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Bella EzerskayaJournalist, theatre critic, essayist
Date of Birth: 01.01.1929
Country:  Ukraine |
Content:
- Bella Ezerskaya: A Life in Writing and Criticism
- Early Life and Education
- Library and Journalism Career in Odessa
- Literary Collaborations and Immigration
- Life in New York City
- Interview Magazine
- Publications in Russian Diaspora
- Literary Recognition
Bella Ezerskaya: A Life in Writing and Criticism
Bella Ezerskaya, a Soviet and later American librarian, journalist, and theater critic, was born in Odessa, Ukraine.
Early Life and Education
Following the outbreak of World War II in 1941, Ezerskaya and her family evacuated to Ufa and then to Tashkent. In 1952, she graduated from the Russian department of the Odessa State University.
Library and Journalism Career in Odessa
From 1956 to 1970, Ezerskaya worked as a librarian at the Lenin Regional Library in Odessa. Simultaneously, she began publishing as a journalist and critic in local newspapers and magazines.
Literary Collaborations and Immigration
In 1969, Ezerskaya became a member of the Union of Journalists of the USSR and the All-Russian Theater Society. She also engaged in the dissemination of samizdat publications. From 1970 to 1976, she worked as a literary correspondent for the multi-circulation newspaper of the Odessa Shoe Association. In 1976, she immigrated to the United States with her husband and son.
Life in New York City
From 1977, Ezerskaya resided in New York City. She worked as a teacher's assistant in a school and earned a master's degree from Hunter College.
Interview Magazine
A notable chapter in Ezerskaya's career was her collaboration with Andy Warhol's Interview magazine. Interviewing celebrities, she was struck by the warmth of her colleagues.
Publications in Russian Diaspora
Ezerskaya actively published in Russian diaspora periodicals in the United States, including newspapers such as Novoye Russkoye Slovo and journals like Vestnik and Novy Zhurnal.
Literary Recognition
She became a member of the Club of Russian Writers in New York and won the 2007 competition for best publication in the "Direct Speech" section of the newspaper Forum.
