In the galaxy of Russian navigators, Vasily Mikhailovich Golovnin (1776–1831) occupies a special place. Vice Admiral, Corresponding Member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences, he made a significant contribution to all areas of naval affairs, did a lot for the organization and construction of the Russian fleet, received well-deserved fame as a talented scientist and writer, and trained a whole galaxy of brave Russian navigators: F. P. Litke, F. P. Wrangel, F. F. Matyushkin and others. A cape on the southwestern coast of North America - the former “Russian America”, a mountain on the island of Novaya Zemlya, a strait in the Kuril Islands ridge, a bay in the Bering Sea is named after Golovnin. Always contrary to circumstances and fate - such was the life of V. M. Golovnin. A native of the land-based Ryazan province, he never thought of becoming a sailor, but ended up in the Marine Corps. Without any “outside” support, he went through all the steps of the career ladder: from midshipman to vice admiral. He did not intend to stay in a foreign land for long, but fate decreed otherwise - he and his comrades had to pay for the unreasonable actions of others. The round-the-world expedition on the sloop "Diana", commanded by Golovnin, had the most peaceful intentions. But twice Russian sailors were captured. First - in British South Africa: entering a foreign port, the captain of the Diana simply did not know that a war had broken out between Russia and Britain. For a whole year the Russian ship was not allowed to leave the port, and then Vasily Mikhailovich decided to flee, right from under the nose of a large enemy squadron. And then - two years of unexpected forced stay in Japan. But Golovnin again managed to overcome the circumstances: he returned from Japanese captivity, which no one had managed before. Golovnin did not look for dangers - they found him themselves. He didn’t curry favor, but he did a lot for the Russian fleet. I didn’t intend to “discover” Japan, but I used the opportunity to thoroughly study the country of my forced stay. He did not strive for literary fame - but it did not pass him by. Golovnin refuted the statement of Ivan Fedorovich Kruzenshtern himself, who liked to repeat: “Sailors write poorly, but sincerely.” “Notes from Captivity of the Japanese” by Golovnin was written as a sailor should write: sincerely and honestly – and at the same time with talent. Unique material about the then unknown country of Japan and its people plus a brilliant literary style - it is not surprising that Golovnin’s book immediately became a bestseller, received a lot of rave reviews and was translated into many European languages. Vasily Mikhailovich Golovnin never followed the lead of fate. A navigator and shipbuilder, a scientist and naval theorist, a linguist and ethnographer, a writer and philosopher, a statesman and public figure - it seems that his talents are limitless! And circumstances... obeying them is the lot of the weak. Subjugating them is a privilege given to strong and extraordinary individuals, including the great Russian navigator Vasily Mikhailovich Golovnin. The electronic publication includes all the texts of V. M. Golovnin’s paper book and basic illustrative material. But for true connoisseurs of exclusive publications, we offer a gift classic book. Excellent offset paper, dozens of color and more than 300 ancient black and white paintings and drawings not only decorate the book - they allow the reader to literally look into the past, to see distant lands in ancient times as the participants of that amazing expedition saw them. This edition, like all books in the Great Journeys series, is printed on beautiful offset paper and elegantly designed. Editions of the series will adorn any, even the most sophisticated library, and will be a wonderful gift for both young readers and discerning bibliophiles.