"Esli v chem-nibud' ja strogo sleduju tradicijam russkoj literatury, to imenno v voprose ob avansach": G.I. Gazdanov

The article is the result of the participation in an international project devoted to the publication of the editorial correspondence of a major Russian emigré review “Sovremennye zapiski” (Paris 1920–1940). It consists of an introduction and of commentaries on numerous (59) unpublished letters between Gaito Gazdanov (1903–1971) and the review’s editors. Gazdanov, who arrived in Paris at 1923, is one of the most important Russian emigré writers of his generation. His participation in this review coincides with the most productive period of his literary career. Gazdanov published in “Sovremennye zapiski” eight stories, the first version of the novel “The story of a journey”, some chapters of the famous novel “Streets at night”, the article “About the young emigré literature”, a necrology (on his friend, the poet Boris Poplavskij) and three book reviews. The letters reveal a new image of Gazdanov as they contain biographical details so far unknown.