967-1976. At this time, he created such significant works as the novel “Labyrinth”, the stories “Clean Pebbles”, “Deception”, “Solar Eclipse” and others. The theme of the formation of the younger generation becomes the main one in his work. The writer pays special attention to the role of family and school in raising a child and in shaping his character.

Likhanov wrote a number of wonderful works about his wartime childhood. The military theme in the writer’s work acquires special significance and organicity, because it embodies his ideas about life values, about honor, duty, feat, and human dignity. Works about wartime childhood were created by the writer on a life basis - the memory of his childhood. In them, the author conveys the feeling of what he experienced during the Great Patriotic War. Publicism, passion, truthfulness are characteristic features of Likhanov’s style in all literary genres. One of the most dramatic works about wartime childhood is the story “The Last Cold” (). This story, the stories “The Store of Beloved Aids” and “Children’s Library”, the novel “Men’s School”, form a kind of literary cycle about wartime childhood. Likhanov touches on the military theme both in the story “Military Echelon” and in the novel “My General”. In the writer’s books, the author’s personality is felt; it manifests itself primarily in the pathos of his work, in the way he relates to the moral quest of the heroes, to their uncontrollable desire to find themselves, to discover the best in themselves.

1970-1990 - the period of Likhanov’s active writing activity. He publishes works of various genres, addressed to readers of different ages. From reflections on letters from readers, the idea for a book about modern education, “Dramatic Pedagogy: Essays on Conflict Situations” (), was born, which has been translated into many languages. For this book in 1987 A. A. Likhanov was awarded the International Prize named after. Janusz Korczak. Likhanov successfully combines his creativity with active social activities in defense of children.

Albert Likhanov takes an active civic position as a defender of the moral values ​​and traditions of his Fatherland, therefore he fights with the word of the writer and the deeds of the Children's Fund to preserve happiness in the life of every child, for adults to understand the problems of the younger generation &

In the preface to the book “For These Little Ones,” Likhanov states:

Movies

• - “Family Circumstances”, based on the story “Deception”. Director L. Martynyuk, scriptwriter A. Likhanov; Minsk, Belarusfilm.
• - “My General”, 2-part television film. Director A. Benkendorf, scriptwriter A. Likhanov; Kyiv, Film Studio named after. A. Dovzhenko.
• - “Good intentions”, based on the story of the same name. Director A. Benkendorf, scriptwriter A. Likhanov; Kyiv, Film Studio named after. A. Dovzhenko.
• - “Carousel on the Market Square”, based on A. Likhanov’s story “Golgotha”. Directed by N. Istanbul, scripted by A. Likhanov. Moscow, “Mosfilm” (filmed in Slobodsky, Kirov region).
• - "Team 33". Based on the story “Military Echelon” by A. Likhanov. Director N. Gusarov, scriptwriter V. Chernykh. Sverdlovsk, Sverdlovsk Film Studio.
• - “The highest measure” (in Slovak), based on the story of the same name by A. Likhanov. Bratislava (Slovakia), Slovak Television.
• - “The Last Cold”, based on the story of the same name by A. Likhanov. Directors B. Kalymbetov, B. Iskakov, scriptwriters B. Kalymbetov, S. Narymbetov, B. Iskakov. Kazakhstan.

Awards

• Order of Merit for the Fatherland, III degree (2005)
• Order of Merit for the Fatherland, IV degree (2000) - for services to the state and many years of active social activity
• Order of Honor (2016)
• Order of Friendship (2010) - for many years of active social activities and the development of humanitarian cooperation
• Order of Honor (Georgia, 1996)
• Order of Merit, III degree (Ukraine, 2006)
• Order of Saints Cyril and Methodius, 1st degree (Bulgaria, 2007)
• Order of Francis Skaryna (Republic of Belarus, 2015)
• Order of Friendship (Republic of South Ossetia, 2010)
• Order of Honor (Republic of South Ossetia, 2015)
• medal "In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of V. I. Lenin"
• medal "For the construction of the Baikal-Amur Mainline"
• medals of the USSR, Armenia and Belarus
• Prize of the President of the Russian Federation in the field of education (2003) - for the creation of family orphanages
• Prize of the Government of the Russian Federation in the field of culture (2009) - for the dilogy “Russian Boys” and “Men’s School”
• State Prize of the RSFSR named after N.K. Krupskaya (1980) - for the novel “My General” and the stories “Deception” and “Solar Eclipse”
• Lenin Komsomol Prize (1976) - for books for children “Music”, “Family Circumstances”, “My General”
• International J. Korczak Prize (1987) - for the book “Dramatic Pedagogy” (The prize was donated by the writer to the Polish J. Korczak Foundation)
• The international medal “Ecce Homo - Gloria Homini” (“Here is Man - Glory to Man”) was presented on March 4, 2013 in Poland at the Warsaw Royal Palace by the outstanding Polish actress Beata Tyszkiewicz and the famous public figure Stanislaw Kowalski, President of the “Hurry with Help” Foundation. The award has number 2, the first medal was awarded quite some time ago to the Minister of Health of Poland, the famous doctor Zbigniew Religa.
• The Russian Ludwig Nobel Prize (2014) was awarded on March 30, 2014 at the residence of the President of the Russian Federation - the Konstantinovsky Palace in Strelna.

