A. Can you tell me about russian writers?

(A talk between Bill Anderson, a lecturer at London University, and Peter Sedov, a Russian teacher, who is teaching Russian at London University.)

Bill Anderson: Peter, could you do me a favour?⁽¹⁾

Peter Sedov: You’re welcome.

Bill: Could you name most popular modern Russian writters?

Peter: Well, you know, tastes differ. My favourite modern writers are Solzhenitsyn, Bondarev, Rasputin, Lipatov to name only a few.

Bill: Were any of their works translated into English?

Peter: I think so. I have Bondarev’s "Bank"⁽²⁾ in English.

Bill: May I borrow it?

Peter: Yes, certainly. I’ll bring it tomorrow.

Bill: Thank you very much. Unfortunately I don’t know any of your modern writers.

Peter: I hope you’ll enjoy these novels.

В. Tell me about british writers, please

A: Who are the most popular writers in Great Britain at present?

B: It’s a diffucult question. Tastes differ, you know. I’d say the most popular fiction writers are Graham Greene, Iris Murdoch, Agatha Christie, to name only a few.

A: As to Graham Greene, Iris Murdoch and Agatha Christie I’ve read some of their books in translation. They impressed me greatly. I especially liked Graham Greene’s novels "The Comedians" and "The Honorary Consul".⁽³⁾ I wonder whether John Galsworthy, Bernard Shaw, Somerset Maugham and Arnold Bennett are as popular as they used to be. ⁽⁴⁾

В: I don’t think so though many of their books are republished. Galsworthy is my favourite writer. He’s a classic. I hear most of Galsworthy’s novels were translated into Russian.

A: Oh, yes. I think I’ve read all the books that were translated.

B: I’m surprised at you, Russians. You seem to know English literature better than we do. ⁽⁵⁾

C. Could you advise me an english novel to read?

Peter Rostov: Could you advise me an English novel to read?

John Brown: I’d advise you to read C.P Snow’s novel "The New Men". Though C.P. Snow wrote it over thirty years ago, the book has stood the test of time.

Rostov: What’s the subject-matter of the book?

Brown: As far as I understand it’s the problem of conscience, duties and responsibilities of scientists.

Rostov: Who are the main characters?

Brown: To my mind the two brothers — Lewis and Martin Eliot.

Rostov: When and where does the action take place?

Brown : During the Second World War and a year after. A group of British scientists worked on the atomic bomb in a small village, a few miles from Stratford-on- Avon^*. Late in July 1945 they learned that the USA had tested an atomic bomb and that the American military were planning to drop an atomic bomb on a Japanese town.

Rostov: Excuse my interrupting you. Did the scientists try to do something?

Brown: Yes, they did. They signed a protest and took it to Washington.

Rostov: But the American military didn’t listen to the scientists as the events showed.

Brown: Unfortunately, they didn’t.

Rostov: What do you think the message of the novel is?

Brown: I think the writer wanted to draw the attention of the people to the danger of atomic bombs. To my mind the social value of the novel is undoubted. Look, I advise you to read the novel yourself and form your own opinion. When you finish it we’ll be able to discuss it. I could lend you the book, by the way.

Rostov: Thank you.