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Contemporary Bestiary
Contemporary Bestiary is a collection of poems written by Vasilina Orlova in the course of 2012–2013.
194 pages, Paperback
First published March 14, 2014
About the author
Vasilina Orlova
5 books21 followersVasilina Orlova is a philosopher, anthropologist, poet, and emerging psychotherapist. She holds the Russian equivalent of a Ph.D. in philosophy (Kandidat of Philosophical Sciences, Moscow State University, 2013) and a Ph.D. in socio-cultural anthropology from The University of Texas at Austin, where her dissertation explored “affective infrastructures” and mobility in post-Soviet Siberia.
In English, Orlova has published several essays based on her Siberian fieldwork, including "Cheerful Nonchalance" and "Affective Infrastructures of Immobility" in Slavic Review and The Journal of Contemporary Ethnography. Her prose and poetry in English have appeared in journals and anthologies such as The End of Austin, Texas Linguistics Forum, Blue Bonnet Review, Figroot Press, Bloodstone Review, and Visions International. She is the author of three books of poetry in English: Contemporary Bestiary, Holy Robots, and Pale Automaton (the latter is forthcoming, Gutenberg Printing Press Independent Group, Austin).
In Russian, Orlova has published 11 books of autofiction, fiction, and poetry. Her prose and poetry have appeared in prominent Russian literary journals, including Noviy Mir, Druzhba Narodov, Moskva, and Oktyabr. Her work has been recognized with several literary awards in Russia, including the Crystal Rose of Victor Rozov and the Anton Delvig Poetry Prize. She has also published philosophical essays on topics such as free will and the Russian philosopher Vasily Rozanov in Svobodnaya Mysl and Topos.
Orlova’s works in both Russian and English have been translated into Bulgarian, Dutch, French, Spanish, Ukrainian, and more.
Born in 1979 in Dunay in the Russian Far East, Orlova has lived in Moscow, London, and Austin, and is currently based in New York City. She is a member of the American Anthropological Association and the Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies.
Books by Vasilina Orlova
In English
Pale Automaton (forthcoming)
Holy Robots
Contemporary Bestiary
In Russian
Antropologia povsednevnosti (Anthropology of Everydayness, forthcoming)
Londonsky dnevnik (London Diary)
Mificheskaya geographia (Mythical Geography)
Kvartet (Quartet)
Russkiy ostrov (Russky Island/Russian Island)
Bossikom (Barefoot)
Trapesa bogomola (Supper of the Praying Mantis)
Pustinya (The Wilderness)
V opravdanie vodi (In Defense of Water)
Stat’ zhenshchinoi ne pozdneye ponedel’nika (To Become a Woman on Monday)
Vchera (Yesterday)
Odnova zhivem (We Live Only Once)
In Bulgarian
Shipkata (English Rose). Translated by Sylvia Nikolova and Valentin Kornilev
In English, Orlova has published several essays based on her Siberian fieldwork, including "Cheerful Nonchalance" and "Affective Infrastructures of Immobility" in Slavic Review and The Journal of Contemporary Ethnography. Her prose and poetry in English have appeared in journals and anthologies such as The End of Austin, Texas Linguistics Forum, Blue Bonnet Review, Figroot Press, Bloodstone Review, and Visions International. She is the author of three books of poetry in English: Contemporary Bestiary, Holy Robots, and Pale Automaton (the latter is forthcoming, Gutenberg Printing Press Independent Group, Austin).
In Russian, Orlova has published 11 books of autofiction, fiction, and poetry. Her prose and poetry have appeared in prominent Russian literary journals, including Noviy Mir, Druzhba Narodov, Moskva, and Oktyabr. Her work has been recognized with several literary awards in Russia, including the Crystal Rose of Victor Rozov and the Anton Delvig Poetry Prize. She has also published philosophical essays on topics such as free will and the Russian philosopher Vasily Rozanov in Svobodnaya Mysl and Topos.
Orlova’s works in both Russian and English have been translated into Bulgarian, Dutch, French, Spanish, Ukrainian, and more.
Born in 1979 in Dunay in the Russian Far East, Orlova has lived in Moscow, London, and Austin, and is currently based in New York City. She is a member of the American Anthropological Association and the Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies.
Books by Vasilina Orlova
In English
Pale Automaton (forthcoming)
Holy Robots
Contemporary Bestiary
In Russian
Antropologia povsednevnosti (Anthropology of Everydayness, forthcoming)
Londonsky dnevnik (London Diary)
Mificheskaya geographia (Mythical Geography)
Kvartet (Quartet)
Russkiy ostrov (Russky Island/Russian Island)
Bossikom (Barefoot)
Trapesa bogomola (Supper of the Praying Mantis)
Pustinya (The Wilderness)
V opravdanie vodi (In Defense of Water)
Stat’ zhenshchinoi ne pozdneye ponedel’nika (To Become a Woman on Monday)
Vchera (Yesterday)
Odnova zhivem (We Live Only Once)
In Bulgarian
Shipkata (English Rose). Translated by Sylvia Nikolova and Valentin Kornilev
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 13, 2020
When Vasilina Orlova writes poetry, she projects a compelling fascination with words and their clever use. Like a naturalist of the language, she presents us with a population of words that hang together like an ecosystem. It's a strange and delightful trip.
April 4, 2016
a beautiful, intelligent, and profound set of poetry.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews