Lewis Carroll was the pen-name of Charles L. Dodgson, the man who wrote a famous book for children "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland". Charles L. Dodgson was born in England in 1832. He got his early education at a public school. Then he became a student at Oxford. Charles studied mathematics and later taught this subject in the same college.

Nathaniel Hawthorne, an American writer born in Salem, grew up with his widowed mother and his books. He attended college and returned to Salem with intentions to be a writer. He published his first novel in 1828, and was disappointed by its failure. Undeterred, he continued his writing career, submitting stories to New England magazines. Several of his stories were compiled into "Twice-Told Tales", whose success established him as a writer in 1837.

O'Henry was born in Greensboro, a little town in North Carolina in 1862. His real name was William Sydney Porter The works of this writer reflect a specific period in American literature — the turn of the century. His credo was — art should be true, democratic and it should address contemporary life and embrace all aspects of life.

Popular American writer John Galsworthy was born in 1853. He attended a big school because his father wanted John to be a lawyer. So John went to the Oxford University. But some time later he told his father about his wish to become a writer. His favourite writer was Turgenev and also he liked all books by Tolstoy. His literally career began at the age of seventeen while he studied at the Oxford University. His works established him as one of American's leading author. John Galsworthy wrote some scientific books and articles as "All about writer" 1908, "Thinking about art" 1911, "The art and the war" 1915. All of them are about art in our life.

Mark Twain was born in the state of Missouri in the United States in 1835. His father was an unsuccessful lawyer. The family seldom lived more than a year or two in the same town. That is why the future writer did not even finish secondary school. He went to work at the age of 12.

Jack London was born in 1876 in San Francisco. His real name was John Griffit. His father was a farmer. The family was extremely poor and the boy had to earn his living after school. He sold newspapers, worked at a factory. T-ater he became a sailor; during some time he wandered vvith the unemployed.

Many years ago a young doctor began to write stories about a man who was a detective. Readers liked his stories because they were very interesting and the doctor decided to become a writer. The doctor was Conan Doyle and he wrote about Sherlock Holmes.

James Aldridge was born in 1918, in the town of Swanhill, in Australia. His father was a journalist and writer. His parents came to Australia from England only a few years before James was born. When James was 14 years old, he began to work as a messenger boy for a newspaper in Melbourne. In 1939 he went to England to enter the Oxford University.

Jules Verne was born in 1828 in Prance. Young Jules was interested in machinery, sailing and writing. Together with his brother Paul, he explored the river near their home in an old sailboat. Jules' father was a lawyer and he wanted his son to continue his career. So Jules was sent to Paris to study law. Jules, however, decided soon that his main interest was writing. He joined the club of scientific writers.

It would be a platitude to say that A. S. Pushkin is the greatest Russian poet. But I hope no-one is challenging the view that he occupies an outstanding place in Russian literature and culture. Every summer in June, thousands of people visit the Pskov land. They come here to the village of Mikhailovskoye to the wonderful festival of poetry, to see the places where he lived and worked. Pushkin is always alive for us, he is the man we all know and love, the greatest of poets. Generations come and go, but Pushkin still remains. We are all greatful to Pushkin for each line of his works. Pushkin is not only a great poet for us. He is the perfect man combining brilliant talent with civil courage and moral integrity. His name is associated with our love for the Motherland, and the best in our life.