“WE DON’T NEED FICTION”: CONCEPT AND CONTENT FEATURES OF THE BOOK SERIES “THE URAL LIBRARY OF ENTERTAINING REGIONAL STUDIES” (1936–1939)

Abstract

The article examines the book series “The Ural Library of Entertaining Regional Studies”, organized by the former editor of the magazines The World Pathfinder and The Ural Pathfinder Vladimir Popov in Sverdlovsk in 1936. It clarifies the political and cultural situation of the second half of the 1930s, within the framework of which the book series appeared, and how Vladimir Popov’s cultural work in the Urals became possible. We examine in detail the conceptual basis of the series and note the transformation of pathfinding — the key concept of The Ural Pathfinder magazine (the predecessor of the series), into entertaining regional studies intended for the widest readership, especially children’s audiences. We state that the series consisting of thematic collections containing popular science essays, journalistic articles and stories united the interest of potential readers in the discovery of new spaces with the Soviet attitude to know and love the homeland. It combined the adventurism of the pioneers who rushed into the campaign with the mobilization practices of the industry developing under the Five-Year Plans and tried to bring together regional identity and the Soviet colonial project. We give the examples journalistic slogans, scientific information and artistic strategies on the pages of the collections. It notes that while the direct influence of the series on children’s and youth audience is difficult to assess, Vladimir Popov’s project undoubtedly contributed to the formation of geographical thinking in the Urals.

Keywords: Ural, Soviet geography, Vladimir Popov, the book series “The Ural Library of Entertaining Regional Studies”, the magazine “The Ural Pathfinder”