Childhood -- Century Chinese New Curriculum Standard Required Reading

Author: Maxim Gorky
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-07-01
Features: The birth of Maxim Gorky's autobiographical trilogy not only provides precious primary materials for studying the life path, growth process, and creative development of Maxim Gorky himself, but also presents before us a broad social life picture of the Russian countryside and cities in the 1870s and 1880s. This book is one of the trilogy. It was written by the author with heartfelt memories. It records the author's father's death when he was three years old, his mother taking him to her parents' home with her grandmother, where the grandfather was a selfish, greedy, and tyrannical small business owner who cruelly exploited his workers and lent money at high interest rates. However, the development of capitalism in Russia shattered his dream of getting rich, and he eventually went bankrupt and fell into destitution. After his mother remarried, she also died in poverty. At the age of 11, he was kicked out of his grandfather's house and had to fend for himself in the world. The book genuinely describes his difficult childhood and paints a vivid picture of the customs and social atmosphere of the petty bourgeois class in Russia. It not only reveals some ugly aspects of Russian society at the time but also portrays many excellent ordinary people. The novel is vividly written, with dialogue that is lifelike and fits the age and psychology of the characters. It is both enjoyable to read and thought-provoking.