Mikhail Armalinsky

Mikhail Izrailevich Armalinsky (né Peltsman; Russian: Михаил Израилевич Армалинский; born in Leningrad, Soviet Union) is a Russian poet, writer, blogger, and publisher of erotica. He caused scandal and outrage within Russian literary circles, following publication in 1986 of a pornographically toned diary, ostensibly by Alexander Pushkin. This led to him being described as "The Pushkin pornographer".^[1]

On 23 April 1947, Armalinsky was born in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg) in the Soviet Union, where he lived for the entirety of his early life. He received master's degree in Electrical Engineering from Leningrad Electro-Technical Institute (1964–1970) and actively participated in Leningrad literary underground. There, he published three samizdat books of poetry.

After emigrating to the US on 17 November 1976 and settling in Minneapolis, he worked as engineer in 1977 and started the machine building company Peltsman Corporation with his father, inventor Israel Peltsman, in 1979. At the same time Armalinsky kept working on his literary works and in 1984 started his own publishing house M.I.P. Company.

Armalinsky is the author of many books of poetry, prose, and essays (see § Selected publications).

In 1986, he published Secret Journal 1836–1837 by Alexander Pushkin in Russian^[2] and later in English as a translation.^[3] This book created a scandal in Russia and was published in 25 countries.^[4]

Excerpts from Secret Journal 1836–1837 were published in Penthouse Forum, February 1991, p. 50–53, 84, 86.

Response of Russian media to this book is documented in several editions of Parapushkinistika by David Bayevsky,^[5] published by Armalinsky's publishing house M.I.P. Company.

Banned in Russia, the Secret Journal was first published in 2001 by Moscow publishing house Ladomir^[6] that was threatened and prosecuted for publishing "pornographic blasphemy".^[7]

In 2006 Secret Journal was staged in Paris, France.^[8]

Some attributed the authorship of the Secret Journal to Armalinsky himself. Dr. Lee B. Croft wrote:^[9]

"The pornographic nature of those notes, clearly of a modern Western stripe, drew apoplectic reaction from the Soviet literary authorities who first encountered them. One legal authority, in a sidebar to an article on this "hoax" in Ogonek magazine,suggested that Armalinsky be castrated for so besmirching the hallowed name of Pushkin. ...his clear feeling of "kinship" with Pushkin and his choice of Pushkin's persona to gain attention for his own literary endeavors, which have, especially since his emigration to the United States in the early 1980s, taken on a pornographic character strikingly similar to the notes he attributes to Pushkin."

Since 1999, Mikhail Armalinsky publishes his blog in Russian named General Erotic (GE) where he publishes his short stories, observations, reviews and essays.

In 1989, a variation on the United States flag designed by Mikhail Armalinsky made the cover of New York weekly Screw.

On 22 September 2003, Armalinsky sent announcements to the media and about his death to check out what would be a reaction to his death. In two months he "resurrected".^[10]

Russian

Vrazumlenniye Strasty (Smart Passions), poems, Los Angeles; 1980, 72 p.^[11]
Sostoyanie (The Status), poems, Sovremennik, Toronto, 1979, 94 p. No ISBN
Mayatnik (The Pendulum), poems, Minneapolis, 1978, 128 p.^[12]
Po napravleniyu k sebe (Towards Myself), poems, Los Angeles; 1980, 106 p.^[13]
Posle proshlogo (After the Past), poems, Hermitage, Ann Arbor, 1982, 108 p.^[14]
Muskulistaya smert (Muscular Death), short stories, Minneapolis, 1984, 150 p.^[15]
Po obye storoni orgasma (On Both Sides of Orgasm), poems, Minneapolis, 1988, 150 p.^[16]
Dobrovolniye Priznaniya – Vinuzhdenaya Perepiska (Voluntary Confessions – Forced Correspondence), novel, Minneapolis, 1991, 312 p.^[17]
Dvoistveynnie Otnosheniya. Izlublennie Rasskazi (Ambivalent Relationships. Favorite Stories), Minneapolis, 1993, 68 p.^[18]
Vplotnuyu (Close To), poems, Minneapolis, 1994, 100 p.^[19]
Gonimoye Chudo (Expelled Miracle) Short stories, fairytale and essay, Minneapolis, 1996, 130 p.^[20]
Zhizneopisaniye Mgnovenia (Biography of the Moment), Poems 1994 - 1997; Minneapolis, 1997, 92 p.^[21]
Chtob znali! (So That Your Know!), Moscow, Ladomir, 2002, 860 p.^[22]
Chto Mozhet Bit Luchshe? (What Can Be Better?), Moscow, Ladomir, 2012, 528 p.^[23]
Aromat Griaznogo Belia. Zamislovatiye Biografii (The Scent of Dirty Laundry. Complicated Biographies) Moscow, Ladomir, 2013, 584 p.^[24]
Maximalizmi. (Maximalizms) Moscow, Ladomir, 2013, 544 p.^[25]
Pravota Zhelanii (Rightness of Desires), Moscow, Ladomir, 2017, 512 p.^[26]

