Larissa Volokhonsky

Born on October 1, 1945, into a Jewish family in Leningrad, now St. Petersburg, Larissa Volokhonsky's early life was steeped in the rich tapestry of Soviet academia and cultural exploration. A graduate of Leningrad State University, where she earned her degree in mathematical linguistics, Volokhonsky initially delved into the natural sciences at the Institute of Marine Biology in Vladivostok. Her formative years were marked by extensive travels across the remote terrains of Sakhalin Island and Kamchatka between 1968 and 1973, experiences that undoubtedly enriched her worldview. Following her emigration to Israel in 1973, she spent two transformative years there before relocating to the United States in 1975, where she pursued theological studies at Yale Divinity School and St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary under the tutelage of eminent Orthodox theologians Alexander Schmemann and John Meyendorff. Larissa Volokhonsky is perhaps most acclaimed for her collaborative translation endeavors with her husband, Richard Pevear, with whom she has masterfully rendered Russian literary classics into English. Their translation of Fyodor Dostoevsky's "The Brothers Karamazov" stands as a testament to their rigorous scholarship and deep understanding of the Russian literary spirit, earning widespread critical acclaim. In addition to her collaborative work, Volokhonsky has translated influential theological texts, including Schmemann's "For the Life of the World" and Meyendorff's "Introduction to Patristic Theology," both of which remain in print in Russia, underscoring her enduring impact on theological discourse. Volokhonsky's translation style is distinguished by its meticulous attention to nuance and her ability to capture the profound psychological and philosophical undercurrents of Russian literature. Her contributions have not merely been about linguistic conversion but about preserving the soul of the original texts, allowing English-speaking audiences to experience the full depth of Russian literary and theological thought. As a translator, she has played a pivotal role in bridging cultural divides, making her a seminal figure in the realm of literary translation.