IN MEMORY
VITALY IVANOVICH BUGROV
(May 14, 1935 – July 24, 1994)
Sergey BEREZHNOY
I wrote this song a long time ago.
It wrote itself, as only the best are usually written.
songs. It was written like that because I knew exactly who I was for
I write it:
Tune in to the Sverdlovsk wave
And the chirping of all the grasshoppers of the ether
Suddenly he will miss: “I’m waiting for you, my dear...” -
And you will understand that there is no need to hesitate,
That somewhere far away, in a mountain of malachite
It’s waiting for you among the high cliffs
The owner of that mountain is the sorceress Aelita -
And only you have the key to her wealth...
On my second "Aelita" I never managed to sing it in his
presence. It didn't work out. Well, I thought, I’ll make it.
Five years have passed. We met at the Efremov Readings and "In-
terpresscon" in St. Petersburg, at other congresses and conferences - and under
I always didn’t have a guitar in my hand, or something else got in the way,
or... Okay, I thought, okay, I’ll make it in time!
...The law of the path is unimaginably harsh:
We divide distance by speed,
We calculate time like self-interest,
We speed up the clock with prayers.
There's a castle somewherefrom warm granite,
And the dragon wrapped itself in a ring around the wall...
And in that castle Princess Aelita is sad -
She's scared without you in that huge castle...
At this Interpresscon I once mentioned in a conversation about
this song. Vitaly Ivanovich should come, I said. I have
I have been saving a gift for him for a long time. If he comes, I'll go to the concert
I’ll sing it especially for him...
...Landing. Airplane on the runway.
The Sverdlovsk train pulled up to the platform.
The coachman tucked the two-kopeck piece into his belt
And the spaceship landed softly in Koltsovo.
And here - at the end of the path - the last prayer:
Accept us and save us from everyday sleep,
Beautiful as life, goddess Aelita,
Sverdlovsk spring open to the world!
He never arrived...
Andrey BALABUCHA
AT LEAST SOMETHING THAT I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO SAY...
They say that if you reach forty, you wake up one day and find...
pretending that nothing hurts you, it means you’re already there
light. I don’t know, maybe for the advocates of the now fashionable healthy image
life and manages to postpone this milestone. But even so, I can't
imagine someone managing to get rid of the pain of a memory
tee. At different ages, each of us begins to lead our own
martyrology - and the later the better! - but we all sooner or later
we come to the point that you begin to feel its weight on your soul constantly
but, as some integral part of themyself. Like a rosary, interrupt
heaven of names.
Dima Bruskin, Lem's translator, permanent secretary of the fa-
ntastov in "Zvezda" - it was he who introduced me there at sixty
moat...
And Grandfather, Ilya Iosifovich Varshavsky, permanent chairman
this club, and then, already in the late sixties, the first head
speaker of the seminar for young science fiction writers at the Writers' Union...
And Georgy Sergeevich Martynov - tragically failed to realize
himself a writer and a fully realized person.
Rosary, rosary...
Evgeny Pavlovich Brandis and Vladimir Ivanovich Dmitrievsky.
Lev Vasilievich Uspensky. Gennady Samoilovich Gor. Alexander Me-
ers. Alexander Shalimov. Sergey Snegov. Dmitry Bilenkin and Roman
Podolny. Oleg Sokolov - the era of the “Seeker”... Vitya Zhilin, and
not having time to hold his own book in his hands; she's not there yet
day...
Rosaries, rosaries... And not all of them are named, but only a small part, and
I want to talk about everyone and talk about them, and everyone - in their own way -
it hurts in your memory, and with the loss of everyone your own shrinks
a world from which more and more parts are cut off, and nothing
is forgotten, but only retreats deeper, and even though the wound heals over time,
stretches, but scars remain, and their aching pain with every movement
Only one thing can drown out a marriage - a fresh wound.
And now - Vitalik. Vitaly Ivanovich Bugrov.
