Наумлюк, М. В. Региональная литература Кольского Севера XX-XXI века в аспекте идентичности и мультикультурности. Страницы истории и современность / М. В. Наумлюк ; М-во образования и науки Рос. Федерации, Мурм. гос. гуманитар. ун-т. - Мурманск, 2013.

Maximov described the way of life of Russian northerners - the Pomors, theirs customs, jobs, especially fishery, their home life, their family. He de scribed the way in which the Russians lived there for a long time. For the first time Maximov concentrated attention on the places, where settlements were sit uated. Every settlement was located near the water: Kandalaksha was on the shore of the White Sea, Kola - at the Kola bay, Umba - near the Ponoy-river. Every settlement had its own beautiful wooden temple. For London’s gold- diggers the North was a temporary place for searching of gold and adventures, the Russians in the Kola North created their homes from the 12th century run ning away from a yoke of a Golden Horde, from the landowners, from the serf age. The Russian in the North strove for freedom and were always free. The North became their homeland. A melodious dialect and peculiar speech of the Pomors living in Kola, left a profound impression on the Maximov’s creation: “Look at the sea - fall in love with it, so, don’t feel sorry for the soul. The sea is our field, everywhere with fish. In the Kola the sun looks in all eyes, shines, but not warm. When northern wind blows - put on a warm fur coat, though in the morning you went just in a shirt. Nothing grows on the earth, but there are cloudberries large as a walnut. There are so much cloudberries as snow in the tundra. “Maximov de scribes a circle of the Pomor’s life which is equal to the circle of the seasons, tells some historic facts, legends, depicts the occupations of the Pomors in the winter and summer, - fishing cods and salmons, - all the vital circle. The char acter of the Russian northerner is shown as congenial to his natural environment. The writer considers that a Russian man keeps its own identity only in the North. His book contains some interesting observations, such as: “The Pomor can’t live without the sea. His hut is too close and stuffy for him, a Russian muzhik feels free only in the sea. The Russian man seldom complains of the destiny, though has neither healthy food, nor warm clothes, he corrects his mood by work. When the Pomors were going to hunt for sea animals during a storm, nei ther fear, nor doubt wasn’t on their bearded faces. Easy cheerfulness, smart speech, an innocent joke, knowledge of proverbs and sayings are the main prominent features of our people”. The Russians are cheerful in pleasure, don’t fall into boredom. The de pression breaks our people, but they have a lot of strength to be the great people. As Maximov decides, the severe climate and biting cold can’t fight the Russians. The Russians in the North not so much struggle with the difficulties, but lead high-grade life, using all north treasures: fish, berries, animals, wood... He writes that in the North he meet especially healthy people because “pure sea air, a hard work, even the wine-glass of vodka drunk in time, strengthen forces and spirit of the Russian person”. 110