author
Aleksandr Amfiteatrov
1862–1938
A sharp-tongued Russian novelist and journalist, he became famous for satire that was bold enough to bring trouble with the imperial authorities. His life moved from law studies into newspapers, fiction, exile, and emigration, giving his work a strong sense of public drama.
1 Audiobook
Folk-Tales of Napoleon Napoleonder from the Russian; The Napoleon of the People from the French of Honoré De Balzac
by Aleksandr Amfiteatrov, Honoré de Balzac
About the author
Born in Kaluga in 1862, Aleksandr Amfiteatrov trained in law but soon turned to journalism and literature. He became known as a prolific writer who worked across fiction, criticism, history, and the press.
He earned particular notice for his satirical writing. In 1902, after publishing a piece aimed at the imperial family, he was exiled, and after later returning to Russia he eventually emigrated to France in 1905. That mix of literary ambition and political risk helps explain the restless energy of his career.
Amfiteatrov remained a well-known figure among Russian readers and émigré circles, and he died in Levanto, Italy, in 1938. Today he is remembered as a versatile author whose journalism and fiction captured both the turbulence and the theatricality of his age.