A few days ago we spoke on the phone. I regretted
that he can'tcome to the Belyaev Prize presentation. Stories-
shaft about "Aelita". Made plans. And now Volodya Mikha and I are sitting -
Yilov - and suddenly there was a call. "Vitaly Ivanovich died." Maybe that's why
I still refuse to believe that I haven’t seen it with my own eyes.
Something protests inside. He cannot and does not want to accept. Although mentally
and I understand: it’s a fact. Immutable and irrevocable. What the hell is it?
the expanding universe is a contracting one. And every time - everything
more painful.
We learned about each other more than thirty years ago. I don't remember
exactly what year it was - sixty-two, I think. "Urals-
cue pathfinder" then announced a competition for the best science fiction
story, and I decided to take a chance. Not much was written, and after a while
to speak now is pure childhood: the story is fantastic-historical
kaya - about the Incas and several stories. And here is the last one and
sent. And Vitaly - he didn’t work at Pathfinder back then,
didn’t even think about it, but he himself gradually sinned with fantasy, even
I published one story - I was assigned to write a review based on the results of the co-
ncourse. And my story, which, of course, remained unpublished,
Vitaly dedicated to the bathrooms (and it wasn’t worth it!) in his review
paragraph. For some reason he liked the ineptness of this opus. And then,
already in sixty-eight, we met for the first time, turning correspondence
personal acquaintance. We met here in St. Petersburg, at my home, and
we talked all evening and half the night, and it wasdrank a lot of coffee and didn't
only coffee (although there is still more coffee - in this regard Vitalik
even then he did not know his equal); and somehow a mutual relationship immediately arose
sympathy, which then, over the years, turned into correspondence -
meetings were rare, all my life like that! - first as a friend, and
then into friendship. Meetings! Yes for all time, if you count from
sixty-eighth, seven or eight months will be difficult to gain - and
this is for a quarter of a century... And a month of them - on this, the first, this -
seventy-sixth All-Union Seminar of Young Science Fiction Writers and
adventurers in Moscow, in the dorm of the Literary Institute on Dobro Avenue
love, where Vitalik and I started the tradition, since then
strictly observed - at all conventions, seminars,
broadcasts and so on, where we both ended up, settling in the same room
least (or, if the rooms turned out to be, fortunately, single rooms -
nearby). True, that time Vitalik was not very lucky: an ulcer
stomach, no matter how hard I tried to drown it, damned, absorbing phantasm
istic portions of ice cream still led him to Sklifasovs-
to whom, and, returning to St. Petersburg, I left him there. More than that:
engrossed in business, didn’t even have time to stop by to say goodbye - and then
I punished myself for this for many years, although Vitalik himself never told me that
I didn’t put the bast in the line...
And according to another tradition, every year Vitalik comes to St. Petersburg
stayed with me many times. And thenthe feast of communication began -
on any topic, as a rule, not dry and not on an empty stomach, but
the main delicacy has always been conversations: about literature and fan-
statistics in particular, about philosophy and psychology, politics and love
vi...
By the way, about love. He is not a modern person, Vitaly. Fortunately. I will never forget one of his phrases: “Fiction is the most valuable
sophisticated literature." This may not always be true (not about
I tell Willy Kone - and that SF that is real literature is by no means
is always puritanical). But chastity is not a privilege
gia of eunuchs and impotents: even the most ardent love scenes can be
to write truly chastely - this is how authenticity is tested
writing talent. And here’s what’s interesting: Vitalik, a gentle man
the greatest, a model of tolerance, smart and innately intelligent,
in these matters he knew how to show amazing firmness. And when
was preparing for publication my “May Day” (so in “Pathfinder” and not
appeared, but that’s not our fault), forced me
remove one fragment; then they threw him out three times in “Detgiz”,
and in the Young Guard, but if there I was angry with the editors, all
once again reminiscent of Meer's words dropped once during
work on “Flying Nomads”: “For “Bonfire”, and not for the production
spending!" - it never occurred to me to be offended by Vitaly.
