Mikhail Prishvin

Mikhail Mikhailovich Prishvin was a Russian and Soviet writer, the author of works about nature, in which he gave expression to a distinctive artistic philosophy of nature, hunting stories, and works for children. His diaries, which he kept throughout his life, are of particular value.

Mikhail Prishvin came from the merchant class. He was born in the family estate of Khrushchyovo-Levshino, which had once been purchased by his grandfather, the prosperous Yelets merchant Dmitry Ivanovich Prishvin. There were seven children in the family. His father, Mikhail Dmitrievich Prishvin, after the family division received the estate of Khrushchyovo and a considerable sum of money. He lived in aristocratic style, kept Orlov trotters, won prizes at horse races, was engaged in gardening and flowers, and was a passionate hunter. Once he lost heavily at cards, and so the stud farm had to be sold and the estate mortgaged. Unable to bear the shock, he took to drink and died of alcoholism.

In 1882 Mikhail was sent to a village primary school, and in 1883 he was transferred to the first form of the Yelets Classical Gymnasium. He did not shine academically there — over six years of study he advanced only to the fourth form and in that form was to be retained for another year once again, but because of a conflict with the geography teacher V. V. Rozanov he was expelled from the gymnasium. He had to complete his education at the Tyumen Real School.

Prishvin’s first story, “Sashok,” was published in 1906. Using material from his travels in Olonets Governorate (Karelia), Prishvin compiled the book In the Land of Unfrightened Birds (1907). These were travel essays and observations of nature and everyday life, for which the author was awarded the title of full member of the Imperial Geographical Society and the Society’s silver medal.

In 1912–1914 his first collected works in 3 volumes were published. In 1915–1916 he was at the front of the First World War as a war correspondent. In 1918 he lived in Khrushchyovo, having been driven from the house