Prose writer and translator S. Bolekbai was born in the village of Kyzyl-Dyikan in what is now the Moscow district of the Kyrgyz SSR into a peasant family. In 1937, he graduated from the Kyrgyz Pedagogical Technical School in Frunze. From 1952 to 1955, he studied in the evening department of the philological faculty of KRU. While a student at the pedagogical technical school, he worked as a correspondent for the newspaper "Leninchil Zhas," where he later worked in 1941 and from 1947 to 1949. In 1938, he was appointed deputy editor of the newspaper "Kyrgyzstan Pioneri," and from 1946, then from 1949, he worked as a special correspondent for the newspaper "Kyzyl Kyrgyzstan," and from 1967 to 1969, he served as editor-translator for "Kyrgyzkinoprokat."
S. Bolekbai is a participant in the Great Patriotic War and was wounded at the front.
At the beginning of his creative career, S. Bolekbai emerged as a translator of children's literature ("Gavroche" by V. Hugo, "Paket" by L. Pantelyev). Thanks to the writer's translations, works such as "Les Misérables" by V. Hugo, "Don Quixote" by Cervantes, "The Adventures of the Good Soldier Švejk" by J. Hašek, "Report with a Noose Around the Neck" by Y. Fuchik, "Tales" by G. Rodari, as well as works by Soviet writers A. Gaidar, A. Rybakov, V. Vasilievskaya, V. Oseeva, and others became part of the Kyrgyz reader's heritage. He is the author of several original works in the genre of satire. He has published several collections of novellas and short stories, interludes, and feuilletons, which were also published in Russian. His most significant work in Russian is the trilogy "Life by a Hair," released in 1984.
Honored Worker of Culture of the Kyrgyz SSR (1978).
Member of the Union of Writers of the USSR since 1965.
Awarded the medals "For Courage," "For Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945," and "For Victory over Japan."
SEPARATE PUBLICATIONS
in Kyrgyz
Saved by friends: Stories. — F.: Kyrgyzmambas, 1949. — 26 p. Friends rescued.
Bitter and sweet mix: Satirical stories, feuilletons, and essays. — F.: Kyrgyzmambas, 1960. — 218 p. Both bitter and sweet.
The one who knows how to laugh: Satirical stories, anecdotes. — F.: Kyrgyzmambas, 1963. — 140 p. Laughter brings...
Talented girl: Stories. — F.: Mektep, 1964. — 115 p. A master.
Truth: Novella, stories. — F.: Kyrgyzstan, 1966. — 171 p. Truth.
Askar is a good fellow: Story. — F.: Mektep, 1967. — 12 p. Askar is a good fellow.
If I lie, let it be my fault...: Satirical stories and interludes. — F.: Kyrgyzstan, 1968. — 248 p. I do not intend to lie.
With Jysup: Novellas. — F.: Mektep, 1969. — 167 p. Together with Jysup.
The antics of Chymchyk: Stories, interlude, humorous stories. — F.: Mektep, 1973. — 87 p. The antics of Chymchyk.
Difficult fate: Novella. — F.: Kyrgyzstan, 1975. — 207 p. A difficult crossing.
Now let me tell you: A humorous novella. — F.: Mektep, 1977. — 116 p. Better to tell.
Truth: Novella. — F.: Kyrgyzstan, 1978. — 340 p. Truth.
Baitur: Novella, stories, anecdotes. — F.: Mektep, 1980. — 200 p.
For a lifetime: Autobiographical novella. — F.: Kyrgyzstan, 1980. — 252 p. For a lifetime.
in Russian
Laughter brings: Satirical and humorous stories. — M.: Sov. writer, 1968. — 118 p.
Truth: Novellas. — F.: Kyrgyzstan, 1972. — 208 p.
Life by a Hair: A novel in 3 books. — M.: Sov. writer, 1984. — 368 p.
TRANSLATIONS
Ostrovsky N., The Horn. — F. — Kazan: Kyrgyzgosizdat, 1939. — 18 p.
Vasilievskaya V. M. Mishutka: Excerpt from a novella. — F.: Kyrgyzgosizdat, 1948. — 22 p.
Tikhonov N. I still live: Story. — F.: Kyrgyzgosizdat, 1948. — 20 p.
Gaidar A. Timur and His Team: Novella. — F.: Kyrgyzgosizdat, 1950. — 83 p.
Fuchik Yu. Report with a Noose Around the Neck. — F.: Kyrgyzgosizdat, 1953. — 160 p.
Oseeva V. Vasek Trubachev and His Friends: Novella. — F.: Kyrgyzgosizdat, 1954. — 320 p.
Cervantes M. The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha. — F.: Kyrgyzgosizdat, 1958. — 664 p.
Rybakov A. N. The Dagger: Novella. — F.: Kyrgyzuchpedgiz, 1959. — 296 p.
Hugo V. Les Misérables: A novel. — F.: Kyrgyzgosizdat, 1960. — 772 p.
Novikov-Priboy A. S. Tsushima: A novel. — F.: Kyrgyzgosizdat, 1963. — 568 p.
Abramov S. Lenin's Mausoleum. — F.: Mektep, 1967. — 91 p.
Surova E. I. How Keval Lives. — F.: Mektep, 1971. — 20 p.
Baruzdin S. A. Repetition of the Past: A novel. — F.: Kyrgyzstan, 1971. — 312 p.
Mamin-Sibiryak D. N. White Gold: Novellas. — F.: Mektep, 1972. — 171 p.
Fuchik Yu. Report with a Noose Around the Neck. — F.: Kyrgyzstan, 1974. — 212 p.
Rodari G. Tales. — F.: Mektep, 1975. — 192 p.
Gukasian O. Time is Gold: Novellas. — F.: Mektep, 1976. — 190 p.
Gaidar A. Timur and His Team: Novella. — F.: Mektep, 1976. — 78 p.
Tumanyan O. King Chakhchakh: Tales, stories. — F.: Mektep, 1979. — 79 p.
Baruzdin S. A. The First Days: Novella. — F.: Mektep, 1982. — 56 p.
Hašek J. The Adventures of the Good Soldier Švejk: A novel. — F.: Kyrgyzstan, 1983. — 603 p.
