Небесный огонь и другие рассказы

by Olesia Nikolaeva, Олеся Николаева

Олеся Николаева - известная российская поэтесса, прозаик, эссеист, член Союза писателей, преподаватель творческого семинара поэзии в Литературном институте, ведущая программы "Основы православной культуры" на телеканале "Спас". Получила известность благодаря таким романам и повестям, как "Инвалид детства", "Августин. Роман в стихах", "Мене, текел, фарес", "Корфу", обладатель множества литературных премий.
Именно Олесю Николаеву считают автором, первым в современной литературе художественно изобразившим представителей русского духовенства, явив их героями нашего времени.
Большинство читателей, наверно, уже догадались, что книга "Небесный огонь" и другие рассказы" продолжает собой тему, начатую книгой архимандрита Тихона (Шевкунова) "Несвятые святые" и другие рассказы", ставшей открытием в литературной жизни ушедшего года и абсолютным бестселлером в жанре художественной литературы.
Главная тема новой книги - Промысел Божий в жизни человека, в издание вошли как новые произведения автора, так уже успевшие полюбиться читателю сюжеты.
Вот как сама Олеся Николаева описывает смысл своих рассказов: "Всякие истории, свидетельствующие о действии Промысла в мире и душе человека, о милости нашего Спасителя и Бога, о том, что "творит Бог елико хощет" и тогда "превышается естества чин", - утешительны, радостны, духоподъемны".
Популярность книги "Несвятые святые" и другие рассказы" у светской аудитории наглядно продемонстрировала интерес читателей к книгам духовного содержания, у общества есть потребность в доброй и светлой литературе, которая поддержала бы их в их чаяниях и надеждах. Новая книга Олеси Николаевой станет именно тем "эликсиром", которого так ждут читатели.
Вот что говорит о новой книге Архимандрит Тихон, автор "Несвятые святые" и другие рассказы": "Олеся Николаева смогла как никто другой - с открытым сердцем, сильно, живо, интересно и близко - начать повествование о современных православных людях, о Промысле Божьем, о чудесных историях, научила нас любоваться нашими замечательными братьями и сестрами. За это Олесе огромное спасибо!"
Издание снабжено множеством иллюстраций.

Genres: Memoir

496 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Olesia Nikolaeva is a prolific and award-winning author, poet, and essayist. She has been composing verse since her early youth and was first published at the age of seventeen. Bishop Tikhon (Shevkhunov), author of the 2011 bestseller "Everyday Saints", called her "a trailblazer in Russian Orthodox prose."

Reviews

[Signe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely compilation of memoirs from a Russian author who is a Matushka (wife of an Orthodox Priest) and a poet. Her vignettes mostly take place as Russia is beginning to recover from Communism and Orthodox Christians are more able to practice their faith without persecution.

Many of the stories tell of the sad state of society with food shortages, people are homeless, milling around, and have no money to buy medicine. There are many con artists and thieves constantly seeking money from others. People are extremely ignorant of the faith or have taken up pagan practices inviting in bad spirits. In short, it sounds a lot like what the USA is becoming. Until this week I wouldn't have thought America was the place for food shortages, but now that flu strikes and panic sets in the shelves are empty and stores have had to hire security guards to break up fights between people competing for some item at the grocery store.

There are glimpses of many beautiful moment of grace in this book, however sometimes it was a struggle to get through it, possibly due to translation. Overall, it gives a good sense of the particularly Russian sort of piety and cultural ethos, especially as she visits Corfu and the relics of our beloved St. Spyridon and she contrasts the Greek sort of piety to what she is accustomed to in a much harsher country.

She comments on Russians:

It seems obvious to me that many issues within our national character can be explained by the terrain and climate. For seven months of the year, it's a low leaden sky, which is never even visible in big cities, depressingly bitter cold, unpredictable torrents of rain, poor weather, nightfall, darkness, gloom. And then, we have those endless expanses: fields, meadows, woodlands, steppes. Nothing to rest your eyes on. You shrink internally and curl up, trying to preserve any warmth, exerting yourself until the point of exhaustion, like the children in the painting of the Peredvizhnik painter Perov (one of the Wanderers), dragging their terrible load behind them in the snow. Everything is achieved through heroic effort, labor, and struggle. There comes a point when the Russian soul becomes torn; it aches and is metaphysically fatigued. You just want to sit in a corner, focus on one immovable thought and drink something hot in order to warm up and soften your soul, hardened by trials.

My favorite quote from this book:

There is an answer to every question in holy Scripture, though there may not be an answer to a concrete question: what should I, someone of no particular importance, do right now, at this time? The human free will is boundless, but simultaneously limited by a desire to always follow God's will, which is often incomprehensible.

An abbot of my acquaintance one said: "If you don't know how to act, just say with all your heart: 'Lord, I love You! Glory to You!'

[EC · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book full of short stories of miraculous events in various people's lives. I love it and highly recommend this!

[Mimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely stories of life as a Matushka during the waning days of the Soviet State and early post-Soviet state after. Miracles abound.