Edited

Soitiye. Almanak Russkoi Eroticheskoi Literaturi (Copulation. The Almanac of Russian Erotic Literature), Minneapolis, 1989, 184 p.^[27]
Russkie Bestizhie Poslovitsi i Pogovorki (Russian Shameless Proverbs and Sayings), Minneapolis, 1995, 76 p.^[28]
Detskii Eroticheski Folklor. (Children's Erotic Folklore), Minneapolis, 1995, 91 p.^[29]

Translations

Markiz de Sad Filosofia v Buduare (Marquis de Sade. Philosophy in the Bedroom) Minneapolis, 1993, 196 p.^[30]

English

The Deal, Short story, "Confrontation" Exile and the Writer, a literary journal of Long Island University Nos. 27–28, 1984^[31]
Hero, Short story, Mid-American Review, a literary journal of Bowling Green State University, Volume VI, Number 2, 1986^[32]
Nothing in Mail Short Story in “Bodies,” issue of Two Lines, A Journal of Translation, issue XII, San Francisco, 2005 p. 52–73^[33]
Prostitution Divine. Short stories, movie script and essay (Kindle ebook), Minneapolis, 2014, 246 p.^[34]

[1]
Croft, Lee B.; Baehr, Alicia C.; Heuer, Patrick J. (1 December 2008). Not to Perish: Articles by an American Professor of Russian. Lulu.com. pp. 158–165. ISBN 9780578004686.
[2]
Taĭnye zapiski 1836–1837 godov. Pushkin, Aleksandr Sergeevich, 1799–1837., Armalinskiĭ, Mikhail., Пушкин, Александр Сергеевич, 1799–1837., Армалинский, Михаил. Minneapolis, Minn.: MIP Co. 1986. ISBN 0916201023. OCLC 14134211.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
[3]
Pushkin, Aleksandr Sergeevich (30 January 2011). Secret Journal 1836-1837. M I P Company. ISBN 978-0-916201-28-9.
[4]
"All Covers Secret Journal".
[5]
Пушкин, Александр Сергеевич (2013). Taĭnye zapiski 1836–1837 godov : A.S. Pushkin. Armalinskiĭ, Mikhail,, Kurochkin, V.,, Курочкин, В. (Вадим), Армалинский, Михаил. Minneapolis. ISBN 9780916201296. OCLC 840670167.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
[6]
Taĭnye zapiski A.S. Pushkina, 1836–1837. Armalinskiĭ, Mikhail., Vozdvizhenskai︠a︡, Olʹga. Moskva: Ladomir. 2001. ISBN 5862183809. OCLC 50209336.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
[7]
Baevskiĭ, David (2003). Parapushkinistika (Izd. 4., dop ed.). Minneapolis: M.I.P. ISBN 0916201244. OCLC 52607739.
[8]
"Promotional Dossier for Le Journal Secret Pouchkine, Theatre du Marais, Paris, 2006" (PDF).
[9]
Croft, Lee B. (Autumn 1995). "Vplotnuyu (Close To)". World Literature Today. Autumn.
[10]
"Circumstances surrounding Armalinsky Death".
[11]
Mikhail., Armalinskiĭ (1980). Vrazumlennye strasti. Los Angeles: Almanac-Press. ISBN 0935090037. OCLC 8244165.
[12]
Mikhail., Armalinskiĭ (1978). Mai︠a︡tnik : tretʹi︠a︡ kniga stikhov (2nd ed.). St. Louis Park, Minn. ISBN 0916201015. OCLC 263472907. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
[13]
Mikhail., Armalinskiĭ (1980). Po napravlenii︠u︡ k sebe : chetvertai︠a︡ kniga stikhov, 1972–1976. Los Anzheles: Alʹmanakh. ISBN 0935090053. OCLC 8560794.
[14]
Mikhail., Armalinskiĭ; Михаил., Армалинский (1982). Posle proshlogo : stikhi 1977-1981. Ann Arbor, Mich.: Ėrmitazh. ISBN 0938920308. OCLC 8826060.
[15]
Mikhail., Armalinskiĭ (1984). Muskulistai︠a︡ smertʹ. St. Louis Park, Minn.: MIP Co. ISBN 0916201007. OCLC 10915412.
[16]
Mikhail., Armalinskiĭ (1988). Po obe storony orgazma : stikhotvorenii︠a︡ 1964–1988. Minneapolis, Minn., USA: M.I.P. ISBN 091620104X. OCLC 18987383.
