The works of the famous Kazakh writer Maurice Simashko (1924-2000) are known to a wide readership. They have been repeatedly published in separate editions in the USSR and abroad, and translated into many languages of the world. The novel “The Bell” is dedicated to the life and work of the great Kazakh educator Ibrai Altynsarin. The action of the work takes place against the backdrop of the social struggle that unfolded in Russian society, as well as on the national outskirts during and after the abolition of serfdom. The book includes the following stories: “Emshan” - about the most powerful tyrant Kipchak Sultan Beybars, who ruled medieval Egypt, “The Temptation of Fraga”, dedicated to the classic of Turkmen poetry Magtymguly, who lived and worked in the 18th century, and “The Parthian Ballad”. The book is distinguished by its deep penetration into the historical identity, life, and psychology of the East.