Gorky

Gorky usually refers to Maxim Gorky, the pen name of Alexei Maksimovich Peshkov (1868–1936), a prominent Russian and Soviet writer and political figure. Born in the Russian Empire, he became one of the most influential realist authors of the early 20th century and a leading public intellectual in the Soviet period. His literary output includes the novella and play The Lower Depths (1902), the novel Mother (1906), and the autobiographical trilogy Childhood (1913) and My Universities (1924). Gorky was associated with the development of socialist realism and played a notable role in Soviet cultural life, although his relationship with the regime varied over time.

The name Gorky itself is a transliteration of the Russian word горький, meaning “bitter” or “harsh.” He adopted it as a pen name in his early career, symbolizing hardship and resilience. The surname became strongly associated with his literary and political persona.

The term Gorky also appears in toponymy and public spaces. The city of Nizhny Novgorod was renamed Gorky from 1932 to 1990 in his honor, before reverting to its historic name after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. In addition, several parks and institutions bear his name, most notably Moscow’s Gorky Park of Culture and Leisure, an enduring example of a large urban park associated with the writer’s legacy.