Pen name of Alexei Peshkov (1868-1936)
Russian writer. Born in Nizhni-Novgorod (named Gorky 1932–90 in his honor), he was exiled 1906–13 for his revolutionary principles. His works, which include the play The Lower Depths 1902 and the memoir My Childhood 1913–14, combine realism with optimistic faith in the potential of the industrial proletariat.