Russian Orthodox Church:

Armenian Apostolic Holy Church:

• Order of Saint Sahak - Saint Mesrop (2015).

Muslim:

• Order of Al-Fakhr, II degree (2003)
• Order of Al-Fakhr, 1st class (2005)

International Maxim Gorky Prize, International Janusz Korczak Prize, French-Japanese Cultural Prize named after V. Hugo (1996), Cyril and Methodius Prize (Bulgaria, 2000), Sakura Prize (Japan, 2001), Oliver Prize (USA, 2005). Prize named after Nikolai Ostrovsky (1982), named after Boris Polevoy (1984), named after Alexander Green (2000), “Prokhorovsky Field” (2003), “Great Literary Prize of Russia” of the SPR and the “Diamonds of Russia” campaign (2002) for the novel “Nobody” "and the story "Broken Doll", prize named after D. Mamin-Sibiryak (2005), named after Vladislav Krapivin (2006), named after N. A. Ostrovsky (2007). Special Prize named after I. A. Bunin “for outstanding contribution to Russian literature for children and youth” (2008).

International Literary Prize named after. Fyodor Dostoevsky (2011), Tallinn; Russian Literary Prize named after. A. I. Herzen (2012) for the volume of social journalism “For these little ones (Letters in Defense of Childhood)”, 5th edition - the writer donated the material part of the prize to the Library for Children and Youth on Orlovskaya Street in Kirov to perpetuate the memory of A. I. Herzen, V. Zhukovsky, M. E. Saltykov-Shchedrin and other wonderful people who were there. On September 27, 2013, at the Republican Drama Theater of the Republic of Bashkortostan, Albert Likhanov was awarded the Russian Literary Aksakov Prize by decree of the President of Bashkortostan R. Khamitov. In December 2013, he was awarded the Golden Knight award - “for outstanding contribution to children's literature.” In July 2015, the All-Russian Prize "Russian Way" named after F.I. Tyutchev was awarded. On February 22, 2016, by decision of the International Astronomical Union (IAU), minor planet N 73638 was given the name Likhanov.

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Literature

• Anninsky L. The circle of existence of Albert Likhanov. M.: Childhood. Adolescence. Youth, 2012.
• Biobibliographic index “Albert Likhanov” (prepared by the Kirov Regional scientific library named after A.I. Herzen). M. Childhood. Adolescence. Youth, 2012.

