About the book: 2010 / Dmitry Ivanovich Mendeleev is known to most readers as the “father” of Russian vodka and the author of the Periodic Law. Meanwhile, in terms of the breadth of scientific and practical interests, he can be compared with the titans of the Renaissance. In addition to studying chemistry, he wrote books on economics and sociology, designed high-precision instruments, developed customs tariffs, flew in a hot air balloon, explored spiritualism, headed Russian metrology, acted as an expert in trials of poisoning and counterfeiting money, and called himself an “oil volunteer.” . A tireless traveler, he spent nine years abroad. His name is inextricably linked with the names of his great contemporaries N. Pirogov, N. Zinin, A. Butlerov, A. Borodin, I. Repin, A. Blok. Among his favorite students were the revolutionaries H. Kibalchich and A. Ulyanov. It is rumored that he was sent abroad by the government to obtain the secret of foreign gunpowder. He was married twice, but cheated on his wives with his “mistress” - science. The book tells about the difficult family relationships of Mendeleev, about his true role in the invention of Russian vodka and smokeless gunpowder and reveals the essence of the conflict with the academic environment, as a result of which the internationally recognized scientist did not receive in the homeland the title of academician.