My favourite writer is Anton Pavlovich Chekhov. In my opinion, he is the greatest Russian dramatist and short-story writer. I"m never tired of reading and rereading his plays and humorous stories.

Chekhov was bom in 1860 in Taganrog. In 1879 he went to Moscow, where he studied medicine. Though he practised little as a doctor in his lifetime, he was prouder of his medical knowledge more than of his writing talent.

While in college, Chekhov wrote humorous sketches for comic papers to support his family. He collected the best ones into a volume, Motley Stories, in 1886. The book attracted the attention of the publisher of the Novoje Vremja and Chekhov was asked to contribute stories regularly.

Chekhov, as an established writer, managed to develop a style of his own. Though he never gave up writing comic stories, he began working in a more serious vein. In 1887 "Ivanov", his first play, established Chekhov as a dramatist.

From then on, he concentrated on writing plays, as well as short stories.

Chekhov was seriously ill. He had tuberculosis and knew what it meant. By 1892 his health was so bad that he was afraid to spend another winter in Moscow. He bought a small estate near a village Melikhovo, 50 miles from Moscow. He spent 5 years there, and those were happy years in spite of the illness. He wrote some of his best stories there, including "Ward No.6", several well-known one-act comedies and two of his serious dramatic masterpieces, "The Seagull" and "Uncle Vanya".

"The Seagull" was first staged in the Alexandrinsky Theatre in Petersburg. It was a complete failure because of the dull and clumsy production. It was a cruel blow to Chekhov. However, the play was successfully performed as the first production of the Moscow Art Theatre in 1898. From then on, Chekhov was closely connected with this theatre and with its founder, K.S. Stanislavsky. In 1901 he married an Art Theatre actress, Olga Knipper, who acted in his play The Three Sisters the same year.

Chekhov"s health went from bad to worse and he had to spend the remaining years in the Crimea and other health spas.

"The Cherry Orchard", his last play, was produced in 1904. Soon after the first night Chekhov died. He was 44.

Chekhov had an immense influence on the 20th century drama. Besides, several generations of writers both in Russia and abroad studied and imitated Chekhov to perfect their own literary style.

Мой любимый писатель (Антон Павлович Чехов)

Мой любимый писатель - Антон Павлович Чехов. По-моему, он самый великий русский драматург и автор коротких рассказов. Я никогда не устаю читать и перечитывать его пьесы и юмористические рассказы.

Чехов родился в Таганроге в 1860 году. В 1879 году он уехал в Москву, где изучал медицину. Хотя он мало практиковал как врач в своей жизни, он гордился своими медицинскими знаниями больше, чем писательским талантом.

В университете, Чехов писал юмористические рассказы для газет, чтобы поддерживать свою семью. Он собрал лучшие в сборник "Пестрые рассказы", в 1886 году. Книга привлекла внимание издателя Нового Времени, крупной газеты в России, и Чехову было предложено сотрудничать регулярно.

Чехову, как признаному писателю, удалось разработать свой собственный стиль. Хотя он никогда не бросал писать юмористические рассказы, он начал работать в более серьезном ключе. В 1887 "Иванов", первая пьеса, созданная Чеховым, ознаменовала его как драматурга.

С тех пор он сконцентрировался на написании пьес, а также коротких рассказов.

Чехов был серьезно болен. Он болел туберкулезом и знал, что это значит. К 1892 его здоровье было настолько плохо, что он боялся провести еще одну зиму в Москве. Он купил небольшое имение близ деревни Мелихово, в 50 километрах от Москвы. Он провел там 5 лет, и это были счастливые годы, несмотря на болезнь. Он написал там несколько своих лучших рассказов, в том числе "Палата № 6", несколько известных одноактных комедий и два серьезных драматических шедевра, "Чайка" и "Дядя Ваня".

"Чайка" была впервые поставлена в Александринском театре в Петербурге. Это был полный провал из-за скучной и неуклюжой постановки. Это было жестоким ударом для Чехова. Тем не менее, пьеса была успешно поставлена Московским Художественным театром в 1898 году. С тех пор, Чехов была тесно связан с этим театром, и с его основателем, К. С. Станиславским. В 1901 г. он женился на актрисе МХАТ, О. Л. Книппер, которая играла в его пьесе "Три сестры" в том же году.