Notes

Links

• in the Vadim Ershov Public Library

An excerpt characterizing Likhanov, Albert Anatolyevich

After an hour and a half, most of the players were already jokingly looking at their own game.
The whole game focused on Rostov alone. Instead of one thousand six hundred rubles, a long column of numbers was written down behind him, which he had counted up to the tenth thousand, but which now, as he vaguely assumed, had already risen to fifteen thousand. In fact, the entry already exceeded twenty thousand rubles. Dolokhov no longer listened or told stories; he followed every movement of Rostov’s hands and occasionally glanced briefly at his note behind him. He decided to continue the game until this entry increased to forty-three thousand. He chose this number because forty-three was the sum of his years added up with Sonya's years. Rostov, leaning his head on both hands, sat in front of a table covered with writings, covered in wine, and littered with cards. One painful impression did not leave him: these broad-boned, reddish hands with hair visible from under his shirt, these hands that he loved and hated, held him in their power.
“Six hundred rubles, ace, corner, nine... it’s impossible to win back!... And how fun it would be at home... Jack on n... it can’t be!... And why is he doing this to me?...” Rostov thought and recalled. Sometimes he would play a big card; but Dolokhov refused to beat her, and he himself nominated the jackpot. Nicholas submitted to him, and then prayed to God, as he prayed on the battlefield on the Amsteten Bridge; then he wished that the card that would be the first to fall into his hand from a pile of curved cards under the table would save him; either he calculated how many laces there were on his jacket and with the same number of points he tried to bet a card on the entire loss, then he looked around at the other players for help, then he peered into Dolokhov’s now cold face and tried to understand what was going on inside him.
“After all, he knows what this loss means to me. He can't want my death, can he? After all, he was my friend. After all, I loved him... But it’s not his fault either; What should he do when he is lucky? And it’s not my fault, he told himself. I didn't do anything wrong. Have I killed anyone, insulted anyone, or wished harm? Why such a terrible misfortune? And when did it start? Just recently I approached this table with the thought of winning a hundred rubles, buying this box for my mother’s name day and going home. I was so happy, so free, cheerful! And I didn’t understand then how happy I was! When did this end, and when did this new, terrible state begin? What marked this change? I still sat in this place, at this table, and still chose and pushed out cards, and looked at these big-boned, dexterous hands. When did this happen, and what happened? I am healthy, strong and still the same, and still in the same place. No, it can't be! It’s true that all this will not end in anything.”
He was red and covered in sweat, despite the fact that the room was not hot. And his face was scary and pitiful, especially due to his powerless desire to appear calm.
The recording has reached fatal number forty three thousand. Rostov prepared a card, which was supposed to be an angle from the three thousand rubles that had just been given to him, when Dolokhov, knocking the deck, put it aside and, taking the chalk, quickly began, in his clear, strong handwriting, breaking the chalk, to summarize Rostov’s note.
- Dinner, time for dinner! Here come the gypsies! - Indeed, with their gypsy accent, some black men and women were already coming in from the cold and saying something. Nikolai understood that it was all over; but he said in an indifferent voice:
- Well, you won’t do it yet? And I have a nice card prepared. “It was as if he was most interested in the fun of the game itself.”
“It’s over, I’m lost! he thought. Now there’s a bullet in the forehead - only one thing remains,” and at the same time he said in a cheerful voice:
- Well, one more card.
“Okay,” answered Dolokhov, having finished the summary, “good!” “It’s 21 rubles,” he said, pointing to the number 21, which equaled exactly 43 thousand, and taking the deck, he prepared to throw. Rostov obediently turned the corner and instead of the prepared 6,000, he carefully wrote 21.
“It doesn’t matter to me,” he said, “I’m only interested in knowing whether you’ll kill or give me this ten.”
Dolokhov began throwing seriously. Oh, how Rostov at that moment hated these hands, reddish with short fingers and with hair visible from under his shirt, which had him in their power... Ten was given.
“You have 43 thousand behind you, Count,” said Dolokhov and stood up from the table, stretching. “But you get tired of sitting for so long,” he said.
“Yes, I’m tired too,” said Rostov.
Dolokhov, as if reminding him that it was indecent for him to joke, interrupted him: When will you order the money, Count?
Rostov flushed and called Dolokhov into another room.
“I can’t suddenly pay everything, you’ll take the bill,” he said.
“Listen, Rostov,” said Dolokhov, smiling clearly and looking into Nikolai’s eyes, “you know the saying: “Happy in love, unhappy in cards.” Your cousin is in love with you. I know.
"ABOUT! it’s terrible to feel so in the power of this man,” thought Rostov. Rostov understood what blow he would deal to his father and mother by announcing this loss; he understood what happiness it would be to get rid of all this, and he understood that Dolokhov knew that he could save him from this shame and grief, and now he still wanted to play with him, like a cat with a mouse.
“Your cousin...” Dolokhov wanted to say; but Nikolai interrupted him.
“My cousin has nothing to do with it, and there is nothing to talk about her!” - he shouted furiously.
- So when can I get it? – asked Dolokhov.
“Tomorrow,” said Rostov, and left the room.

