Konstantin Lagunov - writer, publicist, literary critic, honorary citizen of city of Tyumen, was born

On September 16, 1924, in the village of Staraya Mayna, Ulyanovsk Region, the writer and laureate of the USSR Writers' Union Prize in 1980, organizer and long-time head of the Tyumen branch of the Writers' Union of the RSFSR, and honorary citizen of Tyumen, Konstantin Lagunov, was born.

The future writer grew up in the village of Malaya Zorkaltseva, located 30 kilometers north of Tobolsk. His family moved to Siberia to escape poverty. His father, Yakov Vasilyevich, was a history teacher in Malaya Zorkaltseva and later became the director of Ivanovo and Golyshman Orphanages. His mother, Maria Fyodorovna, was also a teacher.

Lagunov graduated from five grades in Malozorkaltsevo, six and seven grades in the village of Verkhnefilatov, and secondary school in Golyshmanovo, where his father had been transferred, on the eve of the war. He was not chosen to go to the front due to poor eyesight and started working as a teacher, then as the director of the Golyshman orphanage. In late 1942, he became the deputy secretary of the Komsomol district committee and later the first secretary. From that time until 1956, his professional life was connected with Komsomol work.

Wanting to pursue higher education, Lagunov entered Vilnius University but transferred to the Tyumen Pedagogical Institute three years later (now Tyumen State University). The Lagunov family moved to Tyumen in 1961, and after completing his studies, Lagunov began working as the director at the Golyshman school.

Soon after, he was transferred to the staff of the Komsomol Central Committee. In February 1952, he was sent to work as the second secretary of the Central Committee of the Komsomol in Tajikistan.

In 1956, K. Lagunov became deputy editor of the republican newspaper "Stalinskaya Molodezh " (later renamed "Komsomolets of Tajikistan") and began actively publishing his works in newspapers and other print media in the republic. His published works during this period included essays, documentary stories, a novel, notes, short stories, and poems for children, some of which were published under the pseudonym "K. Golovan".

Additionally, he worked on a book about the history of the Tajik Komsomol and his PhD thesis. After completing postgraduate studies at Tajik University in 1958, K. Lagunov defended his thesis and earned the title of Candidate of Historical Sciences.

In 1958, the novel "Moy put'" ("My Path") was published in Dushanbe, followed by a collection of essays titled "Only Forward". In 1959, K. Lagunov was admitted to the Union of Soviet Writers. In 1961, the family moved to Tyumen where K. Lagunov became editor-in-chief at the Tyumen Publishing House. Due to his active lifestyle, he was unable to stay there for long, and in 1963, he worked hard to establish a writers' organization in Tyumen (currently known as the Tyumen Regional Branch of the Writers' Union of Russia). He headed this organization until 1983. During this period, K Lagunov founded a school of creative writing workshops that helped aspiring writers turn into professional authors.

K. Lagunov was constantly concerned about the creative growth of young talents, ensuring that young people received higher education. In 1988, he organized the opening of the Journalism Department at Tyumen State University and became its head.

During his career, Lagunov wrote more than 50 books, including 12 novels. His literary range was extensive, covering screenplays, journalism, and novels. His fairy tales were also popular among modern children.

Lagunov's novels were always relevant and reflected events of his time. He also continued his scientific work, publishing a book on modern Tyumen literature titled "Portraits Without Retouching." K. Ya. Lagunov continued writing until his last days, working on a novel about contemporary intergenerational relations and youth drug addiction.

The writer, K. Ya. Lagunov, died in Tyumen on July 19, 2001. A plaque has been placed on the house where he lived, and the Tyumen Regional Children's Scientific Library now bears his name in honor of his contributions to children's literature.

Many of Lagunov's works have been translated into various foreign languages, and in 1980 he was awarded the prize of the USSR Writers' Union for his outstanding contributions to literature. He also received several other honors and awards, including the Order of Honor (twice, in 1954 and 1967), the Order of Friendship of Peoples in 1984, the title of Honored Worker of Culture of the RSFSR in 1995, and the title of Honorary Citizen of Tyumen in 1994. Additionally, he received the prize of the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions in 1982 and the P.P. Ershov Prize in 2001, posthumously.

Lit.: Захарченко В. Писатель Лагунов // Эпоха и личность. Тюменский характер. Тюмень, 2012. С. 231–245; Комаров С. А. Константин Лагунов: биография, место в культуре // Изучение литературы в региональном аспекте: учеб. пособие / С. А. Комаров, О. К. Лагунова, З. Я. Селицкая. Ишим, 2011. С. 98–102; Комаров С. Константин Лагунов: место в культуре // Лик. 2012. № 3. С. 98–100; Константин Лагунов: В диалоге с Сибирью / сост.: С. А. Комаров, О. К. Лагунова. Тюмень, 2010; Корокотина А. М. Во имя человека: позиция первопроходцев и писателя // Тюменская область сегодня. 2011. 17 сент. С. 4; Лагунов Константин Яковлевич: [страница писателя] // Электронная библиотека тюменского писателя [Электронный ресурс]. URL: https://writer-tyumen.ru/index.php?m=autor&aid=22; Ломакин С. Свет и тень миссионерства // Многоцветье жизни. Тюмень, 2009. С. 146–150; Ломакин С. К. Духовное завещание: рассказы // Многоцветье жизни. Тюмень, 2009. С. 150–153; Маркова В. К. К. Я. Лагунов «Таджикский» период творчества // Хрестоматия. Тюмень, 2024; Мешков Ю. А. Писатели Тюменского края: новые материалы к биогр. словарю // Филологический дискурс. 2009. № 7. С. 285–286; Мешков Ю. Лагунов // Очерки литературы сибирского Зауралья: (Тюменские тетради). Тюмень, 2010. С. 160–173.

Based on the materials of Presidential Library:

Лагунов К. Первое свидание: из романа «Под одним небом // Тюменская правда. 1963. № 41 (5066) (17 февраля). С. 3 (доступно в электронном читальном зале);

Лагунов К. Одержимые: главы из романа // Тюменская правда. 1973. № 273 (8350) (21 ноября). С. 2–3 (доступно в электронном читальном зале);

Лагунов К. Самотлор: главы из нового романа // Тюменская правда. 1974, № 216 (8598) (14 сентября). С. 3 (доступно в электронном читальном зале);

Лагунов К. Сёстры: главы из романа «Больно берег крут» // Тюменская правда. 1976. № 250 (9242) (23 октября). С. 2–3 (доступно в электронном читальном зале);

Лагунов К. Перед Богом и людьми // Тюменская правда. 1991. № 179 (13682) (1 октября). С. 3 (доступно в электронном читальном зале).

The article was prepared by the Tyumen branch of the Presidential Library