Здоровье Чехова становилось все хуже и хуже, и ему пришлось провести оставшиеся годы в Крыму и других курортах.

"Вишневый сад ", свою последнюю пьесу он выпустил в 1904 году. Вскоре после премьеры Чехов скончался. Ему было 44.

Чехов оказал огромное влияние на драму двадцатого века. Кроме того, несколько поколений писателей в России и за рубежом изучали его творчество и подражали ему, чтобы совершенствовать свой собственный литературный стиль.

My Favourite Writer (I. Turgenev)

I"m fond of reading. Usually I borrow books from the library, but I have a lot of them at home, too. I like to read books about famous people and detective stories. Literature means much in my life. It helps to form the character and to understand life better.

There are some names in Russian and Foreign literature that are very dear to me.

In Russian literature I highly appreciate Ivan Sergiyovych Turgenev. For me he is a real intellectual and aristocrat, a man of culture, devoted to literature, music and art. Though he lived abroad for a long time he didn"t stop to be a Russian writer-for a moment. He created a number of national characters in his books. The image of Turgenev s woman, deeply feeling, faithful and tender is an ideal of a Russian woman for me. It doesn"t lose its charm even today.

Of the present day writers and poets I like Eugenij Evtushenko, Valentin Rasputin, Valentin Pikul, Boris Vasyljev. Their works are very human and realistic. They assert high moral principles in life.

And this is very important nowadays. My favourite writer is O"Henry, too. In my childhood I was deeply impressed by his story "The Last Leaf". Since then I bear in my heart the image of a young girl suffering from the incurable illness, and her friends doing all they can to give her hope and bring back to life.

Мой любимый писатель (И. Тургенев)

Я люблю читать. Обычно я беру книги в библиотеке, но у меня много книг и дома. Мне нравится читать книги о знаменитых людях и детективы. Литература много значит в моей жизни. Она помогает сформировать характер и лучше понять жизнь.

В российской и зарубежной литературе есть имена, которые очень дороги мне.

В русской литературе я высоко ценю Ивана Сергеевича Тургенева. Для меня он - настоящий интеллигент и аристократ, культурный человек, преданный литературе, музыке и искусству. Хотя он долго жил за рубежом, он ни на секунду не переставал быть русским писателем. В своих книгах он создал галерею национальных характеров. Образ тургеневской женщины, способной на глубокое чувство, искренней и нежной, - для меня идеал русской женщины. Этот образ не потерял свою привлекательность и сегодня.

Среди современных писателей и поэтов мне нравятся Евгений Евтушенко, Валентин Распутин, Валентин Пикуль, Борис Васильев. Их произведения человечны и реалистичны. Они отстаивают высокие жизненные и моральные принципы.

И это очень важно именно сейчас. Еще мне нравится О" Генри. В детстве на меня произвел сильное впечатление его рассказ «Последний лист». С тех пор я ношу в сердце образ молодой девушки, которая страдает от неизлечимой болезни, и ее друзей, .которые делают все, что в их силах, чтобы дать ей надежду и вернуть к жизни.

Western Kazakhstan is a land, where Makhambet, batyr and long-suffering poet-stormy petrel, was born. All his life unclouded childhood and his youth had passed. All his life “started with joy and ended in failure” passed on this land – on the shore of Edil and yaik, on sands of naryn, Beketai and Taisoigan.

For us and for the future generation these sand-hills, these “lakes and waters of the sandstone”, these delicate willows, even a lonely plane-tree, a lonely bush of wornwood, these eternally sleeping boulders are the sacred heritage of Makhambet’s time.

So long as Kazakh people “could not live independently” (A.Baitursynov), a land between Edil and Yaik had been under foreign possession since 1731 to 1801, when Abulkhair-khan adopted a Russian citizenship. Only in 1801 a white tsar of Russia gave Bokey a permission to use the samara steppe. The Decree of Tsar Paul I runs: “While accepting sultan Bokey Nuralykhanuly, governing the Khan Council of Small Orda, in our citizenship, I allow him to roam all over this land; as a token of accord I award him a golden medal with my portrait”.

