Consulate Events
St. Petersburg Reads! Choosing the Best Foreign Author 2009
St. Petersburg's Mayakovsky Central Public Library has launched a new reading campaign called "St. Petersburg Reads!" For this year's program, the Library decided to focus readers' attention on notable works by foreign writers. In order to draw attention to the project, the Library invited every consulate in the city to nominate novels written by its best living authors. Up to four novels can compete for one of two prizes: the Most Widely Read Novel (available in Russian translation) and the Most Widely Read New Novel (only available in the original language). Eleven different countries have agreed to participate in this reading competition, including the U.S. Consulate General in St. Petersburg.
To read more about the "St. Petersburg Reads!" reading campaign, visit the web site of the Library.
The U.S. Consulate General in St. Petersburg selected four very different novels by Pulitzer Prize-winning authors to represent the United States in this city-wide reading campaign. Read their books and vote for the best author on the Library's web site!
Prize #1 - the Most Widely Read Novel (available in Russian translation): Beloved (1987) by Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison and The Amazing Adventures of Cavalier & Clay (2000) by former U.S. Speaker Michael Chabon will represent America's diversity in the category of novels available in Russian translation. Read more about Toni Morrison and Michael Chabon in the Library's brochure.
Prize #2 - the Most Widely Read New Novel (only available in the original language): In keeping with the theme of diversity, the U.S. Consulate General selected two works by recent Pulitzer Prize winners to enter in the category of novels only available in their original language of publication: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (2007) by Dominican-American Junot Diaz and The Namesake (2003) by Bengali-American Jhumpa Lahiri. Read more about Junot Diaz and Jhumpa Lahiri in the Library's brochure.
Where to read the books selected by the U.S. Consulate General in St. Petersburg:
- American Corner, Mayakovsky Central Public Library (46 Fontanka Embankment, St. Petersburg, http://stpetersburg.usconsulate.gov/amcorners.html)
- Foreign Language Literature Department, Mayakovsky Central Public Library (46 Fontanka Embankment, St. Petersburg, 11.00-19.00, Monday-Saturday)