Mikhail Sholokhov’s book “Virgin Soil Upturned” was a gift from the author to Vitaly Zakrutkin. In May 1960, during a congress of Don writers, it was announced that this book had recently been published by the Moscow publishing house “Khudozhestvennaya Literatura” in celebration of Sholokhov’s anniversary. The following day, at a meeting in the House of Military Officers, Sholokhov presented Zakrutkin with a copy of this edition, and the two writers embraced.

In 1935, Alexander Serafimovich, a renowned Soviet writer, introduced Vitaly Zakrutkin to Mikhail Sholokhov by sending his young friend, who had a deep admiration for Pushkin’s works, with a letter to Veshenskaya. Nervous about the meeting, Zakrutkin prepared meticulously, dressing in a formal black suit and bringing gifts as he set out early on a July morning to meet the author of “And Quiet Flows the Don”. However, upon arriving in the midday heat, he felt quite awkward in his festive attire.

That day, they engaged in extensive discussions about literature, sharing poems with each other. Sholokhov spoke about the real-life prototypes of the characters in his works, while Zakrutkin listened with great interest. The renowned writer also revealed the secret to catching sterlet and suggested that they try Don fish soup made from freshly caught fish.

“The three and a half hours I spent for the first time in Mikhail Aleksandrovich Sholokhov’s home felt like a brief moment. I will remember for the rest of my life his simple house, his young, caring family, and him — a great artist forever connected to the land he cherished and the working people,” Zakrutkin later reflected.