In the beginning, all those events taking place aroud the khan seemed appropriate to Isatai and Makhambet. At that time they were the Elders of two districts. However, in the course of time, a capricious egoist Jangir started displaying unprecedented unlawful actions. A brave man, as well as a poet with a tender heart, Makhambet was a soul of the uprising, and he was the first who urged isatai on the way of resolute armed struggle.

“The gravest unlawful action was the fact that the land graned by the tsar to Kazakh people, was considered by Jangir as his wn property. He created a view, according to which, the land of common people had been the khan’s property. In 1836 he announced 400.000 acres of land, grated by the tsar to Kazakh people, as the khan’s share. The remaining land was distributed to his relatives and tore. He started taking lands away from tribes, villages he did not like. (K.Dosmukhamedov)

As a result, “In a fussy spring of 1836, people’s anger against the khan and the khodjas; against the tore and the tulengits, against their tsar-patron, turned into a general uprising. The people, with their own hand, sealed Isatai on a horse and hoisted his flag with horse-hair on the top of the lofty hill. A bloody fight against the tsar’s troops and khan’s yassak, which lasted one and half years, has started.” (B.Amanshin).

My favourite Kazakh writer

My favorite Kazakh writer, Mukhtar Auezov, was born in 1897. He is a man of encyclopedic knowledge and erudition. Mukhtar Auezov is a significant person both in his life and creative activity. He wrote more than twenty plays and many magnificent stories. The top of his activity was the epopee about Abai. The first 20 years of Auezov’s life resemble the childhood, youth and young years of his favourite poet and spiritual teacher- Abai. Later in his famous work he described the same steppe, the same aul, the same social atmosphere.
With his works, Mukhtar Auezov raised the Kazakh literature up to the highest level. Many works of different genres belong to him.

His brilliant translations of world literary classics confirm his great talent. He published many interesting articles, made reports, composed textbooks and read lectures in colleges and universities. His professional researches became basis for some new branches in studying folklore, epos, history and linguistics of the Turks. He was elected as a professor of the Moscow State University.

His main work is closely connected with the image of the great son of the Kazakh people Abai. He devoted more than 15 years of his life to writing this book. This book was the most significant for him. As the writer said, the process of writing the novels about Abai turned into the most fascinating business of all his life. This book was called the original encyclopedia of many-sided features of the Kazakh people mode of life. It opened a vivid variety of culture and history of the ancient land and showed the riches of its customs and traditions to the whole world.

The works written by Mukhtar Auezov are still popular even now and are considered the original classics of the Kazakh literature. His name remained eternally in the memory of many people.

SAKEN SEYFULLIN

Seyfullin Saken was the founder of the modern Kazakh literature. He was also a poet and a writer, a statesman and a prominent member of the Communist Party of (Bolsheviks). He was born in winter quarters named Karashilik of modern Shet area, Karagandy region. He received education at the Nildin Russian-Kazakh School (1905 - 1908) and primary parochial school (1908 −1910). Saken graduated from the Akmola College in 1913 and the Omsk Teachers Seminary in 1916. Saken Seyfullin published his first collection of poems in 1914 in the city of Kazan under the name "Otken Kunder" ("The Past Days"). Seyfullin worked as the teacher of Russian Language in the village of Silety-Bugyly, wrote poems in support of national liberation movement in 1916 in Kazakhstan. In 1917 after the February Revolution he moved to Akmolinsk (today the city of Astana), wrote poems, created an organization named "Zhas Kazakh" ("Young Kazakh"), participated in publishing a newspaper "Tirshilik" ("Life"). He was a member of youth organization "Birlik" ("Unity"). He wrote one of the first works about the destiny of Kazakh woman - narrative under the name "Zhubatu" ("Consolation", 1917). In December 1917 he was elected a member of the Akmola Council of Deputies and appointed Commissar of Education. In 1917 he published a play named "Bakyt Zholynda" ("The Path to Happiness", 1917). It was a work of drama calling people for revolutionary struggle.

