Yanka Maur

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Yanka Maur (Belarusian: Я́нка Маўр; Russian: Я́нка Мавр Yanka Mavr), (May 11, 1883 - August 3, 1971) was a famous Belarusian writer. Yanka Maur was actually his pseudonym, while his real name was Ivan Mikhailavich Fiodarau (Belarusian: Іва́н Міха́йлавіч Фёдараў). His son, Fiodar Fiodaraŭ, was a famous Belarusian physicist.

He was born in Libava (now Liepaja, Latvia) and grew up in the Belarusian village Lebianishki, which is now in Lithuania. He graduated from vocational school in Kouna, then entered a pedagogical school in 1899, but was thrown out for being a member of an underground revolutionary club. Nevertheless in 1903 he successfully passed all the exams as a non-resident student and became a high school teacher. In 1906 took part in the underground meeting of the Belarusian teachers, organized by the famous Belarusian writer Yakub Kolas. After that he was arrested and couldn't work as a teacher anymore. He could teach again only in 1911, becoming a geography and history teacher in a private school in Minsk.

He was working in many different literary genres: satirical, historical, literature for kids. He is credited with starting the science fiction tradition in the modern Belarusian literature.

His biggest novel is Amok, but his best-selling and perhaps most known book was Palesse Robinsons. Besides writing, he also translated stories into Belarusian from many foreign authors, including Jules Verne, Victor Hugo, Anton Chekhov, Mark Twain, and others.

[edit] Books

The man is coming (Чалавек ідзе) 1924
In the country of the Paradise Bird (У краіне райскай птушкі) 1926
The son of water (Сын вады) 1927
Amok (Амок) 1928
The Trip to Hell (Падарожжа ў пекла) 1928
Palesse Robinsons (Палескія Рабінзоны) 1929
The story of the future days (Аповесьць будучых дзён) 1932
Around the world (Вакол свету) 1947
TVT (ТВТ) 1934, 1949
Away from the Darkness 1920, 1956-1958
Fantamobil of professor Ciliakouski (Фантамабіль прафесара Цылякоўскага) 1955