About the author
Vladimir Nikolaevich Megre (born 23 July, 1950 in Kuznichi village, Gorodnyansky District, Chernigov Region in Ukraine), the author of The Ringing Cedars of Russia book series, was a well-known entrepreneur. He spent most of his childhood with his grandmother Efrosinia Verkhusha, a village healer.
As a teenager Vladimir occasionally visited Father Feodorit, a priest of the Trinity-Sergiyev Monastery. Later he was shown there the picture «The One and Only» which he described in his second book before the picture was revealed to the world.
Vladimir started an independent life early and left the parents' house at the age of 16. Since 1974 he lived in Novosibirsk and worked as a photographer with Novosibirskoblfoto, a service company.
At the beginning of Perestroika (reforms of the late 1980s) he was the president of the Inter-Regional Association of Siberian Entrepreneurs. In 1994-5 he organized two large-scale trade expeditions with a fleet of river steamers along the River Ob along the route Novosibirsk -- Salekhard -- Novosibirsk at his own expense. On this trip, an encounter with Anastasia in the Siberian taiga changed his entire life.
It had been a secret for a long time for relatives and friends what made him, an entrepreneur with ten years experience, to pledge his property and spend his savings on unprofitable trading trips. The mystery was revealed in his books with Anastasia as the main character. Vladimir Megre brought something really invaluable from the trips.
Throughout 1996-2006 nine books were written by Vladimir Megre (The Ringing Cedars of Russia Series: Anastasia, The Ringing Cedars of Russia, The Space of Love, Co-Creation, Who Are We?, Book of Kin, The Energy of Life, The New Civilization, Rites of Love).
In 2011 the author became Laureate of Gusi Peace Prize.
By now 11 millions copies of the books translated into 20 languages have been sold. In 1999 Megre established the Anastasia Foundation for Culture and Creative Support in the city of Vladimir and launched the site www.anastasia.ru. Readers' and press conferences take place in Russia and abroad.
The author holds readers' and press conferences in Russia and other countries.
The most active readers of Ringing Cedars of Russia book series unite into public organizations, one of the aims of which is the creation of Kin's domains. In 2010 another book "Anasta" was issued. The author plans to write a scenario on the basis of his books.
The author comments about himself and his books:
Good shall prevail on the earth!
- The parade of worldly rulers, no matter what grand temples they might have built, will be remembered only by the filth they have bequeathed to their descendants. Water will prove to be the criterion; the measure of all things. With each day that passes, the water seethes with more and more contamination.
The above words were pronounced by a character from my books: a recluse from the Siberian taiga, Anastasia.
My name is Vladimir Megre. I was born on the twenty-third of July, 1950, in a Ukrainian village. Then I studied, got married and worked in Siberia, but that isn't the main thing. The most important aspect of my life emerged after my meeting with Anastasia.
It was the beginning of perestroika in Russia, and I had just gone into business. I was a leader of the Entrepreneurs of Siberia Association. I used to sail with goods on a motor ship over the Siberian river Ob up toward the Arctic circle. I enjoyed wandering around the taiga by myself, while the ship was moored.
It was on an isolated bank of a taiga river that I one day met a recluse from the Siberian taiga. Her name was Anastasia, and she would soon transform my outlook on life.