Astashenkov, P. T. The Feat of Academician Kurchatov (Podvig akademika Kurchatova), 1979. In Russian.

Асташенков П. Т. Подвиг академика Курчатова.
Москва : Знание, 1979.
160 с. : ил. Мягкая издательская обложка, обычный формат.
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Astashenkov, P. T. The Feat of Academician Kurchatov (Podvig akademika Kurchatova).
Moscow : Znaniye, 1979.
160 pp. : ill. Softcover, standard format.

This 1979 biography offers a compelling narrative of the life and legacy of Igor Vasilyevich Kurchatov (1903–1960), the preeminent figure of the Soviet nuclear age. Published by the "Znaniye" (Knowledge) Society, a leading Soviet organization for the mass dissemination of scientific and political education, the book was released at a time when Kurchatov’s image had been fully solidified as a monumental "hero of science." Written by the veteran journalist and science writer Pyotr Astashenkov, the work provides an accessible yet detailed account of the man popularly known as "The Beard" (Boroda).
The book focuses on Kurchatov's extraordinary transition from a young researcher of dielectrics and ferroelectricity to the chief scientific director of the Soviet Atomic Project. Astashenkov skillfully navigates the dual nature of Kurchatov's "feat": the urgent, secretive development of the nuclear shield (the first Soviet atomic and hydrogen bombs) and his subsequent, passionate drive toward the peaceful use of atomic energy. The narrative covers the launch of the world's first nuclear power plant in Obninsk (1954) and the early work on controlled thermonuclear fusion.
Written in a vivid, journalistic style, the biography emphasizes Kurchatov's immense organizational talent and his ability to coordinate thousands of scientists and engineers under the intense pressure of the Cold War. Astashenkov avoids dry technical jargon, focusing instead on the human element—Kurchatov's tireless work ethic, his interactions with colleagues, and his profound sense of responsibility for the future of the planet in the atomic age.
This edition is a quintessential example of late-Soviet popular science literature, serving both as an educational tool and a work of patriotic hagiography. For collectors of Soviet science history, nuclear memorabilia, and researchers of 20th-century biographical prose, this 1979 volume is a valuable record of how the USSR memorialized its most influential scientific leaders.