Alexander Belyayev

Alexander Romanovich Belyaev (Russian: Алекса́ндр Рома́нович Беля́ев, [ɐlʲɪˈksɑndr rɐˈmɑnəvʲɪt͡ɕ bʲɪlʲæjɪf]; 1884–1942) was a Russian and Soviet author of science fiction. His body of work from the 1920s and 1930s made him a highly regarded figure in Soviet science fiction. Belyaev's published works include Professor Dowell's Head, Amphibian Man, Ariel, The Air Seller, and many more. Alexander Belyaev was born in Smolensk in the family of the Orthodox priest. His father, after losing two other children (Alexander's sister Nina died at childhood from sarcoma and his brother Vasiliy, a veterinary student, drowned during a boat trip), wanted him to continue the family tradition and enrolled Alexander into Smolensk seminary. Belyaev, on the other hand, didn't feel particularly religious and even became an atheist in seminary. After graduating he didn't take his vows and enrolled into a law school. While he studied law his father died and he had to support his mother and other family by giving lessons and writing for theater. After graduating from the school in 1906 Belyaev became a practicing lawyer and made himself a good reputation. In that period his finances markedly improved, and he traveled around the world extensively as a vacation after each successful case. During that time he continued to write, albeit on small scale. Literature, however, proved increasingly appealing to him, and in 1914 he left law to concentrate on his literary pursuits. However at the same time, at the age of 30, Alexander became ill with tuberculosis.