Women in Russian Literature
Editor, critic, writer.
Born in St. Petersburg, Russia. Currently resides in St. Petersburg.
Graduated from St. Petersburg State University with a degree in Russian literature.
Since 2007 he has been working as a book editor in Limbus Press Publishing House widely known for its Russian editions of the World's best authors – Salman Rushd ie, Philip Roth, Alberto Moravia, Sébastien Japrisot etc. – as well as numerous Russian writers – Zakhar Prilepin, Rubén Gallego, Eduard Limonov and others.
In 2011, Levental authored the idea of The Literary Matrix series which includes literary essays by contemporary writers about canonical writers and poets included in Russian literature curricula. This 4-volume project was recognized in mass media as one of the most successful and most important literary projects in post-communist Russia.
Since 2007 he has been published as a literary critic in several significant journals and newspapers (St. Petersburg Vedomosti, Story, Saltt, Chastny Correspondent and others) and since then he has published dozens of essays on contemporary world and Russian literature.
Since 2010 he has been published as political commentator, and in 2010 – 2015 had his own column in Izvestia newspaper.
His literary pieces appeared in several literary journals (Zvezda, Volga, Vokrug Sveta and others) and collections of stories (St.Petersburg Noir, Russian Kids, Russian women and others) since 2006.
Levental’s debut novel Masha Regina (2012) was nominated for the Russian Booker Prize and shortlisted for the Big Book award. The novel was well-received by critics and sold both Russian film rights and those to the US and France. Lisa Haden’s English translation of Masha Regina was published in the UK by Oneworld Publications in 2016.
His second book House of Fears (2015), a collection of short stories, was nominated for the New Literature Prize.