And not out of friendship, but because he
knew howalways form so tactfully - even if not accepted
If they were small in the soul, then there was no bitterness left. And in general, re-
he was a dactor, as they say, by the grace of God.
The editorial tribe is divided into three clans: talents, activists and
lazy people. The latter are the most harmless, because they never
interfere, but they are of no use, although they act out of evil
fight less. The activist who interferes in everything is scary.
row, dyes brunettes blondes because they are more attractive to him
like it best, rearranges phrases to suit your taste - in a word, save
God! Vitalik was talented. He found the author and the work. And
Then I didn’t touch it unnecessarily. For all my "Pathfinder" publications
lications is the only time he allowed himself to change in the story
one word - and I am still grateful to him for it, so much so...
the phrase became clearer and more meaningful... But still, two or three editors
who is the class I have met in my life. The phenomenon of Bugrov is unique
calen Because this literary employee of a provincial magazine (for-
he became the leading department and member of the editorial board, oh, how late!) was
our domestic Campbell Jr.; concepts of Bugrov and fantasy
tika for our generation have become inseparable. Objectively: author
almost the only published story; editor, ve-
current fiction department in a regional youth magazine; library
count, partly alone, partly together with IgorHalymbajoy
compiled the best bibliography of Russian SF to date;
critic who has published two books - "In Search of Tomorrow" and
"A Thousand Faces of Dreams"; finally, the compiler of many collections -
his last work, a six-volume work by Alexander Green, now stands
in front of me... Is that a lot? Few? I don't presume to judge. But Bugrov
not only all this. Bugrov is an era. This is a calling. Presentation
I can’t imagine what our science fiction would be like if it were deprived
this quiet, inconspicuous person at first glance. And this is from-
not an exaggeration: Vitalik was not the only one, of course,
but one of the very, very few whales that held on their
the backs of the world of domestic SF. And so - for a quarter of a century in a row.
But that’s not what we’re talking about now. God willing, I’ll write about him again someday.
be an article - and not just to get even for the preface -
ve to my last book, but because Bugrov’s role in history
Our SF really needs a serious and lengthy conversation.
And in such a way that no one person can do it alone. And not yet for that
to say all those kind words to him that I didn’t have time to (and
it always happens!) to say during his lifetime. I just didn’t have time, but
I haven’t forgotten: we met too rarely, we wanted to talk about too much
talk at every meeting, there was no time for ourselves, about this -
everything is casual, casual... Although I still want to say - and not -
I'll definitely say it, even thoughIt’s scary to swear: Vitalik has a lot
I was still going to say. How is it in the classics: it’s not so bad that it’s...
the catcher is mortal, and that he is suddenly mortal...
And then he died. He fell asleep and didn’t wake up. And, they say, so and so
I had to smile, I would never know why.
I don’t know if it’s true that such death is given only to the righteous.
Firstly, I have never been a religious person, so to speak
talk about this seriously, and Vitalik is by no means one of the righteous,
tried. He was a sinner, thank God - he loved to drink and eat salty food.
he didn’t disdain a word in a male circle, and... What can I say,
a normal living person.
And yet there is one word from the same series as saints and great
vedniks.
Ascetic.
And if I were asked to define Vitalik in just two words,
you, a more accurate expression than “inconspicuous ascetic” to me
it would be impossible to find.
And my entire generation of our SF is a witness to his feat. And herself
it, our fantasy, is what it is - to a large extent the result and
the result of his feat.
I remember at Aelita in 1992 we laughed - we were over-
to exchange Sverdlovsk, then to Yekaterinburg, and it’s time for a magazine
already baptized into “Bugral Pathfinder”... and Vitalik waved away-
smiled quietly and kissed quietly - so that his wife would not
spotted - to the glass. And now I just understand: never again
will be that "Pathfinder" which is my alma mater - indeed
washe is "Bugralsky". And it’s scary to go to Yekaterinburg - another
this is already a city. And not so dear.
And yet...