[17]
Mikhail., Armalinskiĭ (1991). [Dobrovolnye priznanii︠a︡--vynuzhdennai︠a︡ perepiska. Minneapolis, Minn., USA: M.I.P. ISBN 0916201090. OCLC 22909335.
[18]
Mikhail., Armalinskiĭ (1993). [Dvoĭstvennye otnoshenii︠a︡ : izli︠u︡blennye rasskazy. Minneapolis, Minn.: M.I.P. ISBN 0916201139. OCLC 27812149.
[19]
Mikhail., Armalinskiĭ; Михаил., Армалинский (1994). [Vplotnui︠u︡. Minneapolis, Minn.: M.I.P. ISBN 0916201163. OCLC 30545141.
[20]
Mikhail., Armalinskiĭ (1996). [Gonimoe chudo. Minneapolis, Minn.: M.I.P. ISBN 0916201201. OCLC 35025916.
[21]
Mikhail., Armalinskiĭ (1997). [Zhizneopisanie mgnovenʹi︠a︡ : stikhotvorenii︠a︡ 1994–1997. Minneapolis, Minn.: M.I.P. ISBN 091620121X. OCLC 37157033.
[22]
Mikhail., Armalinskiĭ; Михаил., Армалинский (2002). Chtob znali! : izbrannoe, 1966-1998. Moskva: Ladomir. ISBN 5862183795. OCLC 50856726.
[23]
Mikhail., Armalinskiĭ; Михаил., Армалинский (2012). Chto mozhet bytʹ luchshe? : izmyshlenii︠a︡ i fantazmy 1999-2010. Moskva: Ladomir. ISBN 9785862185034. OCLC 828184044.
[24]
Mikhail, Armalinskiĭ; Михаил, Армалинский (2013). Aromat gri︠a︡znogo belʹi︠a︡ : zamyslovatye biografii. Moskva. ISBN 9785862185072. OCLC 869937949.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
[25]
Mikhail, Armalinskiĭ; Михаил, Армалинский (2013). Maksimalizmy ; Kharaktery i kharakteristiki ; Zhiznʹ no. 1 i zhiznʹ no. 2. Moskva. ISBN 9785862185133. OCLC 877409466.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
[26]
Mikhail, Armalinskiĭ; Михаил, Армалинский (2017). Pravota zhelaniĭ. Moskva. ISBN 9785862185430. OCLC 981116804.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
[27]
[Soitie : alʹmanakh ėroticheskoĭ literatury. Armalinskiĭ, Mikhail., Армалинский, Михаил. Minneapolis, Minn.: M.I.P. Co. 1989. ISBN 0916201066. OCLC 20594392.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
[28]
Russkie besstyzhie poslovit︠s︡y i pogovorki. Armalinskiĭ, Mikhail. (Izd. 2., znachitelʹno dop ed.). Minneapolis, MN: M.I.P. Co. 1995. ISBN 091620118X. OCLC 33164540.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
[29]
Mikhail., Armalinskiĭ; Михаил., Армалинский (1995). Detskiĭ ėroticheskiĭ folʹklor. Joseph Brodsky Collection (Columbia University). Minneapolis, Minn.: M.I.P. Co. ISBN 0916201171. OCLC 32429025.
[30]
Sade, marquis de (1993). Filosofii︠a︡ v buduare. Armalinskiĭ, Mikhail. Minneapolis, Minn., U.S.A.: M.I.P. ISBN 0916201147. OCLC 28410749.
[31]
Tucker, Martin; Long Island University (1984). Exile and the writer: a special Confrontation anthology issue. Greenvale, N.Y.: Long Island University. ISBN 0913057010. OCLC 13075373.
[32]
"Author Index: Fiction | Mid-American Review". casit.bgsu.edu. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
[33]
"Two Lines 12: Bodies – World Literature in Translation | Center for the Art of Translation". www.catranslation.org. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
[34]
Armalinsky, Mikhail (2014). Prostitution Divine. M.I.P. Company. ISBN 978-0-916201-38-8.

Scholarly presentations in the US on Mikhail Armalinsky

"Russia Fails at Pushkin: Mikhail Armalinsky’s Publication of Pushkin A .S. Secret Notes 1836-1837" by Jasmina Savic, University of Illinois, on 19 November 2016, at the ASEEES (Association for Slavic, East European and Eurasian Studies) Annual Convention.

