Ivan Sokolov-Mikitov, whose biography is given in this article, is a famous Soviet and Russian writer. He also made a name for himself in journalism, was a popular publicist and special correspondent for many publications.
Childhood and youth
Ivan Sokolov-Mikitov, whose biography you are currently reading, was born in 1892. He was born on the territory of the Kaluga province in a small settlement called Oseki.
His father, whose name was Sergei Nikitich, was the forest manager of wealthy local merchants named Konshina.
When Ivan Sergeyevich Sokolov-Mikitov was three years old, his relatives moved to the village of Kislovo, which is located in the Dorogobuzh district. Today it is the Smolensk region. Only not Dorogobuzh, but Ugransky district.
At the age of 10, Sokolov-Mikitov, the biography of the future writer will help to better understand many of his works, he comes to Smolensk. Here he begins to study at the Alexander Real School. There he is fond of revolutionary ideas, takes part in the work of underground circles. For this, he is expelled from the fifth grade of the school.
Moving to Petersburg
In 1910, Sokolov-Mikitov left for St. Petersburg, where he arranged for agricultural courses. In the same year, the 18-year-old novice writer wrote his first work, entitled "The Salt of the Earth."
His literature is so captivating that very soon he clearly understands that he has no thirst for agriculture. Instead, he begins to go to literary circles, starts relationships with many famous contemporary writers. Seriously influenced the biography of Sokolov-Mikitov Alexey Remizov, Vyacheslav Shishkov, Alexander Kuprin, Alexander Green, Mikhail Prishvin.
In 1912, the hero of our article takes a job as a journalist. He becomes a secretary in the newspaper "Revel leaf", which is published in modern Tallinn. Then he left Russia altogether, settling on a merchant ship. He travels a lot in Europe and Africa.
Return to Russia
Returns to Russia in 1915 due to the outbreak of the First World War. He goes to the front, serves aviation, even flies on the famous domestic bomber Ilya Muromets together with pilot Gleb Alekhnovich, who owns many records. For example, in 1917, he established the achievement of carrying capacity, having managed to lift a cargo weighing about three thousand kilograms on the Ilya Muromets bomber.
After the war ends, he again goes to serve on the merchant fleet. It is recorded by the sailor on the ship "Omsk". But a year later the ship is arrested and sold for debts. Sokolov-Mikitov ends up in forced emigration. He does not have documents allowing him to return to his homeland.
At first he lives in England, then moves to Germany. In 1922, in the German capital, he meets with Maxim Gorky, who contributes to the paperwork required for returning to Russia.
Now Sokolov-Mikitov embarks on travels in his own country. He goes on an Arctic expedition led by Otto Schmidt, takes part in expeditions to the Arctic Ocean, takes part in the rescue of the Malygin icebreaker, which is stuck in the area of Spitsbergen.
In the last expedition he was traveling as a correspondent for the Izvestia newspaper.
In the early 30s, the first known works of Sokolov-Mikitov were published. This is "Overseas Tales" and the story "Childhood".
Membership in the Writers' Union
Until the mid-30s, the hero of our article lives in Gatchina near Leningrad. He closely communicates with Eugene Zamyatin, Konstantin Fedin, Vitaly Bianchi, Vyacheslav Shishkov.
In 1934 he was admitted to the Union of Soviet Writers. During the Second World War, he worked in Molotov (present-day Perm) as a special correspondent for Izvestia. Returns to Leningrad only in 1945.
He is building his own house in Karacharovo, in which he begins to live in 1952. It is here that he writes most of his most famous works, the stories of Sokolov-Mikitov become popular, are published in newspapers and magazines. He often has Alexander Twardowski, Vladimir Soloukhin, Konstantin Fedin.
The writer died in 1975 in Moscow. The urn with his ashes was buried in Gatchina at the New Cemetery.
Personal life of Sokolov-Mikitov
If the father of the hero of our article was a clerk, then his mother was an ordinary Kaluga peasant woman. The writer himself married Lydia Ivanovna, whom he met in the capital's publishing house "Circle".
They had three daughters, whose name was Irina, Elena and Lydia. Tragically, they all died while their parents were still alive. The last died Elena, who in 1951 drowned on the Karelian Isthmus.
The famous grandson of Sokolov-Mikitov, Alexander Sergeyevich, who in the 2000s served as Minister of Culture of Russia.
Creativity of the author
Among his most famous works, it should be noted "At the Holy Springs", "Sounds of the Earth", "The First Hunt", "Childhood", the stories of Sokolov-Mikitov "Swans Flying", the collection "Northern Stories" and many others.
In his prose, many noted expressiveness and clarity. This was especially evident when he described events that he himself had witnessed.
The story of Sokolov-Mikitov "Winter in the Forest" is well known. It talks about the first clear snow that falls in winter. At the same time, it becomes most beautiful in a dense forest. Snow covers the earth like a snow-white tablecloth; snowdrifts appear everywhere.
In the story "Winter in the Forest" Sokolov-Mikitov pays much attention to the description of nature, surrounding its reality. It seems like he admires the heavy white hats with which the first snow this year covers trees.
The first winter hunters appear who are trying to make out traces of animals and birds. The prose writer describes the traces that the hare leaves, like an ermine hunting, catching mice and small birds. Along the edge of the field, trace after trace, like a gang of robbers, in the story of Sokolov-Mikitov go wolves. Elk appears in another part of the forest.
The conclusion reached by the author is that in winter the forest only seems lifeless and deserted. In fact, there are many animals in it, which even in severe frosts go out of their holes and dens to find food, to catch prey.