My grandmother didn't like my father. My father didn't sweat - not even in speech.

He liked to play tricks, but these tricks always made her angry! One night - on a big holiday - a strong wind blew and suddenly a strange, terrifying sound was heard in the house. Everyone was scared. We thought: "Have the devils and demons attacked the house?" Grandfather quickly put on his fur coat and ordered us to turn on all the lights in front of the holy images. He ran and shouted: "We must pray!"

Once, the lights and voices went out and everyone was even more scared. Grandmother Yakov guessed correctly and said: "I'm sure Maxim has ridden on this again!" Later, my father himself explained that he had put several empty bottles and medicine glasses in the ventilation window of the room and the wind blew in them and made a sound. Grandfather made a face at him and said: "Maxim, stop doing these things or you will be sent back to Siberia again!"

I was ignorant that this was the author's autobiography. When I finished it, I was shocked.

The peasant life that this little child lived deprived his life of the grace of knowledge that every child enjoys. However, his intelligence was always outstanding, his different perspective on everything and everyone around him, his pride in his opinion, and his criticism of the people he lived among showed us a beautiful thinking personality.

His talk about his grandfather's god and his grandmother's god and the difference between them reminded me of a friend of my mother who was afraid that her husband would look for another wife, so she often complained and contacted my mother. Then my mother once said to her: I don't want anything. If I kneel down, I ask your god to make him laugh at you and make you laugh at him.

My mother's friend laughed and said: And you expect my god to listen to this nonsense? Is it okay for me to ask my god for something like that?

?!

One of the things that shocked me at that time was the rude treatment towards women!

I don't know if this is really the case. Fortunately, I was not born in that time.

The author didn't mention many names. Instead, he would say "my grandfather did" and "my grandmother did", which was comfortable to read and easier to remember the events.

The translation was beautiful and understandable, and I never felt bored while reading although the description took up a large part of the text.

I am living in a state of excitement about Maxim Gorky's life!

May his soul rest in peace!

This is not a book to make you happy. Instead, it is a book that puts into words the hard reality of growing up in 19th-century Russia. Many mistreatments are described as if they were the most normal things in the world.

However, it is still a beautifully written book. The author manages to vividly depict the harsh living conditions and the various hardships that the characters have to endure.

Through the detailed descriptions, the reader can gain a deeper understanding of the social and historical context of that time.

Although the content may be disturbing at times, it also makes us reflect on the importance of珍惜 the present and working towards a better future.

Overall, this book is a valuable piece of literature that offers both entertainment and enlightenment.

I believe that I can say that it was one of the best-written (and translated) books I have ever read. The story full of doubts and attempts of the little Alioşa has brought my thoughts to Remi from "Sans Famille" by Hector Malot, the first novel I read in childhood.

Surely, I will soon move on to the next two volumes of the Gorky trilogy ("At the Boss's" and "My Universities").

This book has truly touched my heart with its vivid portrayal of the protagonist's struggles and growth. It makes me reflect on my own childhood experiences and the challenges I faced.

I am excited to continue exploring the world created by Gorky and see how the story unfolds in the remaining volumes. I have a feeling that they will be just as captivating and thought-provoking as the first one.

This is a precarious existence where life reflects the cold and gloomy landscape.

There is little security, education, and limited opportunities for the superstitious peasants, with their reverence for icons and saints.

The thoughtful, intelligent, and brave Maxim is exposed to death and is subjected to violence and disease.

"My Childhood" is a harrowing account of a turbulent and cruel childhood that never resorts to self-pity.

Gorky shows himself to be a sharp observer and a skillful recorder of the wide spectrum of human behavior that he witnesses.

It is a brutal beginning to Gorky's autobiographical trilogy.

The story takes us into a world that is both harsh and fascinating, revealing the struggles and hardships that Gorky endured as a child.

Despite the difficult circumstances, Maxim manages to maintain his courage and intelligence, which serve him well in the face of adversity.

Overall, "My Childhood" is a powerful and moving work that offers a unique perspective on life in Russia during the late 19th century.

When life becomes monotonous and repetitive, it seems as if every moment blends into the next, lacking excitement and variety. In such a state, even grief can paradoxically be seen as a welcome event. It disrupts the dull routine and forces us to feel something intense, to engage with our emotions on a deeper level.

Similarly, a fire can serve as a diversion. It is a sudden and unexpected occurrence that catches our attention and shakes us out of our complacency. The chaos and drama of a fire can provide a brief respite from the monotony of daily life.

Moreover, the statement "A wart is an adornment to a vacuous face" implies that even the most unattractive or unwanted features can take on a new meaning in the context of a life that lacks substance. A wart, which is typically considered a blemish, can become a point of interest or even a source of charm when placed on a face that otherwise has nothing remarkable to offer.

In conclusion, these observations remind us that in the midst of monotony, even the most unlikely things can bring a sense of relief, excitement, or meaning. We should not always strive for the perfect and the beautiful, but rather learn to appreciate the unexpected and the imperfect.

In recalling my childhood, I envision myself as a beehive. Diverse and unassuming individuals brought the honey of their knowledge and life thoughts to this beehive, generously enriching my character with their experiences. Sometimes, this honey was dirty and bitter, but it was still honey, every scrap of knowledge.

When I was around thirteen, I sat at a table near the door of my English class. To the left of the door was a slightly damaged steel cupboard that housed a modest library. We could borrow books from it to expand our reading. The book I remember best stands out more clearly than many others, like "Rogue Male" or "The Fallen Idol," whose titles I've forgotten.

