Vladimir Gandelsman

Vladimir Gandelsman reading his poetry.

Vladimir is a poet and translator. Born in 1948, in Leningrad. Changed many jobs, worked as a guard, guide, mover etc. In 1990 he was invited to teach at Vassar College. He also taught Russian language and literature at Indiana University.

In 1992 his poetry was noticed by Joseph Brodsky, who recommended Vladimir’s verse to the Hermitage publishing house in the US. Since then Vladimir Gandelsman published poetry both in Russia and the United States. He contributed to the anthologies Crossing Centuries: The New Generation of Russian Poetry (Talisman, 2000), Modern Poetry in Translation, Looking Eastward #21 (London: King’s College, 2003); his poetry appeared in many Russian and American reviews and magazines (e.g., New Republic).

Vladimir translated Shakespeare’s sonnets and the Macbeth, as well as poetry by Lewis Carroll, Wallace Stevens, James Merrill, Richard Wilber, Eamon Grennan, Louise Glück, Anthony Hecht, Thomas Venclova and others.