The Unfiltered Life of Belarus’s Most Eccentric Literary Legend
Belarusian writer Vladimir Korotkevich remains a fascinating figure long after his death. His life was filled with quirks, struggles, and deep friendships—many of which were recorded by those closest to him. A new book by neighbour and artist Adam Globus now offers an unfiltered look at the man behind the famous stories.
Korotkevich’s eccentricities were well-known among friends. He brewed his coffee with an unusual twist—two black peppercorns, split in half. His temper could flare just as distinctively; neighbours often heard him shouting down the phone, ‘Just let me die in peace!’—his voice echoing through the stairwell.
His circle was small but tight-knit. Photographer Valentin Zhdanovich and artist Pyotr Drachev were his closest companions. Another key figure was Adam Globus, who lived nearby and even had keys to Korotkevich’s flat. When the writer travelled, Globus would water his plants and flip through his magazines, observing details that later filled his book, Our Neighbor Koratkevich.
The work pulls no punches. Globus refused to romanticise Korotkevich, documenting his battles with alcoholism—struggles so intense they once nearly got Globus sent to Chernobyl as punishment. Yet the book also captures the writer’s creative dilemmas. Korotkevich never penned a sequel to The Sword of the Reaper because he couldn’t bear to kill off his hero. Globus argues that readers prefer icons like Sherlock Holmes or Harry Potter to stay frozen in time, untouched by fate.
Even family played a role in his dramatic life. His sister, Natalya Semyonovna, worked at the military enlistment office and once had a draft notice issued in his name. Meanwhile, another of his unfinished works, Kolasy tsaplyanyya, found a continuation—not by Korotkevich, but by fellow Belarusian author Vasil Bykau.
Globus’s book preserves Korotkevich as he truly was: brilliant, flawed, and fiercely independent. The writer’s legacy now includes not just his stories, but the raw, human details of his daily existence. For those who knew him—or simply admired his work—these accounts bring his world a little closer.
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