The classics leave us

Oleg Kusov, exclusive to VK

12 Aug, Vasily Peskov died at the age of 84; he was a journalist, writer, broadcaster. In his articles and books, among other places, he described the Caucasus' unique areas and the people living in the region.

The leader for Soviet people in politics was Leonid Brezhnev, on stage - Magomayev, and in journalism - Peskov. He was loved by both the authorities and ordinary readers and viewers. Under Khrushchev, Peskov was awarded the Lenin Prize for his book "Steps in the dew". Peskov consulted Putin on the signing of the Forest Act. They say that the comments of the journalist made the law more equitable. Peskov had a special journalistic credo – his goodwill. He was always writing in order to bring something good to others. So everyone loved him.

Unfortunately, he did not write much about the Caucasus, but his journalistic credo is necessary in the last quarter of a century for this region. The Caucasus should be described in his way to make everything better, though it may sound utopian. After all, in many ways Caucasian conflicts are a consequence of the work of journalists from the opposite position, those who played off the nations.

Friendly journalism, hopefully, will not go down in history with one of its most prominent apologists in Russia - Vasily Peskov. It was left to the readers and in his works. After all, he wrote so much and took unique photographs! Maybe Peskov is not the first in the domestic journalism to combine text and photo opportunities in a published article, but as for brightness and aesthetics, he was the leader in this genre.

I was fortunate enough to study journalism through his articles, which were collected by many people, including the author himself, publishing masterpieces consisting of those articles. And someone was lucky to work and be friends with him. This fact can be considered as God's gift.

His example has also helped me in my childhood when my mother blamed me, was unhappy with my studies and lamented that with such knowledge I will not enter any college. I answered that Peskov did not have higher education that did not prevent him from becoming a famous journalist and even getting the highest prize in the USSR. But at the age of 14, while vacationing at the North Ossetian camp "Zaramag" I became well acquainted with the photographer from Voronezh whose name was Drucker. As a young man, as it turned out, he was working in the youth newspaper along with Vasya Peskov. They were photojournalists. Then my friend told me about the tenacity with which a guy from the village of Orlovo punched a creative way by a lot of work on himself. It was easier, apparently, to graduate from several institutions simultaneously.

VK published small chapter of my book, "The Caucasus notes (A to Z)”, in November 2009: "Behind the scenes: Vasily Peskov."