And yet, while we exist (who knows what will happen after us?
how?) - there is also that “Pathfinder”. And Vitaly is there. And everyone else.
You just need to repeat the rosary again. And don't be afraid of pain. Because
that pain is life. Which is still ongoing.
Andrey CHERTKOV
EDITOR'S MEMORY
Vitaly Ivanovich Bugrov died... What else should I add to re-
give the full weight of these words? Because the person I loved died
I respect him endlessly, whom I love, who has made me in many ways
just the way I am. This is the second time in the last few years
the time I felt this damn time pressure, became...
presenting us with an obvious, but no less hateful fact -
volume: an entire era has ended. Soviet science fiction is dead.
Arkady Natanovich Strugatsky...The Strugatsky brothers have always been
for me more than writers - they taught me to think, helped
decide on your likes and dislikes for the rest of your life,
gave some guidelines for the future, showed how to live in
this world, even if it is not the best of worlds.
Vitaly Ivanovich Bugrov...Vitaly Ivanovich helped me find
my habitat - among those people who are pleasant and in-
interesting - and not only because they, like me, love science fiction
ku.Just don’t tell me about some kind of tables of ranks.
For some time now they have not been very interesting to me. Moreover, I thought
and I think: the editor’s work, although less noticeable, is no less important.
more important, necessary, complex and creative than the work of a writer. In fan
tastics especially - in the West, entire literary eras and movements
The works are named not by the names of the writers, but by the names of the editors. And
this is probably fair.
As editor of Vitaly Ivanovich, I apparently opened for
himself (without even suspecting it) somewhere in the mid-70s - when
first drew attention to the "Ural Pathfinder". In any case
I guess I subscribed to this magazine for the first time in 1976 - and since then
I have been prescribing it regularly for a while now. However, at first I perceived Vita-
Liy Ivanovich rather not as an editor, but as an amateur and expert
fiction - his annual quizzes and various articles about fantasy
sticks, exposed to stories and tales, quickly gave me
a feeling of what kind of person makes them. In any case, "Pathfinder" in
at that time (and much later) was the only place where you could
was to find similar materials. And then Vitaly Ivanovich began
slowly stimulate a new wave in the development of Soviet fan-
at home - with articles, publications of letters, and then with the organization "Ae-
lita" - the first and until recently the most important fan holiday
tastics in our country. And I’m happy that in that wave there was
place andfor me, and for my friends, of whom, alas, some
also no longer with us.
If we talk about personal acquaintance with Vitaly Ivanovich, then
it happened much later - in October 1983. Rostov fans
led by Misha Yakubovsky organized a convention, one of the first
in the country - the local authorities banned it, but the fans still
but they came, albeit not in the numbers expected.
And only two of the professionals came - Vitaly Ivanovich and
Pavel Amnuel. And this first meeting will probably remain so
for me one of the most pleasant memories in life.
Later we met with Vitaly Ivanovich quite rarely -
a couple of times in Sverdlovsk, when I came to Aelita, several
times at other conventions. Alas, over time there was always tension
It was rarely possible to have a heart-to-heart talk.
And it was always a pleasure to communicate with Vitaly Ivanovich. Already
he was such an unusual person - gentle, kind, a little
shy - one of the last intellectuals of the Chekhov type.
The definition may be inaccurate, but among my friends
in fiction he was the only such person. It seemed that she
no one can have enemies - although such would probably be-
whether. You never know how many evil mediocrities walk the earth, hating
sharing everyone who is smarter, kinder, stronger in spirit. However, I don't know
and I don’t want to know.
