Russian · 1905–1984
Mikhail Sholokhov won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1965 for "And Quiet Flows the Don," an epic following a Cossack village through World War I, revolution, and civil war. The Russian author's authorship has been disputed—some scholars believe he plagiarized a White Army officer's manuscript—but the work's power is undeniable. "Virgin Soil Upturned" depicts collectivization. Sholokhov remained in favor with Soviet authorities throughout his life.