Valentin Savvich Pikul (1928 - 1990) is a bright and original writer of the 20th century, telling about domestic history and historical figures in a simple and understandable language. The list of Pikul's most popular books includes about 20 novels.
Valentin Savich was born in Leningrad. In 1942, having survived the first siege winter, he managed to leave the besieged city along the "Road of Life". A fourteen-year-old teenager fled to Solovki in the Jung School. Until the end of the war he served on the destroyer "Grozny" as a steering signalman.
The path to literature for Pikul was not easy. He did a lot of self-education, while working as a diver, a fireman. The first novel “Ocean Patrol” was released in 1954. The attitude to the writer's work has always been ambiguous. The list of books by Valentin Pikul includes controversial and scandalous works, such as the novel "Unclean Force." The writer is often criticized for his free treatment of historical facts, calling him the Russian Dumas father.
The three best books by Pikul of marine subjects
When compiling a list of the best books by Pikul of marine subjects, it is worthwhile to dwell on works for readers of different ages and genre preferences:
1. Boys with bows
Boys with Bows is an autobiographical book of growing up. The plot is built on the heroic facts from the biography of young Valentine. Marine romance and the formation of character in the harsh war years. This story is good to read in his youth. Heroes are fourteen-year-old boys who are cadets of the Jung School in the Solovetsky Islands. Events are described on behalf of Savka Ogurtsova, raving about the sea and dreaming of service in the navy. The first victories and defeats, the test of friendship for strength and moral lessons - these are not easy everyday life for young boys.
2. Three ages of Okini-san
“Three Ages of Okini-san” is a novel for lovers of sentimental stories. The love of a Russian naval officer and a Japanese geisha unfolds amid the tragic events of the early 20th century. Vladimir Kokovtsev at the beginning of the novel is a midshipman, on the last pages is the admiral of the Russian fleet. The author conducts a hereditary sailor through difficult trials: revolution, Russian-Japanese and civil wars, emigration. The reader, together with the hero, plunges into the world of Japanese culture and national traditions.
3. Requiem Caravan PQ-17
Requiem Caravan PQ-17 is a small book about the death of an Allied convoy in the seas of the Arctic, which will later be called Convoy to Hell. This is a documentary story about one tragic page of World War II. The courage of Soviet, American and English sailors is the theme of the realistic book of Pikul, which can be advised to male readers.
Pikul’s novels from the list of books about the sea can be read for free. Everyone will choose a work to their liking.
Top 5 best books about history Pikul
For lovers of Russian history, Pikul prose will be a real gift. The books of Valentin Savvich Pikul are filled with details that accurately recreate several centuries of Russian reality.
The five best historical books by Valentin Pikul:
1. Favorite
The novel “Favorite” opens, which introduces the reader to the era of the reign of Catherine the Great. At the center of the story of the writer are two historical figures: the Empress and Grigory Potemkin - her favorite. The difficult life path of these heroes is filled with political intrigues, conspiracies, love and betrayal.
2. The Battle of the Iron Chancellors
“Battle of the Chancellors of Iron” - Pikul's work on the subtle art of diplomatic relations between Russia and Prussia in the second half of the 19th century. Two talented statesmen Gorchakov and Bismarck understand well how to win the political struggle. The book is based on a comparison of the characters and actions of the "iron" chancellors, on whom the fate of European states depends.
3. I have the honor
Next on the list is the book I Have Honor. This is a good example of an action-packed piece about the adventures of "a man without a name." The hero, thanks to his outstanding abilities, is recruited into intelligence. Pikul places him in the thick of historical events: the First World War, the revolutions of 1905 and 1917. The action takes place in different cities and countries of Europe at the beginning of the 20th century. It is interesting to follow the fate of a person for whom duty and honor are not empty words, but service to the Fatherland is the meaning of life.
4. Impure force
The “Unclean Force” talks about the “holy line” of Gregory Rasputin and his role in the fate of Russia. The life and death of a Siberian elder is depicted against the backdrop of the tragic events of 1917. This is the most controversial novel by Valentin Savvich, for which he received the Mikhail Sholokhov Prize. The images of Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra Fedorovna brought scandalous fame. The last Russian emperor is shown extremely negatively.
5. Barbarossa
Barbarossa, an unfinished novel written in the last year of the author’s life, completes the list of Pikul’s historical works. The scene is Stalingrad in 1942. A large-scale saga tells about the fate of the country in the tragic period of the Great Patriotic War. Ordinary and military leaders are united by a hatred of the enemy and a desire to protect the city on the Volga. A separate storyline is dedicated to the German general Paulus.
Books by Valentin Pikul are still popular with a wide readership today. The total circulation of his works is more than 500 million copies.