I remember our last meeting- at Interpresscon 93rd -
yes. The convention was already coming to an end, but there were still opportunities to chat
with everyone you want, not so much has arisen. As always-
yes, however. However, it just so happened that Vitaly Ivanovich from
rooms where they lived with Andrei Dmitrievich Balabukha, looked
to the neighboring one - in which, by coincidence, Sa- and I lived
Shay Etoev. However, Sasha was absent, and I still had
one opened bottle of vodka. And behind her, darling, spilling beech-
we sat there for a good four hours. Not so much
It’s clear what we talked about specifically. Vitaly Ivanovich recalled the
evil cases from his rich editorial practice, answered
to my tricky questions about certain cases from the history of "Sle-
"examined" (the earth is full of rumors), listened with interest to my
slightly (I hope only slightly) boastful tales about per-
from my own experiences in the editorial field. I remember when we
decided that it was probably time to go home, Vitaly Ivanovich whispered
he thoughtfully noticed that representatives of two editors were sitting here.
different generations - each has its own problems, but, damn it, how
We have a lot in common. Or I said it, and Vitaly Ivanovich supported it
did you sting my thought? I don't remember. Anyway, "damn it" is
from me: Vitaly Ivanovich even in a private conversation avoided you
fights that his interlocutor might consider strong.
NotI thought then that this was our last meeting. Just in
this could not have occurred to me. And then it pulled us all in again
routine up to the nostrils. We called each other a couple of times a year, but this
there were routine “news” conversations. I hoped that Vitaly
Ivanovich will come to Interpresscon again. But he didn't come. Mo-
maybe for financial reasons, or maybe in anticipation of
another "Aelite" (in that these two horses almost coincided in
time, honestly, there was no malicious intent - just
coincidence). So much the sadder. I'll also go to "Aelita"
I couldn’t get away with it - I couldn’t afford the pleasure. Dima Bai-
Kalov, whom I met in Moscow immediately after his return,
meeting with "Aelita", said that Vitaly Ivanovich was cheerful, cheerful -
nothing foreshadowed what happened a month later.
Forgive me, Vitaly Ivanovich. I don't know what else to say.
And I don’t want to say anything more. We remember you. We
We love you. We are grateful to you for everything you have done. Light to you
memory.
Boris MILOVIDOV
"THIS WHOLE DAMNED AND HAPPY LIFE..."
Ridiculous... I will never see his thin figure, face,
riddled with wrinkles, a kind, slightly guilty smile, not
I will hear a quiet and friendly voice... The fact that we are all mortal -
banality. But why Vitaly Ivanovich? Fifty nine is
samenot old age, not the limit!
I think not only for me, but for most people, more
more or less closely related to science fiction, the Bugrov triad -
"Pathfinder" - "Aelita" form a single whole. Concerned State
think about three persons. Kind - and therefore sad - Serpent-Gorynych...
There are, of course, more hypostases, but I won’t talk about that - let
others who knew better...
Bugrov is the editor! It is enough that he is almost tri-
for twenty years he selected fiction for the Ural Pathfinder, published
forged a number of first-class works, a huge number of things,
worthy of attention... Kindness sometimes failed him. Himself
said: yes, of course, this author’s thing is not very successful, but
After all, he’s a good man, and if not me, then who will publish him? And in
really - who?
It’s much easier to feed the reader a novel by a foreign master (even if
even disfigured by banknotes, abbreviations and hasty translations
house) than to sift through the pile of materials floating in from recognized
and honored graphomaniacs, from young and as yet unrecognized geniuses
new... "Pathfinder" (except recently) published exclusively
strictly domestic works, without limiting ourselves to any region -
lineal framework, nor the “magic of names”. There was a place for young people -
in reasonable proportion to the "values". I don’t know how Bugrov edited
ctor worked with the writer (person, manuscript), but in his youth
my years when I triedactively engage in literary activities
Unfortunately, I received several refusals from him. The refusals were
lively, tactful and not condescending. This is extremely important for starting
nayushchy: not lenient.
Editor is a rewarding position only in those cases when you
calmly, indifferently, even if efficiently, you carry out the work
the one for which you are paid, or you try to predict desires
“those upstairs” - which means you select the appropriate things. But
you are sincerely devoted to your favorite genre, you try to print
not what is needed, but what is good. How does it feel for you, an official
position, but a fan at heart? I believe - and I'm not afraid to be wrong - that
Vitaly Ivanovich was first and foremost a Fan. Fanom with capital
letters. Fanom is a high-level professional.
