Olesha, Yuri Karlovich (1899–1960)

Russian writer. He is best known for his first novel, Zavist'/Envy 1927. In this, as in his other works, he is concerned with the clash between the individual and the collective order. In the 1930s he turned to writing journalism and film scenarios, but could not accept the prevailing orthodoxy of socialist realism, and disappeared from literary life until after the death of Stalin in 1953.