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"For Comrade Miha Sholokhov, My Favorite Writer ..."

September 29 marks the 115th anniversary of the birth of Nikolai Ostrovsky, the author of the immortal book “How the Steel Was Tempered”. Mikhail Sholokhov and Nikolai Ostrovsky were people of one generation, one heroic hardening. They were connected by friendly correspondence.

Nikolai Ostrovsky was born in 1904 in the village of Viliya, Volyn province (Ukraine). He went to parish school which he finished 9-year old with a certificate of appreciation. From the age of 12, Ostrovsky had to work for hire. Subsequently, he wrote to Mikhail Sholokhov about this period of his life: "I am a full-time fireman and was a good master about refueling boilers."

During the Civil War he joined the Red Army, fought in the Kotovsky brigade and in the First Cavalry Army of Budyonny. Ostrovsky was 23 years old when, due to a severe wound, he lost his mobility and then lost his sight, he was bedridden for nine years. Blind and completely paralyzed, showing exceptional will and courage, he wrote the novel “How the Steel Was Tempered”. The motto of the main character, Pavel Korchaghin, became the motto for many Soviet people: “The person’s most precious thing is life. It is given once, and it is necessary to live it so that it is not excruciatingly painful for years spent aimlessly ... "

Nikolai Ostrovsky sent the book “How the Steel Was Tempered” to Mikhail Sholokhov with a dedicatory inscription: “For comrade Misha Sholokhov, my favorite writer. I firmly shake your hands and wish you good luck in working over the fourth book of “And Quiet Flows the Don”. I sincerely want victory ... With communist greetings, N. Ostrovsky. Sochi. November 1935."

Thus began friendship between the writers. In a response letter, Mikhail Sholokhov thanked for the book and, together with the letter, sent the first book of “And Quiet Flows the Don”, with the promise: "As soon as the last one goes out of print, I will send it right away."

The sister of Maria Sholokhova, Lydia Gromoslavskaya, was a friend of Ostrovsky's wife. Sholokhov sent the first book of “And Quiet Flows the Don” with the inscription: “For N. Ostrovsky. M. Sholokhov. 8.VII.36 y".

Having completed the novel “How the Steel Was Tempered”, Nikolai Ostrovsky immediately set about creating a new novel “The Born of the Storm”. In a letter to Mikhail Sholokhov dated August 28, 1936, he asked for a critical appraisal of the manuscript of the first volume of the novel and invited the author of “And Quiet Flows the Don” to come to him in Sochi to relax, get to know each other personally: “Remember, Misha, I’m an unreliable guy about my long life. And if you want to shake my hand, then come without delaying for the next year ... ".

Mikhail Sholokhov, being busy with work on the 4th book of “And Quiet Flows the Don”, could not accept the invitations then. In a letter dated October 2, he promises to read the novel “Born of the Storm” upon arrival in Moscow at the end of the month.

A personal meeting of writers took place in November 1936 in Moscow. The widow of Nikolai Ostrovsky said that Nikolai was waiting for this meeting, like a holiday, joked a lot, laughed. Left alone, the writers had a long and ardent conversation. Ostrovsky really wanted to know Sholokhov’s opinion about his new novel. Nikolai Ostrovsky presented to the writer's daughter, Svetlana Sholokhova, a large doll and the autographed book “How the Steel Was Tempered”.

And a month later, on December 22, 1936, the heart of Nikolai Ostrovsky stopped. Sholokhov devoted an article to his memory “Millions will learn to win through his example” (“Molot”, Rostov-On-Don, 1936. December 24). Later he also wrote a short preface to the publication in Ukrainian of the three-volume book of Nikolai Ostrovsky (published by “Molod”, Kiev. 1977).

In 1973, Sholokhov handed the Ostrovsky Museum in Moscow a copy of “How the Steel Was Tempered” with the inscription: “This book has stood the test of time with dignity. Its influence on the youth of the socialist countries is still enormous and unchanging. And that is excellent! M. Sholokhov. 26.2.73. Moscow".

Natalya Kirsanova