"How the Steel Was Tempered" is a powerful novel by Nikolai Ostrovsky, a Soviet socialist realist writer. First published in 1934, this novel is a semi-autobiographical account of the life of Pavel Korchagin, a young man who overcomes immense personal challenges to become a dedicated revolutionary. The story is divided into two parts: the first covers his childhood and adolescence, while the second focuses on his mature years and struggle with illnes