Project Gutenberg 1998-09-01 Public domain in the USA. 167 Gorky, Maksim 1868 1936 Peshkov, Alexey Maximiovich Горький, Максим Gorky, Maxim Gorky, Maxime Gorki, Maximo Gorki, Maxime Chesterton, G. K. (Gilbert Keith) 1874 1936 Chesterton, Gilbert Keith Chesterton, Gilbert K. (Gilbert Keith) Shirazi, J. K. M. Shirazi, J. M. Creatures That Once Were Men Creatures that once were men -- Twenty-six men and a girl -- Chelkash -- My fellow-traveller -- On a raft. "Creatures That Once Were Men" by Maksim Gorky is a work of fiction written during the late 19th century. The book offers a poignant exploration of the lives of the downtrodden in society, focusing on themes of poverty, desperation, and the remnants of humanity within those who have suffered great loss. The narrative centers around Aristid Kuvalda, a captain who runs a dosshouse inhabited by various destitute characters, each with their own backstories that reflect the struggles of the lower class. At the start of the story, the setting is vividly described, showcasing a dismal street filled with decaying huts and a dilapidated dosshouse run by Kuvalda. The opening introduces the captain and his unique personality—boisterous and somewhat cynical, yet possessing a certain camaraderie with his lodgers. As he interacts with the "creatures that once were men," their stories unfold, revealing their pasts filled with work, loss, and a desperate search for solace amidst their harsh realities. The atmosphere is heavy, reflecting the bleakness of their existence, yet threaded with moments of humor and philosophical musings about life, survival, and dignity despite their tragic circumstances. This opening sets the stage for a powerful examination of human resilience and social critique that is likely to resonate with readers interested in profound character studies and societal reflections. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 82.5 (6th grade). Easy to read. en Fiction Short stories, Russian -- Translations into English PG Text Category: Novels Category: Russian Literature 431824 2025-07-01T09:36:53.056709 text/html 431645 2025-01-07T17:13:29.665833 text/html 236680 2025-07-01T09:37:00.899688 application/epub+zip 242227 2025-07-01T09:36:55.944688 application/epub+zip 227586 2025-07-01T09:36:54.806745 application/epub+zip 459974 2025-07-01T09:37:04.552680 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 432516 2025-07-01T09:37:00.155671 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 384557 2022-08-01T09:22:34.697257 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 385054 2025-07-01T09:36:52.557710 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 376248 2015-06-25T12:25:54 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 143236 2015-06-25T12:27:04 text/plain; charset=us-ascii application/zip 18981 2025-07-01T09:37:04.686642 application/rdf+xml 16728 2025-07-01T09:36:55.292684 image/jpeg 4244 2025-07-01T09:36:55.046703 image/jpeg 233237 2025-07-01T09:36:53.090691 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia en.wikipedia