In June 1918 after the military coup he was arrested and thrown into "the carriage of death" of Ataman Annenkov. He was sent to a prison in the city of Omsk from which he escaped on April 3, 1919. After that he returned to his native village and then moved to Aulie-Ata (today the city of Taraz). In 1920 Saken Seyfullin came back to Akmolinsk where he was appointed Deputy Chairman of the Executive Committee and Head of the Administrative Division. At the first Founding Congress of Soviets of Kazakhstan (on October 4, 1920 in the city of Orenburg) Seyfullin was elected member of the Presidium of the Central Executive Committee of the Kazakh Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. In the 1920s Seyfullin became editor at the Yenbekshi Kazakh (Working Kazakh) Newspaper, at the Kyzyl Kazakhstan (Red Kazakhstan) Journal. He was also appointed Deputy People’s Commissar for Education. In 1920 his play under the name "Kyzyl Sunkarlar" ("Red Eagles") was issued. In 1922 at the third congress of Soviets of Kazakhstan Seyfullin was elected Chairman of Committee of Soviet Commissars of the Kazakh Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. He also became a member of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and of the Presidium of the Kazakh Central Executive Committee. In 1925 Seyfullin was appointed Chairman of the Research Centre under the People’s Commissariat of Education of the Kazakh Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic.

He worked as editor at the Adebiet Maydany (Literary Front) Journal. He also taught student at the Kyzylorda Institute of People’s Education, Institute of Journalism in Tashkent and Kazakh Pedagogical Institute in Alma-Ata. In the 1920s Saken Seyfullin wrote several articles, related to world and Kazakh literature, which are still popular and interesting for readers. In 1922 a collection of poems under the name "Asau Tulpar" ("Indomitable Horse") was issued in Orenburg. The poems "Dombyra" ("Dombra", 1924), "Sovetstan" (1924) and "Express" (1926) were published in separate books. Saken Seyfullin was an innovator in poetry. Having analyzed poetic traditions of Kazakh people, he renovated form and character of Kazakh poetry, introduced new themes and images in it. The poet also changed structure of strophes, rhythmic, syntax and intonation of Kazak poems. His historical and memoir novel "Tar Zhol, Taygak Keshu" ("Thorny Path") was published in 1927. In this work, Seyfullin showed the struggle of Kazakh nation against the Tsarism, participation of Kazakhs in revolution and their fight for establishment of Soviet power in Kazakhstan. Throughout his creative work Saken Seyfullin paid much attention to collection, analysis, classification and publication of monuments of Kazakh folklore.

The writer made a significant contribution to preparation of several works, including "Kazakhtyn Yeski Adebiety Nuskalary" ("Samples of Ancient Kazakh Literature", 1931), Kazakh version of the poem "Leyli and Majnun", book "Kazakh Adebiety" ("Kazakh Literature", 1932), and so on. Written in the 1930s poems "Albatros" ("Albatross", 1933) and "Kyzyl At" ("Red Horse", 1934) demonstrated Seyfullin’s position concerning occurred social phenomena. In his poem named "Kyzyl At" Seyfullin assessed all excesses committed during agricultural collectivization in Kazakhstan in the 1930s. In the 1930s Saken Seyfullin took part in discussions on the current problems of literature life. He even gave a report at the First Congress of Writers of Kazakhstan (1934) and the First All-Union Congress of Soviet Writers (1934). In 1935 he issued the prose "Aysha" and narrative "Zhemister" ("Fruitage"). The writer also participated in preparation of school textbook on Kazakh literature. Seyfullin played a crucial role in education of literary men. He supported such writers as B. Maylin, S. Mukanov, G. Musrepov, G. Mustafin, T. Zharokov, and to name but a few. He assisted them in publishing their first works. Seyfullin edited and wrote prefaces for their books. M. Karataev, K. Bekkhozhin, Zh. Sain and many others took lessons from Saken Seyfullin. Seyfullin’s works were published in many languages. He was the first Kazakh writer who was awarded the Order of Red Banner of Labor. Unfortunately, he didn’t finished his novels "Bizdin Turmys" ("Our Life") and "Sol Zhyldarda" ("At that time") which told about the life of his contemporaries. In 1938 Saken Seyfullin was repressed. The writer was executed by shooting in Almaty.

