Books By Eudora Welty in Russian

I am often asked if there are any books by Miss Welty in Russian. Yes there are. Her novel Optimist's Daughter is translated and piblished twice. As a separate edition in 1975 and in one volume together with fiction by Katherine Anne Porter, 1991. A collection of stories was also published in 1981

April 13, 2009 . Celebrating E.Welty's Centennial With My Students

This year April 13 happened during Passionate Weak. Being Russian Orthodox I love the season of Great Lent and still wanted to have some sort of celebration. So, back in March I had my students start reading Death of a Traveling Salesman. They were diligent and came to class prepared. I told them about Eudora Welty, introduced her books of photographs, conversations and stories. We discussed Death of a Traveling Salesman and my students got excited about reading and discussing some other stories by Eudora Welty. And then of course there was some nice food. I could not bring a cake (it was the time of Great lent) but I did bring apples and bananas and some juice. So we had a real party.


It was a beautiful spring day in Krasnodar, Russia and Eudora Welty made it special for us.

Miss Eudora's Cake

The cake turned out to be good to butI was so full emotionally that I had hard time eating anything, but then in Russia we say "There is no sense to come to Rome and not see the Pope", so to come to such a special birtday and not to have any cake would have been a shame - so I had my piece of the cake and fully enjoyed it!

Thanking Miss Eudora

I did not know that I would have an opportunity to see Miss Welty face to face and talk with her. for me it was the real icing on her birthday cake. I wasn't prepared. When I approached Eudora she was seated in a chair and looked tiny. I hated to tower over her, so I went on my knees in front of her. When later on I told about this to a Russian Orthodox priest he said that this exactly how Russian priests talk to their Archbishops. Wow! My instinct was right: she was a patriarch of American letters! I told Eudora Welty that her stories and The Optimist's Daughter are translated into Russian and I also thanked her for the book she autographed for me. She was gracious, friendly, very open and warm. The day stays out in my memory very clearly and once again I am grateful - to those who organised the party and invited everyone, to Eudora Welty who was willing to make a public appearance and of course to my beloved Barbara without whom I would have never ever celebrated Miss Welty's 85th birthday with her. What a blessing!

Eudora Welty's 85th Birthday Party!

When Barbara Smith told me that we are going to Eudora Welty's Birthday party I did not know what to think of it. After all we were not invited, right? No, said Barbara, everyone is invited! Well, I did not know what to think of it plus I have never been to a Birthday party of a famous writer... so we both put our Sunday clothes and went.
Lemuria Bookstore parking lot was packed. The hall within was air conditioned and decorated with balloons and flowers. Everyone was excited. There were at least 500 people present and everyone was waiting for Miss Welty to arrive, which she did in due timing.
I am glad there was just one candle in her cake - rather then 85 and after it was blown away the party was open.
There were lots of telegrams from friends and admirers from all over the world, among which was a telegram from US president Bill Clinton.

Miss Eudora's Autograph

Once Barbara walked into my room and she had something in her hand - hidden behind her back. Very gradually she got her hand in front of me and it was a gray book with two letters in gold on the cover "EW". I took the book and opened the front page and read Eudora Welty One Writer's Beginnings and then written in a shaky hand :
With my best thanks for her interest, to Olga Spachil.
Eudora Welty
April 1944
Jackson, Mississippi
I was thrilled and very, very grateful. Where and how did she get the book autographed for me!? It was not really easy, since by that time (being 85 years old) Eudora Welty hardly autographed any books - arthritis introduced its limitations. So Barbara asked her long-time friend she wet to college with and the friend asked Miss Welty and now I have a book I treasure!

Welcome to Jackson, Mississippi

In April of 1994 I was greeted at Jackson International Airport by a group from Christ United Methodis Church (CUMC), on whose invitation I came to the USA.
We met each other in Krasnodar where a group from CUMC was on a missionary outreach. They came to share God's love and then, in the long run, maybe establish a Methodist Church in Krasnodar, Russia. The church was never established, but many friendships got started then. The friendship of my extended family with Bill and Barbara Smith is one of those. Now we think of ourselves as family, blood relations, and we are very happy and grateful for bringing us together - God does work in mysterious ways.
It was a wonderful visit - a dream comming true. The Smiths were my host family and if I have ever been in a state of bliss this is certainly in their hospitable home.
I had speaking appointments and I shared about Russia with whoever came to listen - hope it was not a waste of time and money for them. And Barbara Smith took me all over literary Mississippi and introduced me into real southern hospitality - what a special treat! Today 15 years down the road the memories of that April in Jackson warm my heart and I am grateful for everyone who made the trip possible and Bill and Barbara most of all!

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