Alexandra Yakovlevna Brushteyn: biography, personal life and books

In the Russian children's literature of the twentieth century, an important place is taken by one of the talented writers. Alexandra Yakovlevna Brushteyn is a playwright and author of numerous books and stories for children.

Biography

Young family doctor and public figure Yakov Iegilevich Vygodsky and daughter of theater physician Elena Semyonovna Vygotsky (in the nee Yadlovkin) lived in the city of Vilna of the Russian Empire. There they had their daughter August 11, 1884 - Alexandra Yakovlevna Brushteyn. The biography of this girl will subsequently be filled with adversity, sickness and grief. She will have to endure the death of her father, son and husband.

The girl graduated from Bestuzhev Higher Women's Courses in St. Petersburg.

Sasha was attracted by revolutionary activity. Already during her studies at the institute she joined the organization, which provided assistance to exiles and prisoners. And she also taught ordinary workers to read and write.

I visited France and Zurich, where all the revolutionaries gathered. And after the 1917 revolution, Aleksandra Yakovlevna Brushtein, together with other revolutionaries, began to build a new society. She opened more than a hundred schools and circles to eliminate illiteracy of the population. At the same time she was preparing a repertoire for the children's theater.

Alexandra Yakovlevna was suffering from a hearing aid disorder. Over the years, her deafness intensified. About his life, the writer will later write an autobiographical book, "The Road Goes Away." She died on September 20, 1968 in Moscow.

A family

Alexandra's father was an intercessor of the Jews, an ascetic physician, sought to help the patient, regardless of his nationality and social status. Yakov Efimovich worked in the city hospital during the day, and in the evenings he helped the needy. Tired so much that his hands were shaking.

Alexandra had a younger brother - Semen Yakovlevich Vygotsky, who later became a hydroelectric engineer, the author of various monographs.

Sasha and her younger brother Semyon were brought up, looking at their father. They, like Yakov Efimovich, aspired to help people unselfishly.

At the age of 17, a future Soviet writer married a doctor-physicist, Sergei Brushtein, who was ten years older than she.

Soon, in 1904, they had a daughter, Nadezhda Sergeevna Nadezhdina. She became a choreographer and created the ensemble of folk dance "Birch". Three years later, Mikhail Sergeyevich Brushtein, a mechanical engineer, was born, and later the chief engineer of the Krasny Oktyabr factory. He owns a number of inventions in confectionery.

In the family of Alexandra everything turned out well. Her works were printed, her husband soon became head of the Institute of Physiotherapy.

The war in life Brushtein

But soon the First World War began. The Germans severely infringed on the rights of the Jews, forced to pay an indemnity. Alexandra Yakovlevna's father interceded for them and helped the innocent to get out of prison. Soon, and the very Yakov Vygotsky, the Germans were arrested. For several years he spent in the camp in hunger and cold. But even there he tried to help people by providing medical assistance. Two years later, the writer's father was released.

And in 1941, when the Second World War began, the 85-year-old doctor was again arrested. After a while he died.

Alexandra's son, Mikhail worked in the rear. From hard work showed a serious heart disease. Soon he died. Daughter Hope toured on the front line and only miraculously survived. Already after the war Sergey Brushtein died of heart disease. Because of the strong experiences of Alexander Yakovlevna, Brushtein very quickly began to lose sight. But I worked even more.

Books

Alexandra Yakovlevna is the author of more than sixty plays for children. Among them the most famous are "Blue and Pink", "May", "It was." She was also the author of plays on famous books "Don Quixote" (in 1928), "Cruel World" by Dickens (1954) and "Uncle Tom's Cabin" (1948). Some of the author's works were published under the pseudonym of Alexandra Yakovlevna Nirga.

In 1956, the autobiographical book "The Road ..." was published, authored by Alexandra Yakovlevna Brushtein. Books of the writer are imbued with good, good deeds and love for people. They can draw useful advice.

A bit about "The Road ..."

The book consists of three parts. The first one is called "The road goes into the distance." It tells about a nine-year-old girl Sashenka, whose prototype is the writer herself. Young Sasha noticed a lot of injustice in life - poverty, starving children.

One day Sasha saw an armless artist painting a picture in the park. Sasha really wanted to help and support him, so she decided to buy one of his paintings. He offered her a landscape and gave life's message that the girl remembered forever.

The book quickly gained popularity throughout the Soviet Union. It was not just a story, it was a parenting book. In the "Road" very touchingly and warmly describes Alexandra Yakovlevna and her hometown of Vilna.

Continuation of a story

Two years later, in 1958, the second part of the trilogy "At the Dawn Hour" was published. It tells about the years of Sashenka's studies at the institute. Despite all the difficulties of training, she became the best student. Soon her brother Semyon is born. Sasha herself finishes her studies. The book also describes important historical events - the assassination of Alexander III and the beginning of the reign of Nicholas II.

In 1961 the final book of the trilogy entitled "Spring" was published. After graduating from the institute Sashenka gets a job - she teaches English. There comes a new, twentieth century. It is associated with demonstrations and widespread hunger. Also in the book the case of Dreyfus is described in detail.

Alexandra Yakovlevna Brushtein is a writer who feels a subtle sense of child psychology, which has gone through many life's lawsuits, but not broken by them. Her "Road ..." is still being published and read not only by children, but also by adults.