A. D. Kamegulov

Abstract

The article is devoted to the tragically interrupted life and work of Anatoly D. Kamegulov, a Soviet literary critic and theorist, active from the late 1920s until mid-1930s. Filled with essential biographical facts, including his Communist Party membership and offices, studies at Leningrad State University at G. Gorbachev’s seminar, and membership in the Leningrad branch of RAPP and the Literaturny Front group, the article reconstructs Kamegulov’s scholarly career. Kamegulov embraced the principles of Marxist literary theory. He was also a co-founder of the Literaturnaya Ucheba journal, searched for new authors and corresponded with M. Gorky about all of its commercial aspects. Kamegulov criticized the theory of immediate impressions in art and the concept of the ‘living man’, which later backfired and led to him being accused of being a Menshevik. The scholar’s monographs are interspersed with elements of vulgar sociologism. They discuss the style of G. Uspensky, the writing progress of D. Furmanov, and critique the works of his mentor Gorbachev.