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Anniversary of Aleksey Suvorin, Russian journalist, publisher, theater critic and playwright
September 11 (23), 1834 in the village of Korshev, Bobrovsky district of Voronezh Province in the family of a former participant of the Battle of Borodino, state peasant, who rose to the rank of captain, was born Russian journalist, publisher, theater critic and playwright Aleksey Suvorin.
Alexey S. went to Michael's Voronezh Cadet Corps, then in the Constantine military school. In his youth he was a member of the literary circle, which included M. F. De Poulet and I. S. Nikitin. With a distinctively humanitarian aptitudes, and not having a propensity for military service, Suvorin at the end of the school refused a military career. Having taken examination for teachers of history and geography at the beginning of 1856, Aleksey became a lecturer at Bobrov School, where at one time he studied himself. Simultaneously, he served as secretary of Bobrov Marshal of the Nobility V. Ya. Tulinov and composed a catalog of the French and Russian books of his extensive library.
In Bobrov Suvorin debuted in publication with the translation of poems by Beranger "Rose" and "Clara", published in the St. Petersburg magazine "Vase" (1858), followed by translation of the Chenier in the "Moscow Bulletin" and the original articles in "Laughter" and "Russian Diary".
In 1861 Suvorin moved to Moscow where he entered the circle of Moscow writers (N. S. Leskov, A. A. Sleptsov, A. I. Levitov, A. N. Pleshcheyev, L. N. Tolstoy, A. N. Ostrovsky, M. E. Saltykov, N. A. Nekrasov, I. S. Aksakov, I. S. Turgenev) and obtained some connections in the arts and business community. His works were often published in "Russian Rech". He posted the story "Alenka" and the story "Rejected" in the “Records of the Fatherland” (1863).
In 1862, Aleksey Suvorin moved to St. Petersburg, where he began his journalistic career: became an employee and secretary of the St. Petersburg Bulletin of V. F. Korsch, at the same time he wrote for the "Russian invalid" and "Bulletin of Europe". Soon he became the leading newspaper satirist of the metropolitan press. His satires, usually devoted to the theater, which for ten years appeared regularly on the pages of the St. Petersburg Bulletin under the pseudonym of “Stranger", were the most popular.
Working in the St. Petersburg Bulletin and other newspapers in St. Petersburg Suvorin earned a reputation of a liberal-minded journalist. His book "All kinds. Sketches of modern life” was destroyed by censorship for the sympathetic image of the Democrats.
In 1872 when the Russian calendar was released of Suvorin began his publishing activity. In 1876 he bought the newspaper New Times, in 1877 – a printing press in St. Petersburg. By the end of 1870s he became its sole owner. In 1880, in cooperation with S. N. Shubinsky, Suvorin founded the "Historical Journal", having added to it a section of historical novels.
By 1900, Aleksey Suvorin had issued about a thousand different books. His business was of a universal character, he published almost all kinds of literature - scientific (mainly historical), fiction, reference books, etc. Aleksey Suvorin was the first in Russia to publish books available to all, even the poorest sections of population. In the "Cheap Library”, "New Library", "Scientific cheap Library" series he published more than 400 works by different authors. Suvorin directories "The whole Petersburg", "The whole Moscow", "The whole Russia", "Russian calendar" became a handbook for a wide range of readers.
In 1878 Aleksey Suvorin opened his first shop on Nevsky Prospect in St. Petersburg, then shops appeared in many major cities. Later Suvorin obtained the right to trade on the entire network of Russian railways and waterways.
In 1895 Suvorin opened his own theater - the “theater of Suvorin" (St. Petersburg Maly Theatre). In 1895 he was one of the founders of the Literary and Art Circle. He developed a large collection of books and engravings. From 1893 to 1909 kept a diary, which became a notable event in the history of Russian memoirs.
August 11 (24), 1912 one of the major organizers of the newspaper business, popular journalist and playwright Aleksey Sergeyevich Suvorin died and was buried in St. Petersburg at Nicholas cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.
Lit.: Динерштейн Е. А. А. С. Суворин: Человек, сделавший карьеру. М., 1998; Динерштейн Е. Публицист «крайних убеждений». Путь А. С. Суворина к «Новому времени» // Лица. № 6. М.; СПб., 1995; Суворин Алексей Сергеевич [Электронный ресурс] // Lib.ru/Классика. 2004. URL: http://az.lib.ru/s/suworin_a_s/.
Based on the Presidential Library’s materials:
Суворин А. С. Военная хроника русско-турецкой войны/ Составлял Незнакомец. М., 1877;
Суворин А. С. Письма А. С. Суворина к В. В. Розанову. СПб., 1913.