It was not difficult to say “tomorrow” and maintain a tone of decency; but to come home alone, to see your sisters, brother, mother, father, to confess and ask for money to which you have no right after your word of honor was given.
We weren't sleeping at home yet. The youth of the Rostov house, having returned from the theater, having had dinner, sat at the clavichord. As soon as Nikolai entered the hall, he was overwhelmed by that loving, poetic atmosphere that reigned in their house that winter and which now, after Dolokhov’s proposal and Iogel’s ball, seemed to thicken even more, like the air before a thunderstorm, over Sonya and Natasha. Sonya and Natasha, in the blue dresses they wore at the theater, pretty and knowing it, happy, smiling, stood at the clavichord. Vera and Shinshin were playing chess in the living room. The old countess, waiting for her son and husband, was playing solitaire with an old noblewoman who lived in their house. Denisov, with shining eyes and tousled hair, sat with his leg thrown back at the clavichord, clapping them with his short fingers, striking chords, and rolling his eyes, in his small, hoarse, but faithful voice, sang the poem he had composed, “The Sorceress,” to which he was trying to find music.
Sorceress, tell me what power
Draws me to abandoned strings;
What fire have you planted in your heart,
What delight flowed through my fingers!
He sang in a passionate voice, shining at the frightened and happy Natasha with his agate, black eyes.
- Wonderful! Great! – Natasha shouted. “Another verse,” she said, not noticing Nikolai.
“They have everything the same,” thought Nikolai, looking into the living room, where he saw Vera and his mother with the old woman.
- A! Here comes Nikolenka! – Natasha ran up to him.
- Is daddy at home? - he asked.
– I’m so glad you came! – Natasha said without answering, “we’re having so much fun.” Vasily Dmitrich remains for me one more day, you know?
“No, dad hasn’t come yet,” said Sonya.
- Coco, you have arrived, come to me, my friend! - said the countess's voice from the living room. Nikolai approached his mother, kissed her hand and, silently sitting down at her table, began to look at her hands, laying out the cards. Laughter and cheerful voices were still heard from the hall, persuading Natasha.
“Well, okay, okay,” Denisov shouted, “now there’s no point in making excuses, barcarolla is behind you, I beg you.”
The Countess looked back at her silent son.
- What happened to you? – Nikolai’s mother asked.
“Oh, nothing,” he said, as if he was already tired of this same question.
- Will daddy arrive soon?
- I think.
“Everything is the same for them. They don't know anything! Where should I go?” thought Nikolai and went back to the hall where the clavichord stood.
Sonya sat at the clavichord and played the prelude of the barcarolle that Denisov especially loved. Natasha was going to sing. Denisov looked at her with delighted eyes.
Nikolai began to walk back and forth around the room.
“And now you want to make her sing? – what can she sing? And there’s nothing fun here,” thought Nikolai.
Sonya struck the first chord of the prelude.
“My God, I am lost, I am a dishonest person. A bullet in the forehead, the only thing left to do is not sing, he thought. Leave? but where? anyway, let them sing!”
Nikolai gloomily, continuing to walk around the room, glanced at Denisov and the girls, avoiding their gaze.
“Nikolenka, what’s wrong with you?” – asked Sonya’s gaze fixed on him. She immediately saw that something had happened to him.
Nikolai turned away from her. Natasha, with her sensitivity, also instantly noticed her brother’s condition. She noticed him, but she herself was so happy at that moment, she was so far from grief, sadness, reproaches, that she (as often happens with young people) deliberately deceived herself. No, I’m having too much fun now to spoil my fun by sympathizing with someone else’s grief, she felt, and said to herself:
“No, I’m rightly wrong, he should be as cheerful as I am.” Well, Sonya,” she said and went out to the very middle of the hall, where, in her opinion, the resonance was best. Raising her head, lowering her lifelessly hanging hands, as dancers do, Natasha, energetically shifting from heel to tiptoe, walked through the middle of the room and stopped.
"Here I am!" as if she was speaking in response to the enthusiastic gaze of Denisov, who was watching her.
“And why is she happy! - Nikolai thought, looking at his sister. And how isn’t she bored and ashamed!” Natasha hit the first note, her throat expanded, her chest straightened, her eyes took on a serious expression. She was not thinking about anyone or anything at that moment, and sounds flowed from her folded mouth into a smile, those sounds that anyone can make at the same intervals and at the same intervals, but which a thousand times leave you cold, in the thousand and first times they make you shudder and cry.
This winter Natasha began to sing seriously for the first time, especially because Denisov admired her singing. She no longer sang like a child, there was no longer in her singing that comic, childish diligence that was in her before; but she still did not sing well, as all the expert judges who listened to her said. "Not processed, but beautiful voice“We need to process it,” everyone said. But they usually said this long after her voice had fallen silent. At the same time, when this raw voice sounded with irregular aspirations and with efforts of transitions, even the expert judges did not say anything, and only enjoyed this raw voice and only wanted to hear it again. In her voice there was that virginal pristineness, that ignorance of her own strengths and that still unprocessed velvet, which were so combined with the shortcomings of the art of singing that it seemed impossible to change anything in this voice without spoiling it.
“What is this? - Nikolai thought, hearing her voice and opening his eyes wide. -What happened to her? How does she sing these days? - he thought. And suddenly the whole world focused for him in anticipation of the next note, the next phrase, and everything in the world became divided into three tempos: “Oh mio crudele affetto... [Oh my Cruel love…] One, two, three... one, two... three... one... Oh mio crudele affetto... One, two, three... one. Eh, our life is stupid! - Nikolai thought. All this, and misfortune, and money, and Dolokhov, and anger, and honor - all this is nonsense... but here it is real... Hey, Natasha, well, my dear! Well, mother!... how will she take this si? I took it! God bless!" - and he, without noticing that he was singing, in order to strengthen this si, took the second as a third high note. "My God! how good! Did I really take it? how happy!” he thought.
ABOUT! how this third trembled, and how something better that was in Rostov’s soul was touched. And this was something independent of everything in the world, and above everything in the world. What kind of losses are there, and the Dolokhovs, and honestly!... It’s all nonsense! You can kill, steal and still be happy...

