The Museum of the History of Printing and Book Publishing of Moscow State University of Printing Arts Presents the Creation of the First Russian Alphabet Book
The novel “The Creation of the Alphabet” is a work of fiction and documentary by Kursk writer Dmitry Zhukov. It tells the story of the creation of the first Russian alphabet by Ivan Fyodorov, the founder of book printing in Russia. The novel was recently presented at the Museum of the History of Printing and Book Publishing of Moscow State University of Printing Arts to an audience that included some of the first people to read the new edition.
Published at the beginning of the year, the novel covers crucial topics such as the development of statehood, the protection of the Russian language and Orthodox faith, and love for the Motherland. Svetlana Morozova, PhD candidate of Historical Sciences, Head of the Museum and Associate Professor, who opened the meeting, noted that Dmitry Zhukov’s book makes a great contribution to the protection of the Russian language and the Orthodox faith. Language and faith form the basis of national identity and our culture, as Svetlana Morozova emphasised.
Polina and Yana Dolgova, the writer’s daughter and granddaughter, respectively, served as hosts for the evening. Alexander Balashov, a friend of the writer and editor of the book, provided insights into the publication process, highlighted features of the writing style and offered biographical details about the author. Balashov noted that Dmitry Zhukov’s background in journalism equipped him with familiarity in the printing industry. Thus, more than 25 years ago, Dmitry established a printing house in his hometown of Kurchatov, beginning the production of books and magazines.
As readers have noted, printing became one of the central topics of Dmitry Zhukov’s works. Throughout his career, he has published a story about the inventor of the printing press, Johannes Gutenberg, entitled “Planet Gutenberg”. Another of his novels, “Planida?...”, is set in the future and features Ivan Fedorov, the first printer, who faces no less problems in the scientific and technical sphere. “The Creation of the Alphabet” is his latest publication.
The event was attended by students from Moscow Polytechnic University, who are training to become printers, designers and publishers. They gained a valuable insight into the origins of the alphabet created by Ivan Fedorov and the rise of printing in Russia. Anastasia Goncharova, a third-year student specialising in publishing, provided a professional review of “The Creation of the Alphabet”, that she presented at the event.
“Dmitry Zhukov’s book is not just a fascinating read. It is a valuable resource for those interested in the historical background of book printing and Russian culture. As a student specialising in publishing, I can confidently say that this book has become not only a source of inspiration for me, but also a valuable educational resource,” says Anastasia Goncharova.
At the end of the meeting, the guests were given a museum tour. The participants noted the wealth of new information acquired, citing the rare books and historical printing equipment on display as particular highlights.