Bugrov - and "Aelita"? First of all, “Aelit” - two. This is official
oz, and this is a poorly managed fan freewheeling bandwagon. Aelita-per-
vaya: hall of the luxurious Palace of Culture. In the hall - those who arrived, on stage
- eminence. Prizes are awarded, laureates respond with heartfelt
with special speeches. Then notes with questions start pouring in,
answers to them. There are few notes for Bugrov. Why: necessary - and without that -
come and ask! This is not Bulychev, to whom he has yet to reach
need to be...
Aelita the second. Several hundred fans, from different cities, and now
and people of different nationalities, walk around, talk, gesticulate, exchange
tsya, sell-buy, in short - activelycommunicate (sometimes - excessively)
really active). Today they are the masters here. And occasionally I flash-
The present Bugrov gives the impression of being rather embarrassed, bewildered
th guest from the outback, but not one of the organizers of this
feasts of the "fen-spirit".
I don’t know how “Aelita” was conceived. most likely, as a turn-
new event within the framework of the USSR SP. There are prizes for poets,
adventurers, realists and screenwriters. Why not celebrate
science fiction writers? Where to give? And the Pathfinder initiative (read - Bouguereau-
va) - let them hand it over there. It is unlikely that the functionaries from the joint venture could
at least imagine what this will lead to... Bugrov stood at the stake
whites of the newborn prize, tried to ensure that it got into a worthy
new hands. And these are disputes, painful disputes with people, fantasy
not loving, not knowing and not wanting to know, but having
the right to make decisions. But even when the agreement on the laureate
achieved (nerves, nerves, nerves!), organizational
worries. The holiday must be prepared, the premises must be taken care of,
those who arrived are accommodated, fed and put to bed... Troubles and
nerves, nerves and hassle.
And one more hypostasis of Vitaly Ivanovich, closest to me -
bibliography. As I understand it, Bugrov was a book collector
always. But if some linger at the stage of thematic accumulation
nutrition, then others become noticeable specialists in inte-
their area of concern. Bugrov- one of these. Therefore there is nothing
It’s strange that collecting science fiction has spilled over into a number of bibliographies
physical articles and notes, and into pure bibliographic searches.
Already published works (both independent and completed)
ny with Igor Khalymbadzha) - only a small part of the collected
and processed materials. Gigantic work! Even now, when
yes, computers and printing equipment have become more accessible, labor
The bibliographer, having simplified, did not make it easier. Yes, floppy disks instead of ca-
rototek and thematic printouts instead of mechanical sorting -
niya cards. Yes, not running, often blind typewritten lines -
ki, but a good copier comes after a good printer. It's great, but
this is not the main thing... Vitaly Ivanovich was a born bibliologist
Raf - patient, painstaking, hardworking - and always ready
share your findings. In our time, when information is
same money (if you want to know? - buy it!), such an attitude can show
to be archaic and old-fashioned... He didn't think about it. He
worked. He had a case.
Vitaly Ivanovich...
An editor who selects from the ocean of manuscripts what can be used
fit in his magazine or go to collections. Rustle of pages, pain
eyes sore from reading - work, work, work... And hassle,
when you have to prove the obvious, defend, defend,
punch...
One of the organizers of the solemn celebration is thin,modest and inconspicuous, rejoicing for each laureate - let
even he himself proposed and defended the candidacy of another, more
stoic...
A fan among fans, many of whom met here,
on "Aelita" - that is, thanks to him... And publications in "Pathfinders-
those" club materials... And the quizzes with which our
fandom...
Book lover and bibliologist - in the library, book depository, archive,
private collection. And again - work, work, work...
And so all our lives, all our damned and happy lives...
Fewer and fewer of them remain - not even “grandfathers” anymore, but “from-
tsov" and our "elder brothers" in science fiction. The march is getting longer and longer
rologists.
Here's one more line...
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