In 1958 Seyfullin was rehabilitated (posthumously). In 1985 the Memorial Museum of Saken Seyfullin was opened in Tselinograd (today the city of Astana). In Kazakhstan there are theatres, schools, libraries and streets named after him. There is a monument in Akmola (Astana) created and placed in honour of the writer. The State Agrarian University, which situated in Astana, was named after Saken Seyfullin. Many artistic works were dedicated to him, including Mukanov’s play "Saken Seyfullin", Musrepov’s narrative "Kezdespey Ketken Bir Beyne" ("Once and Forever"), poems of A. Tazhibaev, A. Tokmagambetov, K. Bekkhozhin. Research papers of M. Karataev, B. Ismailov, S. Kirabaev, T. Kakishev, G. Serebryakova and others were focused on Seyfullin’s life and creative work.

Magzhan Zhumabayev

Magzhan Bekenuly Zhumabayev was born on 25 June 1893 in Sassykkul Tract if Sary-Aigyr volost in Petropavlovsky uezd. He died on 19 March 1938 in Alma-Ata. Magzhan comes from a rich family; his father was bii, the head of the volost. When he was four, he started to learn oriental languages and literature. Magzhan’s early poems were not preserved. He continued mastering the Arabic, Persian and Turkish languages in Begishev madrasah in Kzyl-Orda having obtained there secondary Moslem education. In 1910, he entered Galiya madrasah, the higher Islamic educational institution in Ufa City. But following the advice of his teacher, Galymzhan Ibragimov, who became the classicist of Tatar literature, Magzhan started looking for other ways of education. With Ibragimov’s help, young Magzhan’s works were published for the first time in 1912 in Kazan. In the same period with the support of Mirzhakyp Dulatov and Akmet Baitursynov, he started learning Russian, getting acquainted with Russian and European literature, and cooperates with “Kazakh” newspaper. In 1913, Magzhan entered Omsk Pedagogic Seminary. During these years in Omsk Magzhan took part in the creation of “Birlik” (Unity) Society; he was the editor of the hand-written magazine “Balapan”.

With his first steps in poetry, Magzhan reveals his unique talent. He gained wide recognition thanks to his poetic collection “Sholpan” (1912). The first stage of the creating way covers the period from 1910 to February 1917. His poems based on the historical facts appealed to the national fight for liberty. In his poem “Past” Magzhan called the names of fight heroes against Zhungar conquerors. The real hero for him was the one who “remembered about his nation”.

He dealt with journalism; he worked in the area of enlightenment, published in 1922 the book named “Pedagogy”. For certain time Magzhan was the editor of the newspaper “Bostandyk Tuy” (“Freedom Flag”) published in Omsk and after 1921 in Petropavlovsk.

Intensive and fruitful life period of Zhumabayev is related to Tashkent where he moved in 1922 and where he created his tale “Batyr Bayan”, poems about Turkestan, articles about Akan Sery, Bukhar Zhyrau, and Abubakir Divayev. He cooperated with the newspaper “Ak Zhol” and the magazine “Sholpan”. Here, in Tashkent, and in Kazan in 1922-23 he published two collections of poems where he had revealed his gifts. Magzhan belonged to the generation of the poets, which for the first time in the regions Central Asia and Kazakhstan joined two directions of spiritual development of the nations in East and West.

My favourite Kazakh poet

Makataev Mukagali Kazakh Soviet poet, writer and translator was born on February 9, 1931, in the village of Karasaz, in Alma-Ata region, in the foothills of the Great Khan Tengri. He graduated from the Literary Institute named by Gorky.

He worked as a secretary and head of the red yurt, an employee of the Komsomol, the literary staff of the local newspaper. In 1954-1962 he worked as a radio announcer on Kazakh, a teacher, in the years 1962-1972 - head of department of newspapers "Sotsialistіk Kazakstan", "Kazakh әdebietі" magazines "Madeniet zhane turmys", "Zhuldyz", in the years 1972-1973 - the literature consultant of the Union of Writers of Kazakhstan.

