The Demidovs

14 hrs. 51 min.

Language Russian

Author Evgeny Fyodorov

Narrator Vsevolod Kuznetsov

“The Demidovs” is the first book of the trilogy “The Stone Belt” by the famous Russian writer Evgeny Fedorov. The story centers on the birth of Russian industry in the Urals. Time was uneasy: preparations were made for a war with Turetchina, the schismatics were in revolt, the gentry’s serf labor burden was escaping from unbearable serfdom, people fled from the terrible recruitment, from the oppression of voivodes and from levies connected with the “crimson seed”—the orderlies’ extortions. In his desire for the sea, the Tsar in reality saw how poor Russia was in factories and plants. And yet, the country had everything needed to multiply production and develop the mining-and-factory business. Then Petr Alekseevich decided to grant the Tula man Demidov the ironworks of Verhoturye on the Neiva River, along with all the buildings, master craftsmen and workers. The Tula man was allowed to look for ore and develop it in other places of the Stone Belt as well. It was permitted to build new factories on the Neiva; for factory work, it was allowed to buy people and bring them to the Urals. To keep the people from being lazy, Demidov was allowed, at his discretion and without court, to punish the negligent for laziness and misconduct. Thus, thanks to the Tsar’s patronage, the Demidovs became the owners of unlimited power over the entire Stone Belt—the Urals.

1. The Demidovs 2. The Heirs (narrated by Vsevolod Kuznetsov) 3. Master of the Stone Mountains. Part One (narrated by Vsevolod Kuznetsov) 4. Master of the Stone Mountains. Part Two (narrated by Vsevolod Kuznetsov)