The Salt of the Earth. A Novel about the Strogoffs

Georgy Markov is one of the most famous Soviet writers, who headed the Writers' Union for many years. A Siberian, the son of a hunter, Markov was well acquainted with peasant life.

His first novel - "Strogovs" (1939-1946) - brought the author fame. Taking the story of one family as the basis for the plot, G. Markov described events occurring in his homeland from the Russo-Japanese War to the Civil War.

The continuation of this story is the novel "The Salt of the Earth" (1954-1960), which traces the fate of the children and grandchildren of Matvey Strogov, engaged in the transformation of post-war Siberia, the development and use of the riches of the taiga for the benefit of people. Critics compare this epic narrative to M. Sholokhov's novel "And Quiet Flows the Don": "Siberian writers have tried for several decades to create their own 'And Quiet Flows the Don.' The Siberian way of life is no less colorful than that of the Cossacks" (R. Senchin).

G. Markov's novel was adapted for the screen, and in the series "The Salt of the Earth," the main role of Maxim Strogov was played by Kirill Lavrov.