Modern Russian Literature: Between the Assessments of the Experts and the Requests of the Audience

Abstract

This article describes some of the features of contemporary Russian literary processes. Contemporary Russian literature presents vast number of authors and works. The literary process is going on intensively, but it lacks is no distinct core, a certain vector. Also, there is a serious need to explore the differences between expert opinions in literary sphere (influential critics, literary awards) and the reading habits of the public. This article presents an attempt to compare two approaches to modern Russian literature: by the expert community, and by popularity at the market. To determine opinions of expert community, nominations and literary awards were chosen. To assess demand from the public, sales leaders and market ratings were explored. By comparing data on expert opinions and requests from a mass audience, we can identify two lines of assessment: the line of incoherence and the line of coherence. The results show complex intertwining between serious literature and mass market in modern Russian literary process.