The New Historiographical Source: Memoirs of Siberian Historians of the Post-War Generation. Review: Zinoviev V. P. Without Summing Up. Tomsk: Publishing House of Tomsk State University, 2019. 164 p., ill.; Boyko V. P. Memories of the Bogorodskoye Village and My Life. Tomsk: Tomsk State University o

The publication analyzes two memoirs and autobiographical works of famous Tomsk historians who belong to the post-war generation. We can consider them as a manifestation of the "memoir burst", the turn towards studying “everyday life” of scholars. The nature of autobiographism in the texts under consideration is defined as much by the course of individual life as by general historical context, by memoirists' generation and professional identity. They contain a combination of the actual memoirs with the use of professional tools, scientific and analytical approach to the reflection of reality, - which is common for memoirs created by historians. The authors identified and collected historical sources, including archival ones, analyzed and summarized the collected materials. The books present not only his own life (from rural childhood and student youth to joining the professorial corporation), but also the history of his family and clan, his social stratum. The memoirists come from the Siberian peasantry, their older relatives experienced dekulakization and exile. The texts contain open and vivid political assessments. The memoirs of historians combine the features of historiographical source and literary artifact; they contain valuable information on the corporate ethos of the professional community. They cover such important subjects as the influence of scientific supervisors on the formation of a scientist, how the process of translating the principles of research activity was carried out, how the formation and development of a scientific school took place. The autobiography of V. P. Boyko highlights such stages of professional career as the choice of the topic of scientific research, change of jobs, scientific discussions, ideological and political disputes. The photographs attached to his book complement the text and become an independent visual source. Peer-reviewed books are useful and even necessary for reconstructing the process of the formation of a well-known scientific school, identifying and studying the circumstances that influenced this process, the role of individual actors. Comparison of the memoirs under consideration with similar works created by representatives of the older generation and/or the metropolitan segment of the community will allow analyzing regional and generational specifics. They are of great importance as historiographical sources and as a means of preserving the identity of the professional community. The author declares no conflicts of interests.

Keywords

Authors

References