Kozakov, Mikhail Emmanuilovich. Born 11 August 1897 (23 August, Old Style) at Romodan, in the Mirgorodsky Raion, Poltava Oblast. He studied law at Petrograd University, from which he graduated in 1922. That same year, he began publishing his writings.
He published a collection of stories entitled Popugaevo Schastye ("Parrot Happiness") in 1924. Following in 1926 was Abram Nasatyr, the Innkeeper. In this story, a hard-hearted innkeeper in the NEPNEP period gets rich as the result of a murder he inspired his brother to commit. When his position is threatened, he then kills this same brother.
Meshchanin Adameiko ("Philistine Adameiko") appeared in 1927. It is the tale of the Raskolnikov-like Adameiko, who plots the murder of a userer because, as he sees it, the parasites who survived the Revolution must be eliminated. Unlike Raskolnikov, he plans to manipulate someone else into doing the actual killing. 1927 also saw the publication of Poltora Khama ("One and a Half Louts").
Kozakov also wrote several plays, including Chekisti ("The Chekists", 1939) and Neistovii Vissarion ("Furious Vissarion", 1948).
His main work is the novel Devyat Tochek ("Nine Points"), also called Krusheniye Imperii ("Fall of the Empire", 1929-1937). The action takes place during the First World War and the Febuary Revolution of 1917. It begins as a story of everyday family life, but broadens into a historical epic.
Kozakov died in Moscow on 16 December 1954. in 1957, two of his works were published posthumously: the novel Zhiteli Etovo Goroda ("Residents of This City") and the tale Petrogradskiye Dni ("Petrograd Days").
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