Grigory Bentsionovich Oster is a unique and unpredictable children's writer, author of many funny and interesting poems and stories. His work is extraordinary and controversial, his books are collapsible and popular. How can one explain the success and incredible interest that caused Grigory Oster among the popular reading public? What did this incredible, charismatic writer begin with and in what other types of creative activities did he manage to participate? Let's find out.
We all come from childhood
The full name of George Oster is Grigory Bentsionovich. The name of the father of the writer literally translates as "son of Zion." This suggests that the children's writer has Jewish roots.
Grigory Oster was born in seaside Odessa, in the rainy autumn of 1947. However, parents soon moved to sunny Crimean Yalta, where the boy spent his entire childhood and youth. Yalta is an interesting picturesque city with grandiose architectural monuments and magnificent natural landscapes. However, Oster’s school memories are not associated with nature or art, but with more pragmatic things.
As the writer once admitted, his brightest childhood memories are a wonderful siphon, thanks to which it was possible to drink soda in the house, as well as school collecting scrap metal, because of which he climbed with the guys to the factories in search of something iron.
Acquaintance with literature
Mom instilled a love of writing and elegant literature to Oster. She worked as a librarian, so from her birth she read literature to her son. And not some, but Russian classics - the immortal creations of Pushkin and Lermontov.
Grigory Oster, who learned to read quite early, with all his heart fell in love with literary works. At first it was, of course, fables and fairy tales. A little later - children's domestic classics, which was replaced by adult poetry and science fiction. Until now, Grigory Bentsionovich loves two writers whose works are regularly re-read with an interval of five to six years. This is Dumas and Dostoevsky.
Youth
At the age of eighteen, having received secondary education, the future writer was drafted into the army, which served in the Northern Fleet. After a three-year military service, George Oster decides to devote his life to writing and goes to conquer Moscow. The young man enters the Gorky Literary Institute in the capital at the faculty of drama.
The first samples of the pen
At first, the novice writer was attracted by creative activity for adults - he wrote beautiful lyrical works with a psychological and philosophical bias. However, in those days (the beginning of the 1970s), to make a living by poetry, it was necessary to compose rhymes only in honor of the party and party ideas. Therefore, the gifted young man decided to retrain. Since then, the creative biography of George Oster has found its bright exclusive destiny - he became a children's writer.
He wanted to please and amuse the little readers, conveying information at their level in a lively and figurative language. Children do not need many intricate words and sentences. They like funny short phrases that help them look at themselves from the outside, find a solution to a difficult problem, or just have fun.
Cartoon screenwriter
In the period from 1970 to 1980, Grigory Bentsionovich Oster was the screenwriter of many funny cartoons that are still popular. In his witty sparkling works, such funny comedic paintings as “A Garland of Babies”, “A Kitten named Woof”, “Beware, Monkeys!”, “Got That Biting” were created. These animated films reflect the cheerful and fervent character of their screenwriter, his simple comedic humor and cheerful gambling delight, which not only entertains and amuses, but also educates, admonishes, and educates. For example, small spectators, carefully watching mischievous mischievous monkeys, can see themselves in them and laugh at their pranks and mischief. A touching and good-natured kitten named Gav will certainly teach the children to be friends, share, be responsive and attentive.
Great movie
It should also be mentioned that according to the scenario of Oster, the feature film “Until the First Blood” was shot, telling about the realities of the military-patriotic game “Zarnitsa”. The guys from the pioneer camp, who decided to take part in the competition, are divided into “blue” and “green”. They are rapidly experiencing the events of an exciting game, trying to match the ideal of the selected characters. The plot of the film in allegorical form conveys the psychology of a real war through the eyes of emotional teenagers.
The history of the popularity of “Bad advice”
The most that George Oster has become famous for is his unsurpassed and eccentric “Bad Advice”. The first tips were printed in separate rhymes in 1983 in the children's magazine Kolobok. What is the response to this unusual work received Gregory Oster? “Bad advice” was assessed by the Soviet government as dissident, undermining parental and teacher authority. They caused an explosion of rage and misunderstanding among the adult public. How did the children's writer Oster react to this? “Bad advice” was a matter of principle for him. He understood that he had put the correct, but unusual idea into the book, so he tried his best to convey it to the Russian public. Soon he had a new opportunity.
