Educated at the University of Kazan, Aksakov joined the civil service as a translator for the legislative commission. He served in the militia during the War of 1812 and in 1816 returned to the family estate and a sporting life, pursuing his interests in hunting, fishing and nature. He returned to the civil service in 1826 and held a number of positions before retiring in 1839. An avid follower of Gogol, Aksakov wrote about rural Russia, his family (which included two sons who themselves would become authors of note), and other aspects of Russian life. The result of this effort was the publication of three major works; Semynaya khronika (1856, Chronicle of a Russian Family - also known as A Russian Gentleman), Vospominaniya (1856, Reminiscences) and Detskiye gody Bagrova-vnuka (1858, Years of Childhood). Aksakov also produced a number of works on fishing, hunting, butterfly collecting and some verse. |
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