National approach to the coverage of historical events (on the example of the novels of Boris Akunin and Ken Follet)

Abstract

History and literature have always been closely interrelated. Moreover, recently the so-called "public history", a historical science in a simple and accessible language, has started to develop actively. The main task of such works is to attach to knowledge and develop, at the same time to be easy in perception and interesting. The works of the literary project "The History of the Russian State" by Boris Akunin fully meet the requirements. However, the author himself has set another important task - to eradicate established interethnic prejudices and stereotypes, which are clearly seen in the works of foreign writers. Moreover, the author tries to return literature its basic function – to educate and teach to bring up a patrial. A comparative analysis of the historical novels of the Russian writer Boris Akunin and the British writer Ken Follett has made it possible to identify a distinctive feature in the concept of an approach of illuminating one's own-another's nation.