The writer Oster was invited to the radio, where he managed to read out several of his "harmful" poems. The success was overwhelming! The radio station was littered with letters for the writer. One half of the correspondence was written by angry adults, and the second by happy children. Little listeners admitted that they would not follow bad advice, but that it was very funny and interesting to listen to them. Some time after this incident, the first full-fledged publication of “Bad Advice” was released. Three more followed. Now this book is one of the most read in children's literature and is a symbolic business card of Oster.
The history of the creation of “Bad advice”
What prompted the author to start writing these humorous poems, which cause so much anxiety and excitement among readers? The point is, as Georgy Oster himself explained, that many children, by virtue of their nature, constantly act contrary to what is required of them. For example, they are asked to brush their teeth, but they refuse. Or greet them, and they turn away in response. What to do? How to fix the situation? Grigory Oster found a way out - to give children harmful advice, so that they would do the opposite, and it turned out right! Is this method suitable for raising naughty children? Time will tell.
Other publications
Among many other books by Oster it is worth paying attention to his non-fiction works in a comic form. This is the “Problem book in mathematics”, and “Physics”, and “Petka-microbe”. What is remarkable about these publications? Let us briefly illustrate with one example what George Oster wanted to achieve with his works. The “Math Book”, which he wrote to help those who do not like to study, will encourage your child to look at arithmetic in a new way.
The book really contains entertaining puzzles. However, these are not familiar school tasks. These are unusual, fascinating mathematical exercises that will impress the child with their eccentricity and ingenuity, will help him engage his imagination and fantasy. After reading this book, a little reader will most likely have a desire to solve ordinary school problems.
The specifics of creativity
What is remarkable for the literary works of Oster? As the writer himself explains, he writes not only for children, but also for adults. One of his goals is to make sure that when reading a work together, it would be interesting to read not only to the kids, but also to their parents. Therefore, the poems of George Oster are expressive and dynamic, they raise issues of interest to readers of all ages. They cause a cheerful smile and sincere laughter, good mood and improve well-being.
The same can be said about the prosaic works written by George Oster. The stories and tales of the writer take readers to the wonderful world of childhood, a fictional fairy-tale country where one world and fun, joy and enthusiasm, friendship and adventure reign.
State project
It is interesting that since 2004 Georgy Oster has been one of the participants in the Kremlin Internet project “The President of Russia for School-Age Citizens”. This online resource helps children to orient themselves in the political and public life of the country, and the writer, thanks to his easy style and comic style, clearly and naturally explains to young users deep and serious disciplines, as well as answers to their various questions. In connection with this activity, Oster repeatedly meets with the President of the Russian Federation, discussing various topics with him. The work that Grigory Bentsionovich conducts in the Internet project, he does voluntarily and free of charge.
Another Auster media project (from 2008 to 2009) was his children's television program, which he hosted with a vibrant and eccentric host Glucose. The program was a competition game for children, consisting of several stages, the prize of which was a win of twenty five thousand rubles!
Personal life
Children's writer Grigory Oster was married four times. He maintained friendly and warm relations with all his wives, since by nature the writer is a man of non-conflict and peace-loving nature. Grigory Bentsionovich is the father of five children and the grandfather of several grandchildren. The poet’s three children are already self-sufficient adults, two are teenagers, whom the loving father has created the most comfortable conditions for growing up.
How does a writer spend his free time? Of course, together with his large family. George Oster loves traveling with his wife and children. But often these trips boil down to happy and pleasant trips to the poet’s homeland - to Yalta. From early childhood, the writer loves the Crimea. The azure sky, boundless distances, a gentle wind and warm sun - this is all that a writer needs to have a good rest after hard workdays and gain positive emotions after a gray rainy Moscow. We very much hope that in the future the writer will please us with his bright satirical works.