"Into the Bright Future: Mikhail Armalinsky’s Literary Revolution and Poetics of Porn" by Jasmina Savic, on 28 October 2016, at the University of Illinois, Noontime Scholar Lecture.

"On The Battlefield of Porn: Mikhail Armalinsky’s publication of Pushkin A .S. Secret Notes 1836–1837" by Jasmina Savic, University of Illinois, on 23 October 2015, at Central Slavic Conference, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri

"Seeking Mikhail Armalinsky: Constructing and Reading the Self in an Age of Digital Revolution" by Emily D. Johnson, University of Oklahoma, on 21 November 2013, at the Annual Convention of the Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies (ASEEES) in Boston MA.

Tatiana Shemetova PUSHKIN – «DON JUAN» IN THE INTERPRETATION OF P. HUBER AND M. ARMALINSKIY

see ANUARI DE FILOLOGIA. LLENGÜES I LITERATURES MODERNES (Anu.Filol.Lleng.Lit.Mod.) 9/2019, pp. 53–57, ISSN: 2014-1394

Ph.D. Dissertation by Jasmina Savic (2019) Porno Ludens: Soviet literary pornography, 1970s – 1990s

M.I.P. Company, Mikhail Armalinsky site
Russian Wikipedia article on Mikhail Armalinsky

Encyclopedia "Moscow Talks" (in Russian)

Penthouse (Moscow) December 2007

[1] [1]
Croft, Lee B.; Baehr, Alicia C.; Heuer, Patrick J. (1 December 2008). Not to Perish: Articles by an American Professor of Russian. Lulu.com. pp. 158–165. ISBN 9780578004686.

[2] [2]
Taĭnye zapiski 1836–1837 godov. Pushkin, Aleksandr Sergeevich, 1799–1837., Armalinskiĭ, Mikhail., Пушкин, Александр Сергеевич, 1799–1837., Армалинский, Михаил. Minneapolis, Minn.: MIP Co. 1986. ISBN 0916201023. OCLC 14134211.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)

[3] [3]
Pushkin, Aleksandr Sergeevich (30 January 2011). Secret Journal 1836-1837. M I P Company. ISBN 978-0-916201-28-9.

[4] [4]
"All Covers Secret Journal".

[5] [5]
Пушкин, Александр Сергеевич (2013). Taĭnye zapiski 1836–1837 godov : A.S. Pushkin. Armalinskiĭ, Mikhail,, Kurochkin, V.,, Курочкин, В. (Вадим), Армалинский, Михаил. Minneapolis. ISBN 9780916201296. OCLC 840670167.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

[6] [6]
Taĭnye zapiski A.S. Pushkina, 1836–1837. Armalinskiĭ, Mikhail., Vozdvizhenskai︠a︡, Olʹga. Moskva: Ladomir. 2001. ISBN 5862183809. OCLC 50209336.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)

[7] [7]
Baevskiĭ, David (2003). Parapushkinistika (Izd. 4., dop ed.). Minneapolis: M.I.P. ISBN 0916201244. OCLC 52607739.

[8] [8]
"Promotional Dossier for Le Journal Secret Pouchkine, Theatre du Marais, Paris, 2006" (PDF).

[9] [9]
Croft, Lee B. (Autumn 1995). "Vplotnuyu (Close To)". World Literature Today. Autumn.

[10] [10]
"Circumstances surrounding Armalinsky Death".

[11] [11]
Mikhail., Armalinskiĭ (1980). Vrazumlennye strasti. Los Angeles: Almanac-Press. ISBN 0935090037. OCLC 8244165.

[12] [12]
Mikhail., Armalinskiĭ (1978). Mai︠a︡tnik : tretʹi︠a︡ kniga stikhov (2nd ed.). St. Louis Park, Minn. ISBN 0916201015. OCLC 263472907. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

[13] [13]
Mikhail., Armalinskiĭ (1980). Po napravlenii︠u︡ k sebe : chetvertai︠a︡ kniga stikhov, 1972–1976. Los Anzheles: Alʹmanakh. ISBN 0935090053. OCLC 8560794.

[14] [14]
Mikhail., Armalinskiĭ; Михаил., Армалинский (1982). Posle proshlogo : stikhi 1977-1981. Ann Arbor, Mich.: Ėrmitazh. ISBN 0938920308. OCLC 8826060.

[15] [15]
Mikhail., Armalinskiĭ (1984). Muskulistai︠a︡ smertʹ. St. Louis Park, Minn.: MIP Co. ISBN 0916201007. OCLC 10915412.

