Viktor Pelevin, one of Russia’s most prominent authors today, has won many literary awards in Russia and around the world, and has published dozens of novels and short story collections. Providing a brief biography of Pelevin’s life is no simple task; the Russian websites are filled with different and often contradicting biographical details, including the speculation that Pelevin is not even a real person, but a group of writers writing under the same pseudonym. Pelevin was born in Moscow in 1962, and began his literary career in the magazine Nauka i Religiya (Science and Religion) in 1989. He introduced the Russian readers to Carlos Castaneda, and specializes in Eastern mysticism. He combines in his writing Eastern mysticism and postmodern stances, an extraordinary mix to which he adds the absurd. Pelevin’s 1999 novel, Generation P, sold over 3.5 million copies worldwide and achieved cult status. Pelevin seldom gives interviews in the media, and his unique point of view on the world can be discerned by his many novels and stories.
