Alexander Kruglov: biography and work of the writer

In the wake of the revolutionary moods of the second half of the 19th century, a prominent place in literature was occupied by works whose authors are little known. Partly because many of them were not democrats, but, nevertheless, their work carried educational ideals. Among them, the name of the Russian writer, poet, publisher and journalist Kruglov Alexander Vasilievich stands out.

short biography

Alexander Kruglov was born in Veliky Ustyug on June 5, 1853 in the family of a school superintendent. Shortly after the birth of a son, his father died. The childhood of the future writer was spent in the house of his grandfather - in Vologda.

Kruglov began writing his first poems with the beginning of his admission to the gymnasium, which negatively affected his grades. Under the influence of a common rage, his views constantly changed. It seemed to be woven from contradictions. In high school, he became a “thinking realist,” actively condemning Pushkin, whom he adored, contrasting him with Nekrasov. In those years, high school students engaged in fierce ideological debates and expressed their opinions on the pages of manuscripts.

Kruglov took an ardent part in this. He set forth the thoughts inherent in supporters of liberal movements, and copied the writers of the “Russian Word”. One of them, a journalist and participant in the revolutionary movement N.V. Shelgunov, was serving a link in the Vologda province. Soon the famous Russian sociologist and revolutionary P.L. Lavrov was exiled there. Alexander Kruglov dared to send his poems to him (photo above). Pyotr Lavrovich did not approve of the poems for publication, but advised the beginning poet not to leave poetry.

The beginning of the creative path

Kruglov made his debut in prose. The first correspondence and the story of Vologda life began to be published in 1870 on the pages of the Russian Chronicle, Iskra, and Nedelya. An essay about MV Lomonosov was published as a separate brochure for schoolchildren. At that time, Alexander was still a gymnasium student. All Vologda soon knew about the birth of a new writer.

After graduation, the journalist Alexander Kruglov, already held, felt the need for further education. He began to prepare himself for teaching and entered pedagogical courses. Soon the young man left them and in 1872 he first left his native Vologda. Acquaintances found a place for him in a bookstore, and Kruglov went to Petersburg. They refused him work. The search for service in the editorial offices did not bring success either. Having borrowed money for the journey, Kruglov drove back. During the year, he worked as an official in the Treasury, as a proofreader in a printing house, as a tutor in private homes.

From Vologda to Petersburg

In the fall of 1873, he again went to the capital. This time it was successful with the service - he got a job at the library at the bookstore. At night he wrote articles and poems for pedagogical and children's magazines. He could live comfortably on literary earnings, but the illness of a loved one consumed all his means. I had to live in slums and eat in folk eateries. His patience reached its limit, and Alexander Kruglov turned to the Society for Assistance to Writers.

A few days later a representative of the Literary Fund N. A. Nekrasov came to Kruglov . The beginning writer was assigned a manual. At the same time, a significant meeting took place for Kruglov with F. M. Dostoevsky. He handed him the manuscript of the first novel. Fedor Mikhailovich severely criticized her and advised the author to accumulate life experience. Kruglov destroyed his work and continued to write essays. It was regularly published in Observer, Vestnik Evropy, Dela, Vedomosti Vedomosti, Istorichesky Vestnik and several children's magazines. Dostoevsky became a teacher for the young writer and had a great influence on his creative activity.

In 1879, in the “Russian Speech”, stories of Alexander Kruglov began to appear one after another. L. N. Tolstoy wrote in a journal and asked to support the young writer. F. M. Dostoevsky also approved the talented author, and he acquired a literary name. Soon Kruglov left Petersburg. He traveled and lived in the village, wrote a lot and published in almost all the capital's newspapers and magazines. One after another, his books began to appear.

Kruglov's books

In total, Alexander Kruglov wrote over a hundred books. Books for children and youth enjoyed great success, which survived several editions during the writer's lifetime:

• 1885 - essays and short stories “Living Souls” and “Children of the Forests”.
• 1886 - Provincial Correspondents.
• 1887 - "The Lord of the Zemstvo."
• 1889 - “Ivan Ivanovich and Company,” “From a Golden Childhood.”
• 1890 - “Bolshak” and “Kotofey Kotofeyevich”, “Forest People” and “Provincial Tales”.
• 1892 - "Pictures of Russian life", "Evening leisure", "Different ways."
• 1895 - 1901 - “Under the Wheel of Life”, “Unsophisticated Happiness”, “Yours are Strangers”, “Ivan the Fool”, “Brilliant Humor”, “New Star”, “Conscience woke up”, “Lord Peasants” and others.

Alexander Kruglov was among the most popular children's writers. He wrote books for babies:

• 1880 - “Gift for the Christmas tree”, “Winter leisure”.
• 1888 - "For me, the children."
• 1898 - "Little Readers."

Kruglov’s poems are included in collections:

• 1894 - To the Children.
• 1897 - "Poems."
• 1901 - “Love and truth. Spiritual motives. "
• 1912 - "Evening Songs."

Writer diary

In the 90s, Alexander Kruglov moved away from Narodism and moved to the Orthodox-monarchist position. Published in Orthodox magazines “Useful Reading”, “Russian Pilgrim”, “Parish Life,“ Helmsman ”. Later, in 1901 and 1904, his articles appeared in separate collections “From the Diary of the Orthodox Layman” and “Sincere Speeches”.

From 1907 to 1914, Alexander Vasilievich published the journal "Diary of a Writer", from 1910 - "The Light and Diary of a Writer." His wife A.N.Doganovich, a well-known author of children's literature, helped him edit the magazine. On the pages of the publication, Kruglov criticized the revolutionary movement and democratic literature.

The writer died on October 9, 1915 in Sergiev Posad. Until the last days, he did not change the instructions of his teacher Dostoevsky: a writer should be free from parties, serve his country and people, be a believer and moral person.