[16] [16]
Mikhail., Armalinskiĭ (1988). Po obe storony orgazma : stikhotvorenii︠a︡ 1964–1988. Minneapolis, Minn., USA: M.I.P. ISBN 091620104X. OCLC 18987383.

[17] [17]
Mikhail., Armalinskiĭ (1991). [Dobrovolnye priznanii︠a︡--vynuzhdennai︠a︡ perepiska. Minneapolis, Minn., USA: M.I.P. ISBN 0916201090. OCLC 22909335.

[18] [18]
Mikhail., Armalinskiĭ (1993). [Dvoĭstvennye otnoshenii︠a︡ : izli︠u︡blennye rasskazy. Minneapolis, Minn.: M.I.P. ISBN 0916201139. OCLC 27812149.

[19] [19]
Mikhail., Armalinskiĭ; Михаил., Армалинский (1994). [Vplotnui︠u︡. Minneapolis, Minn.: M.I.P. ISBN 0916201163. OCLC 30545141.

[20] [20]
Mikhail., Armalinskiĭ (1996). [Gonimoe chudo. Minneapolis, Minn.: M.I.P. ISBN 0916201201. OCLC 35025916.

[21] [21]
Mikhail., Armalinskiĭ (1997). [Zhizneopisanie mgnovenʹi︠a︡ : stikhotvorenii︠a︡ 1994–1997. Minneapolis, Minn.: M.I.P. ISBN 091620121X. OCLC 37157033.

[22] [22]
Mikhail., Armalinskiĭ; Михаил., Армалинский (2002). Chtob znali! : izbrannoe, 1966-1998. Moskva: Ladomir. ISBN 5862183795. OCLC 50856726.

[23] [23]
Mikhail., Armalinskiĭ; Михаил., Армалинский (2012). Chto mozhet bytʹ luchshe? : izmyshlenii︠a︡ i fantazmy 1999-2010. Moskva: Ladomir. ISBN 9785862185034. OCLC 828184044.

[24] [24]
Mikhail, Armalinskiĭ; Михаил, Армалинский (2013). Aromat gri︠a︡znogo belʹi︠a︡ : zamyslovatye biografii. Moskva. ISBN 9785862185072. OCLC 869937949.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

[25] [25]
Mikhail, Armalinskiĭ; Михаил, Армалинский (2013). Maksimalizmy ; Kharaktery i kharakteristiki ; Zhiznʹ no. 1 i zhiznʹ no. 2. Moskva. ISBN 9785862185133. OCLC 877409466.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

[26] [26]
Mikhail, Armalinskiĭ; Михаил, Армалинский (2017). Pravota zhelaniĭ. Moskva. ISBN 9785862185430. OCLC 981116804.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

[27] [27]
[Soitie : alʹmanakh ėroticheskoĭ literatury. Armalinskiĭ, Mikhail., Армалинский, Михаил. Minneapolis, Minn.: M.I.P. Co. 1989. ISBN 0916201066. OCLC 20594392.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)

[28] [28]
Russkie besstyzhie poslovit︠s︡y i pogovorki. Armalinskiĭ, Mikhail. (Izd. 2., znachitelʹno dop ed.). Minneapolis, MN: M.I.P. Co. 1995. ISBN 091620118X. OCLC 33164540.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)

[29] [29]
Mikhail., Armalinskiĭ; Михаил., Армалинский (1995). Detskiĭ ėroticheskiĭ folʹklor. Joseph Brodsky Collection (Columbia University). Minneapolis, Minn.: M.I.P. Co. ISBN 0916201171. OCLC 32429025.

[30] [30]
Sade, marquis de (1993). Filosofii︠a︡ v buduare. Armalinskiĭ, Mikhail. Minneapolis, Minn., U.S.A.: M.I.P. ISBN 0916201147. OCLC 28410749.

[31] [31]
Tucker, Martin; Long Island University (1984). Exile and the writer: a special Confrontation anthology issue. Greenvale, N.Y.: Long Island University. ISBN 0913057010. OCLC 13075373.

[32] [32]
"Author Index: Fiction | Mid-American Review". casit.bgsu.edu. Retrieved 15 December 2017.

[33] [33]
"Two Lines 12: Bodies – World Literature in Translation | Center for the Art of Translation". www.catranslation.org. Retrieved 15 December 2017.

[34] [34]
Armalinsky, Mikhail (2014). Prostitution Divine. M.I.P. Company. ISBN 978-0-916201-38-8.

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Mikhail Armalinsky

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Mikhail Armalinsky

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Biography

Creative output

Selected publications

References

Other sources

External links