This book gives a broad and generalized picture of life in Russia on the eve of the Revolution of 1905. The narrative is based on events which took place in the town of Sormovo.
Pyotr Andreyevich Zalomov, a Sormovo worker, and his mother Anna Kirillovna served as prototypes for the main characters in Gorkey's novel, embodied in Pavel Vlassov, a revolutionary, and his mother Nilovna, a workman's wife.
The life and activities of the Zalomovas presented Gorky with material from which he created typical characters and situations. Through the fascinating people in this book he expressed his concept - a concept born of much hard experience - of the beauty and greatness of those who are selflessly devoted to the most advanced ideas of their day and to the cause of the people.
