Biography of Novikov-Surf Alexei Silych


(1877-1944)

Novikov-Surf (real name – Novikov) Alexei Silych (1877 – 1944), a prose writer.
Born March 12 (24 N. s.) In the village Matveevskoe Tambov province in – a peasant family. My father was a Nicholas soldier who spent 25 years in military service. He studied at the parish school, with the end of which at the age of eleven his education ended, since his continuation did not have the means.
At age 22 he was drafted into the army, served in the Baltic Fleet as a sailor (1899 – 1906), fell in love with the sea. Began to engage in self-education. For two years he visited the Kronstadt school, got acquainted with the “seditious” literature, for which he was sent to prison. After his release, he was sent to war with Japan, participated in the Battle of Tsushima. He fell into captivity and for eight months had the opportunity to read books that I had only heard of before.
In 1906 he returned to his native village, wrote

pamphlets about the Tsushima battle (“For other people’s sins”, “Madmen and barren victims”, under the pseudonym A. Zaterty – former sailor). These brochures were banned by the government. Fearing persecution, he fled to England.
In 1907 – 13 he wandered abroad as a political emigrant: he lived in France, Spain, Italy and North Africa. He sailed a merchant navy sailor.
In 1912 – 13 he lived with Gorky in Capri (earlier Gorky sent several of his stories, which he approved). Later Novikov said: “Gorky put me on his feet.” After studying with him, I firmly and independently entered the literature. ”
The first collection of short stories by Novikov-Priboy, “Sea Stories” in 1914, was withdrawn in the collection; came out only after the revolution.
After the revolution, the writer’s works appeared regularly in the press: the novel The Sea Cries (1919), The Underwater Workers (1923), The Eralashny Flight (1925), The Woman at Sea (1926), etc.
The most significant work of Novikov-Priboi – historical epic “
During the Patriotic War, he appeared with articles and essays on sailors, worked on a great novel “Captain of the 1st rank” (was not finished).
A. Novikov-Priboy died in Moscow on April 29, 1944.
A short biography from the book: Russian writers and poets. A short biographical dictionary. Moscow, 2000.


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Biography of Novikov-Surf Alexei Silych