New stage in the Ivan Shmelev’s study. Response to the book: I. S. Shmelev: pro et contra: anthology. Vol. 1. Comp., intro. article, comment. A. M. Lyubomudrov. St. Petersburg: RKHGA Publ., 2023. 840 p.

The publication reviews the new issue in the series “The Russian Way” - “I. S. Shmelev: pro et contra”. The relevance and timeliness of such publication are emphasized. It is noted that the compiler has set and successfully implemented the task of presenting a complete picture of the aesthetic reception of Ivan Shmelev`s personality and creativity. The main array of lifetime “shmeleviana” has been introduced into scientific usage. Most of these works have never been republished before. The structure of the book based on the genre- chronological principle is positively evaluated. Of interest are the sections of the book that contain valuable materials on controversial aspects of the writer’s biography, namely his nominations for the Nobel Prize and his participation in the pro- German press during the war. It is concluded that this anthology has scientific and educational value and opens a new stage of Ivan Shmelev`s study.