Frigate Pallada

At forty, Ivan Goncharov, by that time a well-known Petersburg writer, author of the famous novel "A Common Story", realized that his life had also become "common." In the mornings — official papers, in the evenings — the manuscript of "Oblomov"… It couldn't continue like this. And so the modest bureaucratic official, "cowering before the boss's gaze, fearing a cold," who went out of the house "only in case of extreme necessity," suddenly remembered childhood dreams of sea adventures and set off on a round-the-world voyage on the frigate "Pallada."
Upon returning from a two-year trip, Goncharov published the book "Frigate 'Pallada.'" This is not a scientific work, but rather a message to friends from an amateur traveler who is interested in everything: the weather and economy, architecture and landscapes, new languages and unusual traditions, local cuisine, national costumes… However, the curious tourist remained a talented writer: observation, humor, and the ability to choose the most precise and expressive word did not leave him for a moment.
In this publication, rare drawings by travelers — Goncharov's contemporaries are featured.