He was a author of "Life is a legend," "Life is a river", "Mozart"s Requiem", "Favorites." Song of his poem "Sarzhaylyau" became popular. He was translated into Kazakh Russian classics, foreign literature, including Walt Whitman, "The Divine Comedy" by Dante. His name is put in front of them, Abay Auezova and other classics of Kazakh literature. He was a laureate of the State Prize of Kazakhstan ... Mukagali and his peers have become the main labor force and replaced the adult men who had gone to the front. They grazed cattle and plowed land, harvest and threshing. Along with the women and old men they considered themselves to be responsible for a life in the rear and very proud of it.

My favourite writers

Reading is to mind what exercise is to body. The rise of television sometimes has been coupled with the dearth of books. But I dont think books need to be rescued. A book is one of the greatest wonders of the world. It gives us a unique chance to link up with authors who lived hundreds and thousands years ago. Thanks to books we can talk to people who lived in different ages and countries. Through reading books we hear their voices, thoughts and feelings. The book is the surest way to bring nations together. It gives us an insight not only into the past, but also into the future. The book is a faithful and undemanding friend: it can be put aside and be taken again at any moment.

As for me, Im fond of reading. I became very keen on literature early in life. Books stirred my imagination, expanded the boundaries of the familiar world and filled my life with great expectations of joy and happiness. Since childhood I have been enchanted by Pushkin and Gogol, Chekhov and Turgenev, by poetry of Yesenin and Pasternak. Later on I got acquainted with Dantes “Divine Comedy” and Ancient Greek mythology and legends.

I think we cant live without books. I consider, that books are with us during all our life. To my mind the house looks glum and joyless without books. I like to read books about the history of our country, about famous people and the life of my contemporaries abroad. Literature means much in my life. It helps to form the character and the world outlook, to understand life better. Books give information and knowledge, educate, give pleasure and sometimes they help people to forget about problems.

Dickens was born in 1812 in Portsmouth. He was the second of the eight children in the family. Although not poor by the standards of the time, the Dickens family lived through a series of financial crises. In 1823 facing a financial ruin, the family moved to London, where Charles began to work in a warehouse for six shillings a week. At that time his father was arrested for debt. Only at the age of twelve Charles was sent to school, where he did well, and at the age of fifteen he got a job in a legal firm. After learning shorthand, he became a reporter for the “Morning Chronicle” and soon wrote “Pickwick Papers”. In 1836, when “Pickwick Papers” were published, he became the most popular living novelist in England and held this position until he died. Then he published novel after novel- “Oliver Twist”, “Nickolas Nickleby”, “The Old Curiosity Shop”, “David Copperfield”, “Little Dorit” and many others. Besides constantly writing novels he was editing newspapers and magazines, giving readings from his books to huge crowds of people.

There was no other novelist in England who had such a hold on all classes of people already during his lifetime. His books were read by all- by learned and simple people, by the rich and the poor alike.

The popularity of his books hasnt diminished with time. The great-heartedness of the author appeals to the contemporary reader as much as it did a century ago. His kindly, understanding eye looks with tolerance on good and bad alike. Dickens believes in kindness and generosity of people. Its not just a happy end that his books have, its a philosophy which gives optimism and faith to the reader.

Also, I have an interest in American literature. Ive read several books by American writers. The first American writer who came my way was Jack London whose stories struck me by unusual situations and the courage of his heroes. A also admire the humour of Mark Twain. Ive read some of his stories and ,of course, “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn”. But my favourite American writer is Ernest Hemingway. When I read his biography I was impressed by his personality. He was born in 1899 in Oak Park, Illinois. His life was full of adventures and events that required courage, strong will and determination. He began his career as a brave war correspondent during World War I. The scope of his interests was incredibly wide.

His war experience and adventurous life provided the background for many of his short stories and novels. He achieved success with “ A Farewell to Arms”, the story of a love affair between an American lieutenant and an English nurse during World War I.

Hemingway actively supported the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War. In his articles he denounced the fascist regime of Franco. “The Fifth Column” is a play about the Civil War in Spain.

