Portrait of Boris Zaitsev

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Boris Konstantinovich Zaytsev, born on February 10, 1881, was a renowned Russian prose writer and dramatist who also belonged to the esteemed Moscow literary group Sreda. He pursued his education at the Imperial Technical Institute in Moscow, the Institute of Mines in Saint Petersburg, and the Law School at the University of Moscow, but failed to graduate from any of these institutions. In 1901, Zaytsev started publishing his fictional works, and several of his stories were featured in the influential journal The New Direction. His debut collection of stories was released in 1906, followed by his first novel, A Distant Journey, which made its appearance in 1912. From 1921 to 1922, Zaytsev held the position of chairman at the Moscow Union of Writers. Due to health concerns, he received permission to relocate to Paris in 1922, where he became a prominent figure among emigre writers. During his exile, Zaytsev continued to produce notable works, including his novel Anna, which is set against the backdrop of Russia and was published in 1929. Additionally, he demonstrated his versatility as a biographer and translator by penning lives of Ivan Turgenev and Anton Chekhov, as well as translating Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy into Russian.