Evgeny Khramov is a Russian poet. However, this figure is known in the literature primarily for his translations. Thanks to Khramov, Soviet readers became acquainted with the work of such a writer as Henry Miller. The poet also translated into Russian the works of Rilke, Kipling, Galchinsky.
Poetry and chess
Khramov Evgeny Lvovich was born in Moscow in 1932. Therefore, he was by no means glorified. His poems are known in narrow literary circles. The main feature of Khramov was a high level of erudition, truly encyclopedic knowledge in various fields.
The parents of the future poet were chemists. Evgeny Khramov did not follow in their footsteps, but entered the law faculty of Moscow State University. He worked as an investigator for several years. The non-poetic work of the forensic scientist was apparently languishing in the temples of Khramov. After all, from his youth he loved above all poetry and chess. Such different hobbies are another confirmation of the extraordinary nature of this person. Evgeny Khramov is the only poet in Russian literature who received the title of master of chess.
Expeditions to taiga
In the sixties of the last century, many Soviet intellectuals were captured by the romance of taiga travel. Expeditions of geologists, evening songs by the fire ... Young people from Arbat, Malaya Bronnaya went on long trips in order to stock up on impressions and experience. One of these romantics was Evgeny Khramov. Then, in the sixties of the last century, the first poetry collection of the young poet was published.
Educational activities
The works of Khramov were published in the journal New World. He also spoke on television and radio, conducted poetry workshops. The students of the poet spoke of him as an unusually tactful, intelligent person. Evgeni Khramov did not impose his point of view at literary seminars. Poems even far from perfect were not criticized. Temples used to gently point out the flaws present in the works of novice authors, on examples of works by more experienced poets.
One of the poet’s famous statements addressed to the audience of the seminar: “If half of you stop writing poetry in a few years, I will assume that you have lived your life for good reason.”
Translation Activities
Khramov also engaged in literary translation. From time to time, works by foreign authors have been published in the New World magazine. The Soviet poet translated Kipling, Rilke, Galchinsky. In particular, one of the Russian-language analogues of the poem of the German romantic “Loneliness” (Einsamkeit) belongs to the hero of this article.
Once in the hands of Khramov came the publication of Casanova's memoirs in French. The poet was passionate about the hectic, adventurous life of an eighteenth-century adventurer. Casanova’s biography included countless adventures, jailbreak, meetings with historical figures such as Voltaire, Catherine II. In 1991, the publishing house "Olympus" published a book of memoirs of the famous adventurer in the translation of Yevgeny Khramov.
Casanova’s memoirs were the first steps to eroticism in Soviet literature. Khramov later translated the novel Emmanuel, which was subsequently published in a Georgian publishing house. This time the poet performed under a pseudonym. From foreign prose Khramov also translated some of the works of the Marquis de Sade. But he considered his main work to be a translation of part of the trilogy “The Rose of the Crucifixion”. Khramov was also interested in the work of the writer little known in the Soviet years, Henry Miller.
The Soviet translator translated prose from English, German, French, and Polish.
The works of some talented representatives of the peoples of the USSR became known thanks to his translations. Although the time to create his own poetic works was found by Yevgeny Khramov. All poems ("Hunting", "I have passed the field of life ...", "There is silence in Moscow lanes ..." and so on) are contained in the following collections:
- "Prospectuses and country roads."
- "Beloved people."
- "Sensation of color."
- "Autumnal equinox."
- "Where are you going, people."
- "City life".
Political Views
The last project of Khramov is “The Black Book of Communism”. The poet claimed that he was not interested in politics. But one day, leaving the house to the store, he disappeared for several days. On Pokrovka Street that day a demonstration was held in defense of publicity. Khramov decided to support the protesters and followed them all the way to the Belorussky Station, where he was arrested and detained for several days. Subsequently, the poet assured his colleagues and relatives that participation in the demonstration was an accident, and political games would never affect his life.
Evgeny Khramov passed away in 2001. Buried in Moscow.