Vladimir Korolenko

Of mixed Ukrainian-Polish parentage, Korolenko was exiled for political activity to Siberia (1879--84). He then spent a decade in the provincial city of Nizhny Novgorod, where he produced most of his best work. A major figure among the Populists, Korolenko fought actively against social and political injustices, writing essays about religious persecution, racial discrimination, and other social issues. A fundamental humanism and a belief in human progress also inform his numerous stories and novellas, for example, his famous story "Makar's Dream" (1885). After the October Revolution he was hostile to the Bolshevik government and maintained this attitude until his death. Korolenko's prose is distinguished by a charming lyricism, an ability to capture natural settings and mood, a talent for depicting common people, and a wonderful sense of humor. His autobiographical History of My Contemporary 1922) is perhaps his best work.