The Modern Novel

Biography

Yuri Rytkheu was born in Uelen, Chukotka in 1930 to a family of trappers and hunters. After school, he worked odd jobs to enable him to go to Leningrad where he studied literature at the Leningrad State University. At this time he started writing and his stories were published in various magazines. His first collection of stories was published in 1953. He also translated major Russan authors into Chukchi. He became a journalist, working for a while in Magadan, before returning to Leningrad, where he spent the rest of his life. He travelled extensively and even gave lectures in English. He died in 2008.

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Yuri Rytkheu
Obituary