In the World

by Maksim Gorky

"In the World" by Maksim Gorky is an autobiographical work published in 1916. It is the second volume of Gorky's three-part autobiography, following his impoverished youth into adolescence. Gorky presents a vivid gallery of characters he encountered, painting a realist portrait of Russian life with striking visual detail. Rather than focusing on himself, he captures the world around him—ugly yet not without hope, redeemed by moments of enlightenment, beauty, and human sympathy in harsh circumstances.