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The holiday of graduates — «Scarlet Sails» — will take place just about … Everyone knows that the «Scarlet Sails», which everyone is hearing, came to the din from the novel by Alexander Grin. But who remembers the content? Who else has read this author? Some diligent schoolgirls, like me, read, while studying in high school, also «Running on the Waves» … That’s it for sure — that’s it! Well, maybe avid bookworms also have the Green Lamp in their assets.

To be honest, I limited myself to only two works, back in grades 9-10. And for some reason, I didn’t feel like reading anymore: there were always more fashionable books that everyone read, which “must be read”.

Hand on heart, Green «didn’t go» to me in my youth. He was too romantic, and I am a practical, prudent person … I read what the teacher of literature ordered — and thank God … There was no desire to return to the books of this author.

But there is a time for everything… Two weeks ago, while walking around Feodosia, on one of the main tourist streets we saw the building of the Alexander Grin Museum. Not just a museum, but a house-museum. Here the writer lived for some time before moving to Stary Krym. Why not come in?

We went in … We looked, listened, talked with the museum staff (wonderful women who have worked in the museum for decades!) …

And now I have already re-read «Scarlet Sails», «Running on the Waves», read «The Green Lamp», started on «The Golden Chain» … And, surprisingly, now, at a mature age, these books give me much more pleasure than in stupid youth…

The museum has a lot of personal belongings of the writer, his office and a collection of books are completely preserved. Including — the encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron. A museum employee said that most of the books have Green’s pencil marks.

In the gallery — A. Green’s office.

P Books that belonged to A. Green. Photo of the author. Feodosia, 2021 R

In the museum, only one of the rooms — the study — contains the personal belongings of the writer. The remaining small halls are dedicated to his work. I was pleasantly surprised by the collection of books published during the author’s lifetime, the first editions of famous works. Photos of A. Green’s family have also been preserved.

Scroll through the gallery.

«Scarlet Sails» — the first edition. very modest — paperback. Photo of the author. A book of stories about revolutionaries. Green. Photo of the author. Feodosia, 2021 A page written by the writer’s hand. Photo of the author. «Scarlet Sails» — the first edition. very modest — paperback. Photo of the author.

Of course, Green is a literary pseudonym. In fact, the author’s last name is Grinevsky. His father is a Polish gentry Stefan Grinevsky. But the writer himself called himself Alexander Stepanovich.

Alexander Green at the age of 26. Portrait in the Museum of Feodosia. Alexander Green at the age of 26. Portrait in the Museum of Feodosia.

The character of the writer was complex, quarrelsome, explosive. But this does not detract from his talent and diligence. During his life, A. Green wrote more than 400 works.

In his youth, he became interested in revolutionary ideas. And, of course, this is reflected in his books. Naturally: 10 years of Siberian exile.

But the irony and tragedy of the writer’s fate is that under Soviet rule he fell into disgrace. His romantic works were not published: they did not glorify the new system. When he supported the revolution, he was convicted and exiled. When the revolution was accomplished, he again turned out to be objectionable …

In the last years of his life, the writer lived very modestly, even poorly. The Soviet government rejected his work, books were not published …

Green loved the sea and Feodosia in particular. But life in a coastal city was quite expensive. And from the house where the museum is now located, Green was forced to move to Stary Krym, deep into the peninsula: life was cheaper there. In Stary Krym, the writer died — from an oncological disease.

The sea has been A. Green’s special love since childhood. He dreamed of becoming a sailor. And he got hired on a ship as a sailor in Odessa (he was then about eighteen years old, probably). But, having made one exit to the sea, one trip, he quit. The profession disappointed him: continuous hard labor, no romance! He no longer wanted to be a sailor, but he carried his love for the sea and everything connected with it through his whole life.

In the museum, in one of the halls, there is a wonderful installation — the prow of a ship. It is understood that it was the one who carried the Scarlet Sails.

Installation in the hall of the A. Grin Museum. Photo of the author. Installation in the hall of the A. Grin Museum. Photo of the author. A huge «ship’s nose» in one of the halls of the museum. Photo of the author. Feodosia, 2021 A huge «ship’s prow» in one of the halls of the museum. Photo of the author. Feodosia, 2021

Another hall is designed as a cabin of an old ship — a tribute to the writer’s love for the sea and ships. The items collected here have nothing to do with Green, but they are indeed old…

The captain’s cabin, equipped in one of the halls of the A. Green Museum. Photo of the author. Feodosia, 2021. The captain’s cabin, equipped in one of the halls of the A. Grin Museum. Photo of the author. Feodosia, 2021

I really liked the museum. If not for a trip to Feodosia, not for a trip to this cozy museum, I would not even have had to take up A. Green’s books. And now I’m reading it — and I get great pleasure!

Interestingly, our 7-year-old grandson also liked the A. Green Museum. Children and museums are a separate issue. But here I only explained that a writer lived in this house, who was very fond of the sea and wrote the book «Scarlet Sails». Such a boy did not yet know about the book, but the phrase “Scarlet Sails” is well known. And he really liked the huge wooden bow of the ship, the antique items in the «captain’s cabin» …

Have you ever visited this museum? What impression did he make on you?

Thank you for your attention to the article!

Hello everyone and happy summer days!