About the book: 2014 / The book “Frigate “Pallada”” by the great Russian writer Ivan Aleksandrovich Goncharov (1812-1891) is a unique phenomenon in its own way. None of the classics of Russian literature, either before or after Goncharov, took part in such a journey. Those Russians who had the opportunity to travel this path: from Russia through Britain and South Africa to Indonesia, Singapore, Japan, China, the Philippines, were not classics of Russian literature... The journey, which began on October 7, 1852 at the roadstead of Kronstadt, became an event for Russia extraordinary. Firstly, there were still a lot of circumnavigations around the world, and Russian sailors under the command of Ivan Kruzenshtern first circumnavigated the Earth only half a century ago. Secondly, this time they went for a reason, but with a special and important mission - to “open” Japan, to establish relations with a country that had just begun to move away from the centuries-old policy of strict isolationism. Thirdly, the voyage on the frigate “Pallada” was destined to go down in the history of Russian and world literature. However, then few people knew about this... From the point of view of his position in society, Ivan Aleksandrovich Goncharov was completely unknown in 1852 - a modest official of the Foreign Trade Department of the Ministry of Finance, appointed secretary-translator of the head of the expedition, Vice Admiral Evfimy Putyatin. In literary circles, his name has already been heard - in 1847, in the famous Sovremennik, founded by Pushkin, Goncharov’s first significant work, “Ordinary History,” was published. But his main novels, Oblomov and Precipice, had not yet been written. Just like “Frigate “Pallada”” is a book for Russian literature of the 19th century. unprecedented. Somehow it happened that Ivan Goncharov is perceived as a homebody writer. Either way, Pushkin visited the Crimea and the Caucasus. And Dostoevsky and Turgenev traveled almost all over Europe. Goncharov is a classic Russian noble estate, where St. Petersburg or Moscow is the center of the Universe. These are the writer’s heroes: Aduev from “An Ordinary History”, Ilya Ilyich Oblomov, Raisky from “The Precipice”. All of them are smart people, but weak-willed, unwilling or unable to change anything in their lives. Many critics even tried to convince readers that Goncharov is Oblomov... But in this case, the author turned out to be the complete opposite of his characters. Britain, Madeira, Atlantic, South Africa, Indonesia, Singapore, Japan, China, Philippines: even today, in the era airplanes, such a journey is a very difficult test. And Ivan Goncharov had the opportunity to go all this way on a sailing ship. There were, of course, moments of weakness; the writer was even going to give up everything and return home from England. But he still survived and reached Japan. Then we had to return home on horseback across all of Russia. And although the trip did not go around the world, it was a feat for the good of his country. And for the benefit of the readers. “We have to travel around the whole world and tell about it in such a way that they listen to the story without boredom, without impatience,” Ivan Goncharov set himself the task. And he did it. That is why the book “Frigate “Pallada”” outlived both the ship that gave it its name and the author for a long time. Times are changing, technologies are improving, speeds are increasing, and “Frigate “Pallada”” is still being read, is being read and will be read... The electronic publication of I. A. Goncharov’s book includes the full text of the paper book and part of the illustrative material. But for true connoisseurs of exclusive publications, we offer a gift classic book with exceptional richness in maps and other documentary and artistic illustrations. Over 250 color and black and white drawings, paintings, route maps, many comments and related explanations of geographical and biographical realities, excellent printing, white offset paper. This publication, like all books in the “Great Travels” series, will adorn any, even the most sophisticated library, and will be a wonderful gift for both young readers and.