A. S. Pushkin

Tayniye zapiski 1836-1837 godov,
1986, Seventh printing, 103 p.,
ISBN 0-916201-02-3; $4

Secret Journal 1836-1837,
(English translation) 1987, 91 p.,
ISBN 0-916201-07-4; $5

The most scandalous book in Russian Literature. Published in 18 languages.

THE GREAT DISCOVERY
IN 19th CENTURY
RUSSIAN LITERATURE

ALEXANDER S. PUSHKIN
SECRET JOURNAL 1836-1837

Second Edition, Fifth Printing

Translated from Russian:
Tainiye zapiski 1836-1837 godov. ISBN 0-916201-02-3

The famous Russian poet and writer Alexander Pushkin (1799-1837), fatally wounded in a duel by his brother-in-law and rival, left a secret, ciphered journal, which was recently discovered and smuggled out of the USSR. There has been a lot of speculation and mystery surrounding this journal. According to legend, Pushkin's will stipulated that the journal not be published until 100 years after his death. Some people claimed that the Journal never existed at all.

The Journal does exist and consists of explicit confessions about intimate relationships that Pushkin had with his wife, her two sisters, and other women, which brought him to his tragic end. These astonishing events and reflections reveal an unknown details of Pushkin's life - the life of a nineteenth century Russian Don Juan.

Soviet reaction to the Secret Journal was outrageous: major Soviet magazines (Ogonek, Voprosi Literaturi, Literaturnaya Gazeta, Pravda and many others) published screaming articles denouncing and threatening Mikhail Armalinsky for smuggling the manuscript out of the Soviet Union and publishing it in the United States.

This is what was said about the English edition of the Secret Journal:

"... it is one of the most curious documents I've seen for a while; it's certainly most interesting." Patrick J. Kearney, the author of A History of Erotic Literature

"It is a genuine work of art..."
Ralph Ginzburg, the Editor and Publisher of EROS

"... a very interesting piece of literature."
Dr. Albert Ellis, the author of The Art and Science of Love.

"... it is sure to become a classical piece of erotica."
Robert H. Rimmer, the author of The Harrad Experiment.

The Secret Journal has grabbed attention of the legendary French publisher of erotic literature Jean-Jacques Pauvert who published collection of complete works by Marquis de Sade, Story of O and other controversial books. Being the advisor to the famous Parisian publishing house Les Belles Lettres, Jean-Jacques Pauvert brought there the Secret Journal. At that time Les Belles Lettres started new publishing house SORTILÉGES EDITIONS to explore fields of surrealism, strange, bizarre and eroticism. In 1994 it published the French edition of the Secret Journal.

Russian Response to the Secret Journal (see Parapushkinistika by David Bayevsky.)....

In November 1991 Dr. Yuri Linnik of Petrozavodsk dared to produce on Petrozavodsk TV a favorable program devoted to the Secret Journal and Mikhail Armalinsky. It was shown twice.

In 1991 there was a publication of excerpts from the Secret Journal in the Moscow paper Venera Press (Venus Press).

In 1994 influential Moscow almanac of Modern Russian Literature Konets veka (End of the Century) has published in the issue #5 excerpts of the Secret Journal and several erotic stories by Mikhail Armalinsky without permission of M.I.P. Company.

The response to this publication was very strong and major periodicals reviewed it. (Nezavisimaya Gazeta, April 5, 1994; Moskovskie Novosti, April 24, 1994 etc.)

On Russian national TV network Rossiya on April 29, 1994 there was a story on the Secret Journal in the program titled Publicist. A certain journalist was holding a copy of the book and was comparing it to Marquis de Sade Philosophy in the Bedroom . He was calling it a blasphemy. In total range he threw the book on the floor and at this moment the program ended.

Even in torn by war the former Yugoslavia, on May 6, 1994, in Zagreb there was a Radio Program devoted to the Secret Journal. Excerpts were read in Croatian.

The Secret Journal has been published:

in Russian, 1986, seventh printing, M.I.P. Company, Minneapolis, ISBN 0-916201-02-3; excerpts pirated in Konets Veka (End of the Century), No. 5, 1994,Moscow. Pirated publication in Izhevsk weekly Weekend, 1992, N16-18.

in English, 1986, sixth printing, M.I.P. Company, Minneapolis, ISBN 0-916201-07-4; excerpts published in Penthouse Forum, February, 1991, New York.

in Italian, 1991, Lucarini Editore, Roma, ISBN 88-7033-513-5; excerpts published in L'Espresso, No. 43, 1991, Rome.

in German, 1992, Eichborn Verlag, Frankfurt, ISBN 3-8218-0358-4; excerpts published in Penthouse, September, 1992, Munich.

in French, 1994, Edition Les Belles Lettres (Sortiliges Edition), Paris, ISBN 2-251-49103-1; excerpts published in Penthouse, September, 1994, Paris.

in Greek, 1995, Kastaniotis Editions, Athens, ISBN 960-03-0623-0.

in Dutch, 1996, Element Uitgevers, The Netherlands, ISBN 90-5689-019-0.

in Icelandic, 1996, Reykholt, Iceland, ISBN 9979-836-22-9.

in Spanish, 1997, EDAMEX, Mexico, ISBN 968-409-930-4.

in Korean, 1997, Jakkajungsin Publishing, in Seoul, ISBN 89-7288-056-6.

in Ukrainian excerpts published in Kiev, Lel Review, 1995, #5, pp. 26-30.

in Latvian, 1997, Klasika, in Riga, ISBN 9984-577-25-2.

in Czech, 1998, Magma Publishing, Prague, Special Cats (Special Sex0, May - October issues;
2001, Prague, Concordia,Tajny zapisky z let 1836-1837; ISBN 80-85997-08-8

in Portugese, 1998, Difel S.A., Portugal, ISBN 972-29-0434-5

in Chinese, 1999
Taiwan, Unitas, ISBN 957-522-211-3.
Excerpts published in Unitas Literary Monthly, 1999, issue 3/173
China, Shanghai, Zhu Hai Publishing House; ISBN 7-80607-566-6

in Slovenian, 2000, Zalozba Obzorja, Slovenia, ISBN 961-230-055-0

in Lithuanian, 2000, A.S. Narbuto Leidykla, Lithuania, ISBN 9986-552-14-1

in Albanian, 2000, Fan Noli, Tirana, Albania

in Turkish, 2001 in Turkey,
Civiyazilari Yay, Istanbul, ISBN 975-8086-87-9
Papirus Yayin, Istanbul, ISBN 975-6999-86-1

The Secret Journal became a part of American culture and was included in the Covert Culture Sourcebook 2.0 by Richard Kadrey, St. Martin Press, New York, 1994.

Yet, the Secret Journal has not been published legally in a book format in Russia due to the fear of public outrage. The alleged blasphemy contained in the Journal concerning the idol Pushkin who symbolizes Russian culture is still intolerable in nationalistic Russia.