Confession of a Toastmaster - Vladimir Shatakishvili Nabokov Prize Library

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Lieutenant Karabanov, was like Pechorin and other similar characters, whom the seventeen-year-old young man diligently tried to emulate.

      After «Bayazet», Zvyagintsev was actively reading everything that went out from the pen of the completely original for the Soviet times writer and historian.

      In 1973, Valentin Savvich published another novel «Moonzund», dedicated to the naval component of the First World War in the Baltic theatre of military operations.

      Something in the novel provoked a lot of disagreement of Zvyagintsev, who had been studying the naval history from a young age. And he dared, and sat down at the typewriter, and wrote to Vladimir Pikul eight pages, single-spaced, of his disagreement with the position of the writer and even the level of expertise of the author at the military-historical questions. As one year and a half as a cabin boy at the front was not enough.

      He wrote, sent it, and calmed down, not expecting a response.

      And suddenly, after only four months, he received a lengthy post from Riga, where the famous writer was living. It contained two volumes of «Word and Deed», which had just released. It should be noted for the present lovers of literature, in the years of «developed socialism», one could not buy a popular book on the «black market» even for the «ten values». To be clear – the «ten values» for the book of Pikul or «Modern English Detective» – a quarter or one-third of the monthly salary of a doctor or engineer.

      And our friend got it from the author for nothing, and even with two cover sheets of his autograph. We cite it verbatim: «To Vasily Zvyagintsev from the author. I was touched by your knowledge, your tact, and your kindness to me. I never give books to readers because THOUSANDS of them ask me for this, but I will make an exception for You since You have not asked me for it. Sincerely, V. Pikul. 20.03.75, Riga. P. S. In the second volume, on page 640, there is a genealogical table. Please, confirm the receipt».

      After that, there were several more letters. The last one came shortly before his death and was filled with deep sorrow and warning against the wiles of the «elders of Zion» that use all methods to struggle against the «Russian patriots». He was referring to the story of the banning of the publication in «Nash Sovremennik» of the second part of the novel «At the Last Line».

      When intellectual TV programs began to emerge in our country and quickly became popular: «What? Where? When?», «Your Game», «Morning Star», and others, their participants became famous and recognizable among the population. The names of such smart, talented experts as Anatoly Wasserman, Alexander Druz, Maksim Potashov, Boris Burda, and young Ilya Novikov, Ravshan Askerov were on everyone's lips. We used to have respect for educated, decent, and popular people. I can say that Vasily Zvyagintsev must be among these names. Citing the example of six of the most talented men, I would feel free to put his name in the middle of the list, and if in good conscience, I would put it on top. In my imagination, I have often formed the «invincible», from my point of view, team of my friends from Stavropol: Vasily Zvyagintsev, Vladimir Redko, Lyudmila Redko, Vladimir Danchenko, Viktor Semenov, Igor Ogarkov, including Boris Rosenfeld, modestly referring to my involvement in the «star team», as I have been involved in sports statistics for many years and I know something about it. It is a pity that we failed to form this team in the real life…

      However, in the spring of 2011, one member of our imaginary team – Vladimir Borisovich Redko, asked «experts» a very tricky and interesting question, which they could not answer. The price of the question was 60 thousand rubles. In addition, his question was recognized as the best in the game and the sponsor of the game «What? Where? When?» «Bank of Moscow» added another 90 thousand rubles. So, hold on, idols, our friend have sent three more questions to you, two of which you will be asked soon…

      The friend of V. Zvyagintsev from his childhood, a literary man and film critic, Gennady Khazanov (though, another one – Nikolaevich, and not Viktorovich), told the following story a few years ago in the article devoted to the mentioned author.

      «It was in the midst of the Gorbachev's era, in 1989 or in 1990. There was the lack of everything, including beer. If you found some in a very distant stall or shop, it was a great success. In the midst of the summer heat, Vastly and I suddenly got lucky. In a small grove, between cultural and educational school and bath, there was a beer stall. And it had beer of unknown class and of uncertain taste, but it was beer! The queue was not excessive in those days – ten men only, but all had cans or three-liter glass jars (plastic bottles were not used at that time).

      In short, the beer was over literally before us! Our disappointment, of course, was the deepest, and the thirst became absolutely unbearable. And ahead of us, there stood a group of five young men, who looked like students in their twenties. There was no enough beer for us because of them.

      It should be noted that while we whiled away the time by talking on various topics, these young men were listening attentively to us. Something, apparently, interested them.

      And so, when we stepped aside in deep frustration and out of grief began to smoke (and the people at this time, hiding in the shade of the trees, were enjoying beer), one of the students approached us.

      «Excuse me, – he said, addressing to my friend, – are you Zvyagintsev Vasily Dmitrievich?»

      And I must say that a year ago, the first book of the young writer «Odysseus Leaves Ithaca» came out of print.

      – Yes. So what? – Vasily answered.

      – There was no enough for you, so you can take this, – and he handed a cylinder full of amber liquid.

      Despite our feeble objections, the benefactor insisted, and even refused to take money for three liters of beer. And this was 1 ruble 32 kopecks, which was a considerable sum of money back then.

      «Here it is, glory!» – we thought at the same time. My friend was astonished, except for he did not twirl his mustaches with a hussar gesture.

      In the meantime, the friends of the young man were loudly expressing their dissatisfaction to the «humanist», who, for no reason, gave a jar of beer to strangers!

      – Come on, guys, – he was fighting back. – He is the father of Stas Zvyagintsev. Didn't you know?

      Vasily and I looked at each other and began to laugh together. Yes, the time of glory goes by quickly!

      And Stas Zvyagintsev was the eldest son of my friend, then a sophomore of the History Department of the SSU, who, apparently, had a great authority among his groupmates».

      I have come across the popularity of the writer Zvyagintsev several times in everyday life. So one day, during a meal with Boris Matveyevich Rosenfeld, I met a handsome man, Lieutenant General of the Ministry of Internal Affairs – a fan of our fellow countryman. I spilled the beans about my friendly relationship with Zvyagintsev, so the next day I had to drive to Stavropol for an autograph for the guest from the capital. Once I asked Vasya Derbenev, a specialist in desktop publishing from «MIL» publishing house, to send some of the material from the future the first volume of my book to email address of Zvyagintsev. When the guy learned that he would forward the information to Zvyagintsev, he could not believe that this was possible, naively thinking about some kind of «celestial», who was inaccessible to ordinary mortals. And one needs to remember that for many years Vasily has been in a happy marriage with his wife Svetlana, a winner of the television competition «Best Mother-in-Law of Russia of 2000».

      In late 1999, «Komsomolskaya Pravda» announced a competition for the honorary title of «Best Mother-in-Law of Russia of 2000», to which the sons-in-law from all over Russia represented the candidates of their beloved mothers-in-law. The wife of V. Zvyagintsev, Svetlana, having won among many hundreds of worthy contenders, took the honorary title and prize. It should be noted that they lived together for 42 years in full harmony, had three children, two grandsons, and two granddaughters. And I think that the old saying «Marriages are made in heaven» is true because the story of their acquaintance is also worth of the literary incarnation. Both Vasily and Svetlana were studying in Stavropol at the same time but in different universities, and never met each other. Although, at that time, joint «evenings» in one or in another institution were in common practice and were attended by almost all male and female students,

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