Faraway Days By Sergei Mintslov, translated by Igor Labzin.
A Vivid Account of Late 19th Century Russian Society.
It’s 1918, and prolific Russian Author Sergei Mintslov (Minzloff, Minclov) is in exile. This is due to the Bolshevik Revolution which is unfolding in Russia. It is also the year Mintslov’s autobiography Faraway Days is published. But Faraway Days is not a book about the Russian Revolution. It is about Mintslov’s childhood. He writes poignantly about his boyhood and young adulthood growing up in 19th Century Russian Society. A Russia which would never be the same in his lifetime. The memories of Faraway Days are from the period between 1870 and 1890. As a result, the setting is in contrast to the shadow of war which was settling heavily over Russia.
‘Faraway Days’ tells of Sergei Mintslov’s early years growing up in Russia in a noble family. Memories of a mischievous childhood and early adulthood. In addition, his graduation in 1890 as a young officer from the Alexandrov Military Academy in Moscow. The book gives a close-up description of late 19th Century Russian society. In particular, Moscow and other country towns. It includes details of events such as the coronation of Tsar Nicholas II. Furthermore, it offers vivid insights into life on the country estates of the nobility. Famous landmarks like Red Square and the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour also feature. The cathedral was later demolished during Stalin’s rule.
This memoir is now translated into English. The translation was carried out by Russian-Australian writer and descendant, Igor Labzin.
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Latest Book Review
“I’m reading your book “Faraway Days” with great interest as I’m related to August Leopold Minzloff who was a brother of Karl Rudolf Minzloff the grandfather of Sergei Mintslov.
Thank you so much for your great work for translating this book!!! It’s an important source for this part of the big Mintslov/Minzloff/Minclov family.”
Richard Kessler
About the Author Sergei Mintslov (Minzloff/Minclov).
Sergei Rudolfovich Mintslov’s mother was a Bodisco, a noble family. This nobility allowed Mintslov a comfortable life in 19th Century Russian society. He enjoyed life immensely on the Bodisco country estates. Furthermore, his nobility later helped him enter the Cadet Corps as well as the Military Academy.
His father, the prominent barrister, Rudolf Rudolfovich Mintslov, was part of a Prussian dynasty. They had lived in Latvia and branched out into Russia in the 1830’s. The Mintslovs had a long history of being artists and writers and it was that creative trait that Sergei had inherited.
Upon graduating from the Military Academy, Sergei became a prolific novelist, poet, and playwright. He commenced his career writing articles for various journals and newspapers in 1888.
He and his second wife Ksenia left Russia in 1918 and first went to Serbia. In 1922 Mintslov moved to Riga, Latvia, where he died in 1933. Mintslov’s name is often referenced as Sergei Minzloff, as well as Sergei Minclov.
About the Translator Igor Labzin
Igor Borisovich Labzin is a relative of Sergei Rudolfovich Mintslov. The descendency lies through Igor’s paternal grandmother, Ekaterina. Ekaterina was a Bodisco, and Sergei’s first cousin. Hence, she and Sergei were frequent visitors to the Bodisco country estate. The estate was situated near Orel, 350 kilometres south of Moscow.
Boris, Igor’s father encouraged him to read Faraway Days. Boris was a White Russian officer, and exile. The book offers a window into the Labzin’s pre-revolutionary lifestyle and in particular 19th Century Russian society. In addition, it re-ignites a lost Russia. The Russia which Boris fought for.
This particular book, out of the many books that Sergei wrote, is the one of special interest to Igor. This is mostly due to the depth of insight into the Bodisco family it reveals. The book was so fascinating to Igor that he translated it from Russian into English and published it under its original title.
Faraway Days Launch Vyborg, Russia in November 2015
Sergei Mintslov wrote Faraway Days in the Russian city Vyborg. A century later the people of Vyborg were keen to meet their famous author’s descendant. They wanted to meet the one who has opened up Mintslov’s work to the world of English readers. In the 13th century Vyborg Castle, Igor recently presented his story about re-living “Faraway Days” through his translation. He also describes how the Vyborg landmark, the clock tower came to be on the front cover of his book.
