Apocalyptic Realism: The Science Fiction of Arkady and Boris Strugatsky 0820419621

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Russian and East European Studies in Aesthetics and the Philosophy of Culture

Apocalyptic Realism The Science Fiction of Arkady and Boris Strugatsky

YVONNE

HOWELL

~.......

Russian and East European Studies in Aesthetics and the Philosophy of Culture

Willis H. Truitt General Editor Vol. 1

PETER LANG New York • Washin~t()n, D.C.lBaitimore • San Francisco Bern • Frank furt am Mai n • Herl in· Vienna • Paris '-

Apocalyptic Realism

Yvonne Howell

Apocalyptic Realism The Science Fiction of Arkady and Boris Strugatsky

PETER LANG New York • Washington, D.C.lBaltirnore • San Francisco Bern • Frankfurt am Main • Berlin • Vienna • Paris

of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

. Yvonne. Apocalyptic realism: the science fiction of Arkady and Boris Strugatsky I Yvonne Howell. p. cm. - (Russian and East European studies in aesthetics and the philosophy of culture: v. I) Includes bibliographical references and index. I. StrugatskiL Arkadi'i Natanovich-Criticism and interpretation. 2. Strugatskii. Boris Natanovich-Criticism and interpretation. 3. Science fict ion. Russian-History and criticism. I. Title. II. Series. 891. 73' 44-dc20 92-37988 PG3476.S7HH35Z69 1994 IS BN O-g204-1962-1 CIP ISSN 1065-9374

Die Deutsche Bibliothek-CIP-Einheitsaufnahmc

Howell. Yvonne: Apocalyptic realism: the science fiction of Arkady and Boris Strugatsky I Yvonne Howell. - New York: Bern: Berlin: Frankfurt/M.: Paris: \Vien: Lan!!. ~ 1994 (Russian and East European studies in aesthetics and the philosophy of culture: Vol. I) IS BN 0-8204-1962-1 NE: GT

Cover design by James F Brisson.

The paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence and durability of the Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity of the Council on Library Resources.

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Peter Lang Publishing. Inc .. Ncw York 1l)l)4

All rights rcserved. Reprint or reprodllction. even partially. in all forms such as microfilm. xerography. microfiche. microcard. offset strictly prohibited. Printed in the United States of America.

Contents

Preface and acknowledgements.........................................

vii

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