Nikolai Georgievich Garin-Mikhailovsky (1852, 1906) was a renowned Russian writer, traveler, and engineer. He participated in the construction of several railways in Russia and made significant contributions to literature. His biography is filled with interesting and important events.

Nikolai Georgievich was born on February 8 (20), 1852, in St. Petersburg, but spent his childhood and youth in Odessa, where he graduated from the Richelieu Gymnasium. He then enrolled in the St. Petersburg Institute of Transport Engineering. According to his classmates, he did not study very diligently, being more captivated by the romantic side of life away from home, often spending time with friends and engaging in fleeting romances.

Garin-Mikhailovsky received his engineering diploma in the summer of 1878, during the height of the Russo-Turkish War. He began his career as a senior technician in Burgas, where he received his first order in 1879. In the spring of that year, he took a prestigious position in the construction of the Bender-Galician railway under the direction of S. Polyakov's company. Despite lacking practical experience, he quickly established himself and advanced in his career.

In the winter of 1879 and 1880, Mikhailovsky worked in the Ministry of Transport and participated in the construction of the Batumi port, reclaimed from Turkey. Later, he became the head of the Baku railway section in the Caucasus, but soon resigned in 1882, unwilling to accept that honesty and integrity should yield to the thirst for profit.

Garin-Mikhailovsky also actively participated in the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway. The construction of a railway bridge near modern Novosibirsk began, but the Tomsk section was not approved.

Although he was not a professional writer, his works "Childhood of Temy" and "Several Years in the Village" received recognition from readers and critics. He published in the magazine "Russian Thought" and became close to the writer K. M. Stanyukovich. The author's talent allowed him to be named one of the outstanding writers of his time, but Garin-Mikhailovsky did not aspire to dedicate his entire life to literature.

True fame came to him through a cycle of autobiographical works, including "Childhood of Temy," "Gymnasiasts," "Students," and "Engineers." For children studying his biography, it will be useful to know that his journey began in June 1898 when the explorer A. I. Zvegintsev invited him to a North Korean expedition. The expedition also included sergeant I. A. Pichnikov and technician N. E. Borminsky.

The expedition traveled through North Korea, Manchuria, and the Liaodong Peninsula. On the way back, Mikhailovsky visited the USA and France before returning to Russia.

Garin-Mikhailovsky passed away suddenly on December 10 (27), 1906, during a meeting of the editorial board of the magazine "Herald of Life" from heart paralysis.