Елена Скульская (Jelena Skulskaja)
Jelena Skulskaja (born 8 August 1950) is a Russian author and critic living in Estonia.
Skulskaja was born in Tallinn. Her father was Grigori Skulski, a Ukrainian writer of Jewish origin who wrote in Russian. From 1957–1967, she attended Tallinn Secondary School No. 19. From 1967–1972, she studied at the Faculty of History and Philology at Tartu State University from which she graduated as a Russian philologist. From 1973–1974, Skulskaja was a teacher, from 1974–1997, worked as cultural editor, critic and reporter for the Russian-language newspaper Sovetskaya Estonia, later called Estonia. From 1996–2008, she worked at the Russian Theatre in Tallinn. Skulskaja has been a member of the Estonian Writers’ Union from 1991.
Jelena Skulskaja writes mainly in Russian. She made her debut in the Russian-language press during her university studies. Skulskaja’s poetry is characterised by artistry and mastery of form, emphasis on contradictions in emotional life.
Skulskaja has also published short stories and novels. Her prose is confessional and ironical; the prevailing theme is memories, particularly about her father Grigori Skulski and colleague Sergey Dovlatov. She has been a mediator between the Estonian and Estonian-Russian literary traditions. She has written articles introducing the readers to literature published in both languages and compiled overviews of treatments of Estonian literature in the Russian press. Skulskaja has translated Juhan Viiding’s poetry from Estonian into Russian. In 2020–2025, Skulskaja has published six volumes of translations of present-day Estonian poetry (Maarja Kangro, Kalev Kesküla, Toomas Liiv, Karl Martin Sinijärv, Triin Soomets, Aleksander Suuman, Indrek Hirv, Tõnu Õnnepalu, Triin Paja, Kristjan Haljak, Kristiina Ehin, Hasso Krull etc.).
For a long time, Jelena Skulskaja has contributed to the newspaper KesKus and been the presenter of the television programme Batareya (‘Battery’).
Skulskaja has the Literature Endowment Annual Award in the category of authors writing in Russian three times: in 2006 (for long-time successful activities in literature and for acquainting Estonian readers with Russian literary life), 2014 (for the novel Мраморный лебедь – ‘Marble Swan’) and in 2017 (for the novel Пограничная любовь – ‘Love on Border’).
In 2011, Jelena Skulskaja was awarded the Order of the White Star, Class 4.
L. P. (Translated by I. A.)
Books in Russian
Poetry
Глава двадцать шестая: стихи. Таллин: Ээсти раамат, 1978. 66 cmp.
Неизвестному художнику: вторая книга стихов. Таллинн: Ээсти раамат, 1980. 68 cmp.
Песня грифельной ветки: стихи. Таллин: Ээсти раамат, 1984. 63 cmp.
В пересчете на боль. Москва: ИКПА; Таллинн: Эстпресс, 1991. 186 cmp.
На смерть фикуса: из пяти книг [стихи]. Таллинн: Антек-С, 1996. 189 cmp.
До встречи в раю: стихи и переводы. Таллинн: Varrak, 2011. 183 cmp.
Novels
Однокрылый рояль; Рыбы спят с открытым ртом [романы]. Таллинн: Antek, 2000. 394 cmp.
Мраморный лебедь: детский роман. Москва: Время, 2015. 286 cmp.
Пограничная любовь: роман. Tallinn: Originaalne Keskus, 2019. 175 cmp.
Самсон выходит из парикмахерской: роман. Таллинн: Originaalne Keskus, 2020. 144 cmp.
Short prose
Записки к N… [новеллы и повести]. Таллинн: Антек-С, 1996. 250 cmp.
Ева на шесте. Таллинн: Antek, 2005. 302 cmp.
„Любовь“ и другие рассказы о любви. Tallinn: Meie Raamat, 2008. 363 cmp.
Не стой под небом… Москва: МИК, 2015. 285 cmp.
Мальчишеская месть. Москва: Флобериум, 2022. 279 lk.
Essays
Компромисс между жизнью и смертью: Сергей Довлатов в Таллине и другие встречи. Москва: КоЛибри, 2018. 268 cmp.
4 сюжет. Таллинн: Originaalne Keskus OÜ, 2023. 320 lk.
Любовь после четвертого сюжета : 48 историй. Москва: Флобериум : RUGRAM, 2024. 417 lk.
Тайны Шекспира, которые он хотел выдать. Москва: Флобериум, 2025. 201 lk.
Шекспир и его призраки. Tallinn: Originaalne Keskus OÜ, 2025. 191 lk.
Criticism
Глазами друзей: современная эстонская литература в свете общесоюзной критики. Таллинн: Ээсти раамат, 1981. 504 cmp.
Books in Estonian
Novels
Meie emad ostsid asju, et ei tuleks sõda. Tallinn: Varrak, 2013. 131 lk.
Marmorluik: lapsepõlveromaan. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2015. 256 lk.
Piiriarmastus: romaan. Tallinn: Originaalne Keskus, 2019. 157 lk.
Simson lahkub juuksuri juurest: romaan. Tallinn: Originaalne Keskus, 2020. 132 lk.
Short prose
Ga Dong Tao. Jutud. Toimetanud ja tõlkinud Ingrid Velbaum-Staub. Tallinn: Originaalne Keskus, 2022. 312 lk.
Essays
Vene rulett [ajalehes “Aktivist/KesKus” aastatel 1999–2001 ilmunud esseed]. Tallinn: Eesti-Kambodža Sõprusühing, 2002. 118 lk.
Siilid udus: okkaline vaim ja tema võim: tekste 60ndate vene kultuuriloost. Tallinn: KesKus, 2006. 187 lk.
Armastus vene kirjanduses: kakskümmend neli lugu lugejalt. Tallinn: KesKus, 2018, 199 lk.
4 süžee. Toimetanud ja koostanud Juku-Kalle Raid, tõlkinud Juku-Kalle Raid, Peeter Villmann, Jaana Porila ja Ene-Maris Tali. Tallinn: Originaalne Keskus OÜ, 2023. 303 lk.
Shakespeare’i kummitused. Tõlkinud Ingrid Velbaum-Staub. Tallinn: Originaalne Keskus OÜ, 2025. 191 lk.
