I Came to Give You Freedom. Lyubaviny

Vasily Makarovich Shukshin (1929–1974) was a generously and diversely gifted person. He is known not only for his literary work but also for his bright acting and directing roles: just remember the films “There Lives Such a Guy,” “Stoves and Benches,” “Kalina Red”... The main interest, the main theme of Shukshin is Russia, the Russian character, and the Russian fate. The novel about Stepan Razin “I Came to Give You Freedom” grew out of a screenplay idea that was not approved by Goskino at the time. Apparently, the topic was too relevant and controversial: is this wild “freedom” really needed even within the rebellious Cossack circle, or will the centripetal pull toward order and the Moscow “Tsar-father” always prevail? The novel “Lyubaviny” tells the story of a peasant family from a Siberian village during the time of the “great break” of the 1930s. The book is of interest to all lovers of Russian literature and history.