Rostov has not experienced such pleasure from music for a long time as on this day. But as soon as Natasha finished her barcarolle, reality came back to him again. He left without saying anything and went downstairs to his room. A quarter of an hour later the old count, cheerful and satisfied, arrived from the club. Nikolai, hearing his arrival, went to him.
- Well, did you have fun? - said Ilya Andreich, smiling joyfully and proudly at his son. Nikolai wanted to say “yes,” but he couldn’t: he almost burst into tears. The Count was lighting his pipe and did not notice his son’s condition.
“Oh, inevitably!” - Nikolai thought for the first time and last time. And suddenly, in the most casual tone, such that he seemed disgusted to himself, as if he was asking the carriage to go to the city, he told his father.
- Dad, I came to you for business. I forgot about it. I need money.
“That’s it,” said the father, who was in a particularly cheerful spirit. - I told you that it won’t be enough. Is it a lot?
“A lot,” Nikolai said, blushing and with a stupid, careless smile, which for a long time later he could not forgive himself. – I lost a little, that is, a lot, even a lot, 43 thousand.
- What? Who?... You're kidding! - shouted the count, suddenly turning apoplectic red in the neck and back of his head, like old people blush.
“I promised to pay tomorrow,” said Nikolai.
“Well!...” said the old count, spreading his arms and sank helplessly onto the sofa.
- What to do! Who hasn't this happened to? - said the son in a cheeky, bold tone, while in his soul he considered himself a scoundrel, a scoundrel who could not atone for his crime with his whole life. He would have liked to kiss his father's hands, on his knees to ask for his forgiveness, but he said in a careless and even rude tone that this happens to everyone.
Count Ilya Andreich lowered his eyes when he heard these words from his son and hurried, looking for something.
“Yes, yes,” he said, “it’s difficult, I’m afraid, it’s difficult to get... never happened to anyone!” yes, who hasn’t happened to... - And the count glanced briefly into his son’s face and walked out of the room... Nikolai was preparing to fight back, but he never expected this.
- Daddy! pa... hemp! - he shouted after him, sobbing; excuse me! “And, grabbing his father’s hand, he pressed his lips to it and began to cry.

While the father was explaining to his son, an equally important explanation was taking place between the mother and daughter. Natasha ran to her mother excitedly.
- Mom!... Mom!... he did it to me...
- What did you do?
- I did, I proposed. Mother! Mother! - she shouted. The Countess could not believe her ears. Denisov proposed. To whom? This tiny girl Natasha, who had recently been playing with dolls and was now taking lessons.
- Natasha, that’s complete nonsense! – she said, still hoping that it was a joke.
- Well, that's nonsense! “I’m telling you the truth,” Natasha said angrily. – I came to ask what to do, and you tell me: “nonsense”...
The Countess shrugged.
“If it’s true that Monsieur Denisov proposed to you, then tell him that he’s a fool, that’s all.”
“No, he’s not a fool,” Natasha said offendedly and seriously.
- Well, what do you want? You are all in love these days. Well, you’re in love, so marry him! – the countess said, laughing angrily. - With God blessing!
- No, mom, I’m not in love with him, I must not be in love with him.
- Well, tell him so.
- Mom, are you angry? You’re not angry, my dear, what’s my fault?
- No, what about it, my friend? If you want, I’ll go and tell him,” said the countess, smiling.
- No, I’ll do it myself, just teach me. Everything is easy for you,” she added, responding to her smile. - If only you could see how he told me this! After all, I know that he didn’t mean to say this, but he said it by accident.
- Well, you still have to refuse.
- No, don't. I feel so sorry for him! He is so cute.
- Well, then accept the offer. “And then it’s time to get married,” the mother said angrily and mockingly.
- No, mom, I feel so sorry for him. I don't know how I'll say it.
“You don’t have anything to say, I’ll say it myself,” said the countess, indignant that they dared to look at this little Natasha as if she were big.
“No, no way, I myself, and you listen at the door,” and Natasha ran through the living room into the hall, where Denisov was sitting on the same chair, by the clavichord, covering his face with his hands. He jumped up at the sound of her light steps.