Birds of Heaven, and Other Stories

Korolenko (1853-1921) was a Ukrainian-born Russian writer, journalist, human rights activist and humanitarian of Ukrainian and Polish origin. He is best known for his short novel The Blind Musician, first published in the original Russian in 1886, along with numerous short stories based upon his experience of exile in Siberia. Throughout his writing career, Korolenko was an influential social activist, speaking out against injustice and persecution and considering himself 'only a part-time writer.' His work in this sphere was of as great importance as his writing, albeit he is acknowledged as one of the major Russian writers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The stories in this volume date from the last part of the nineteenth century for the most part, and give a very good idea of the range and variety of the themes handled by Korolenko and of the almost mystical treatment which he sometimes employs. Translated into English by Clarence Augustus Manners, PhD., Lecturer in Slavonic Languages at Columbia University and first published in this edition in 1919.