Stefanyk, V. Novellas (Novelly), 1983. Series: Literary Monuments. In Russian

Василь Стефаник. Новеллы. / Издание подготовил, перевел с украинского и примечания составил В. М. Россельс. Ответственный редактор Г. П. Коновалов.
Москва: Наука, 1983.
288 с. : 3 л. ил. Твердый издательский переплет, увеличенный формат (22 см). (Серия: Литературные памятники).
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Stefanyk, V. Novellas (Novelly). / Prepared, translated from Ukrainian, and annotated by V. M. Rossels. Edited by G. P. Konovalov.
Moscow: Nauka, 1983.
288 pp. : 3 plates of ill. Hardcover, enlarged format (22 cm). (Series: Literary Monuments).

This 1983 edition, published by Nauka in the prestigious "Literary Monuments" series, is the definitive scholarly presentation of Vasyl Stefanyk (1871–1936) for the Russian-speaking world. A master of the short story and a towering figure of Ukrainian modernism, Stefanyk is often compared to Chekhov and Maupassant for his emotional intensity and laconic style.
The collection showcases Stefanyk’s unique "expressionist realism." His stories focus almost exclusively on the tragic life of the Galician peasantry at the turn of the 20th century. Works like "The Stone Cross" (Kaminnyi khrest) explore the heartbreaking themes of forced emigration, poverty, and the profound, almost mystical connection between the peasant and the soil. Stefanyk’s prose is stripped of sentimentality, relying instead on a stark, dramatic economy of language that conveys immense psychological depth.
The translation and scholarly preparation were handled by Vladimir Rossels, a renowned specialist who spent decades capturing the specific rhythm and dialectal nuances of Stefanyk’s original Western Ukrainian prose. The volume includes an extensive critical apparatus, detailed commentaries, and a biographical essay that situates Stefanyk within the context of European modernism.
The book features three plates of illustrations, including rare photographic portraits of the author and reproductions of contemporary artwork that mirror the somber, powerful atmosphere of his novellas.
For collectors of the "Literary Monuments" series, historians of Slavic literature, and bibliophiles, this 1983 volume remains the most authoritative Russian edition of one of Ukraine's greatest literary stylists. It beautifully preserves the legacy of a writer who turned the local struggles of his people into universal existential truths.