In 1940 Hemingway completed the novel “For Whom the Bell Tolls”. Its a story about a young American teacher of Spanish who joins the Spanish partisans and gives his life for the cause of freedom.

In 1952 Hemingway finished his tale “The Old Man and the Sea”. This story about an old Cuban fisherman is a hymn to human courage and endurance. Hemingway was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1954.

Hemingway is famous for his simple style, which has been widely imitated but never achieved by other writers. His heroes show courage in the face of danger, the feature which Hemingway admired grealty and which he himself possessed. Unwilling to live with the grave physical disease, Hemingway committed suicide, as his father had done before him under similar circumstances.

Belorusian writers: Our country is rich in remarkable authors. First of all Id like to mention the names of our outstanding national writers Yanka Kupala and Yakub Kolas, the voices of Belarus. They created a new Belorusian literature and a Belorusian liteary language. Both are considered to be the classics of Belorusian literature. These names are followed by a number of other well-known writers and poets, such as K. Krapiva, K. Chorny, P. Brovka, A. Adamovich, M. Bogdanovich, I. Melezh, V. Korotkevich(“Old Legend”, “The Black Castle of Olshany”, “The Wild Hunt of King Stakh”, “Impossible to Forget”, “The Land Beneath White Wings”, “Kalasy Pad Siarpom Tvaim”), V. Bykov known both in our country and abroad.

Russian writers: A. Pushkin, I. Turgenev, F. Dostoevsky, L. Tolstoy, A. Chekov, M. Lermontov etc.

My favourite singer

I love music and I can say that I’m fond of a lot of music styles. It depends on my mood: sometimes I need some energetic and light disco music but I can also enjoy classical, lyrical or jazz pieces of music as well. And there is one singer I can listen to at any time. Her name is Rihanna.

My love for her started several years ago. It was in 2007 when I turned on the radio and the DJ said: “Here is a new single from Rihanna.” I fell in love with that song immediately. The young girl was singing “The umbrella”. The tune was very catchy, the voice was so soft and deep. I couldn’t help dancing and singing along with her. That song became a hit at once and it was one of the best-selling singles of all time.

My favourite singer was born in 1988 in Barbados and her full name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty. Today she has released 7 studio albums so far and has already sold more than 150 million records worldwide. Rihanna has earned numerous music awards. She always gets stadiums full of her fans. I also dream of visiting her concert some day and dance to her tremendous songs in reggae, hip-hop and R’n’B styles. The lyrics in her songs are quite meaningful and romantic.

Rihanna is a very beautiful and talented person. She is not just a singer with a powerful voice, she is also an actress and a successful fashion designer.

Я люблю музыку и могу сказать, что увлекаюсь многими музыкальными стилями. Все зависит от моего настроения: иногда мне нужна энергичная и легкая диско музыка, но я также могу наслаждаться классическими, лирическими или джазовыми композициями. И есть одна певица, которую я могу слушать в любое время. Ее зовут Рианна.

Моя любовь к ней началась несколько лет назад. Это был 2007 год, когда я включила радио, и голос ди-джея объявил: «А сейчас новый сингл от Рианны.» Я влюбилась в ту песню в одно мгновение. Молодая девушка пела «Зонт». Мелодия была очень запоминающейся, голос был таким мягким и глубоким. Я не могла не начать пританцовывать и подпевать вместе с ней. Та песня сразу же стала хитом и была синглом-бестселлером всех времен.

Моя любимая певица родилась в 1988 году в Барбадосе, и ее полное имя – Робин Рианна Фенти. На сегодняшний день она выпустила 7 студийных альбомов и уже продала более 150 млн записей по всему миру. Рианна удостоена многочисленных музыкальных наград. Она всегда собирает стадионы, полные поклонников. Я тоже мечтаю когда-нибудь посетить ее концерт и потанцевать под ее классные песни в стилях регги, хип-хоп и R’n’B. Тексты ее песен довольно содержательны и романтичны.

Рианна – очень красивый и талантливый человек. Она не только певица с мощным голосом, но и актриса и успешный дизайнер одежды.