This book is a great read for growing up as it focuses on the process of growing up, especially for bookish children. It's an autobiography of reading, a child shaped by books. In this regard, it's similar to other literary autobiographies like "The Classic Slum." The young Alexei Peshkov, who later took the pen name Maxim Gorky (which means "bitter"), grew up in Nizhni-Novgorod in the late 19th century, during Russia's rapid yet uneven economic growth. So, it's also the story of a particular childhood.

This volume is the first of an autobiographical trilogy, followed by "My Apprenticeship" and "My Universities" (the title of the final part is ironic). It begins with the young Gorky watching his mother cry over his father's dead body while she's in labor and ends years later, with his grandfather kicking him out of the house. The whole trilogy creates an impressive picture of pre-revolutionary life in a big provincial city. It's a colorful and hard life, with poverty constantly looming. The only constants are books and reading, which have a significant impact on the growing child.
Above all, there are two constant figures in this story: his grandmother, who started and ended her life as a beggar, and his grandfather, who had some success as a dyer but lost his business due to family squabbles. The grandfather taught the young boy to read and write, but this was not the stable world of the corporation. The grandmother, on the other hand, inhabited the world of folk religion. This is a fascinating book that I still recommend to lovers of Tolstoy and Turgenev as it offers a different perspective on pre-revolutionary Russia.

Beautifully written but how saddening.

It is a sort of social realism that is skillfully intertwined with the essence of the great 19th Century novel.

Surprisingly, it does not possess a traditional story structure as such. Instead, it presents more as a series of vivid recollections.

Gorky, unfortunately, does not receive much recognition in the Western Canon, yet he most certainly should.

The only writing that comes to my mind, which approaches the wonder and horror of childhood described so exquisitely in this book, would be the beginning of 'Great Expectations'.

However, there is none of the mawkish sentiment that one often encounters with Dickens.

The young boy's family is irrationally and horribly violent.

His saintly grandmother stands as the only person who offers him emotional warmth and comfort.

Unexpectedly, Gorky does not merely showcase the degradation of poverty. Instead, he reveals how degradation ultimately leads to poverty, presenting a profound and thought-provoking perspective.

This work by Gorky is a literary gem that deserves greater appreciation and study.

I read this book in Russian, and as I recall, it was a fairly simple Russian. It was from Maxim Gorky's Trilogy. The first book was Детство (this book), followed by "Among the People" and "My University". There is one sentence that I admire and even aspire to: at his father's grave he did not cry. "Я плакал редко и толко от обиды, ни от боли" (17) which means I cry very rarely, and only from insults or outrages, never from suffering or pain. Moreover, his father would laugh at his tears.

When his bereaved mother comes on deck to see her own mother singing Aida to vodka-smashed sailors, Mother says, "They're laughing at you, Mamasha!" "God Bless them!" her mother replies, "Let them laugh...It's good for their health." (21)

This was decades ago. What I principally recall now is seeing Gorky's house on Capri! It was a shock to think that this avatar of the simple life, this hero of socialist realism, this denizen of economic sequestration, actually lived in splendor for quite a few years on the Isle of Capri (1906 - 1913, before the Revolution, then again in the 1920s). He even wrote one of his best novels there, at his own villa Pierina. A couple of years ago, Capri named one of its streets for him, just as Norway, Maine named a street for my grandfather, Ralph W Richardson. (It even has his middle initial.)

Copilăria is an autobiographical novel, the first volume of a trilogy, followed by În lume (1914) and Universitățile mele (1923). The writer's memories date back to the moment when his father dies and he, being a child, witnesses the burial of a beloved one. After becoming an orphan, he comes to live with his grandparents, and his childhood is marked by the figure of the grandfather, the face of the mother, but also by the environment and the extended family with whom the boy has to grow up, somehow.

This novel offers a unique perspective on the author's early years. It delves into the emotions and experiences that shaped him during this crucial period of his life. The descriptions are vivid, allowing the reader to almost step into the shoes of the young Maksim.

The complete review can be found on blog. It provides a more in-depth analysis of the novel, exploring its themes, characters, and writing style. If you're interested in learning more about Maksim's childhood and the events that led to his development as a writer, this review is definitely worth a read.

I never thought I would love Gorky so much ❤️

Before that, I seemed to be buried in darkness, as if I was asleep; but he came and woke me up, lifted me up and led me to the light. He weaved everything around me like a colorful lace with endless threads. He became the person closest to me, the one who understood me best, and the most precious person for me. His unrequited love for the world and his ability to fill my heart with strength in the face of a life full of difficulties enriched me.

Gorky's works and his spirit have had a profound impact on me. They have inspired me to face challenges bravely and pursue my dreams. I am grateful to have discovered his works and to have been able to experience the power of his words.

I will always remember Gorky and the influence he has had on my life. His works will continue to shine brightly and inspire generations to come.

I have never read anything similar to what I read here. It's like someone is pouring out their life to you while you are sitting in a place close to the fireplace and the winds are howling outside, and the snowflakes are sticking to the windowpane, and you don't even wish for the sun to shine until the story ends.

"I was drowning in a deep abyss of despair and couldn't do anything about it..."

The simple translation by Ayoub above the description.

This kind of narrative draws you in, making you feel as if you are right there with the person sharing their experiences. The vivid imagery of the cold outside and the warmth near the fireplace creates a contrast that enhances the emotional impact of the story. The mention of the snowflakes on the windowpane adds a touch of detail that makes the scene even more real. And the statement about not wanting the sun to shine until the story ends shows how engrossed you become in the narrative.

Overall, it's a powerful and engaging piece of writing that leaves a lasting impression.