Ivan KrylovIvan Andreyevitch Krylov was born near St. Petersburg in 1769 into a poor family of the minor nobility. Krylov trained for the civil service, but from his early years nurtured literary ambitions. At the age of forty he published his first book of Fabes, works written after the manner of Aesop and La Fontaine. They were an instant success, and were followed over the next 35 years by another eight books. He became a celebrated and much-loved literary figure. After his death in 1844 his reputation continued to grow: streets were named after him and many monuments were erected to his memory. Read More Read Less