The events associated with the voyage and death of the steamship Chelyuskin are today perceived, perhaps, as one of the most dramatic events in the history of Arctic exploration. The death of the ship revealed a number of shortcomings of Arctic navigation, but, more importantly, demonstrated to the whole world the outstanding qualities of Russian (then Soviet) polar explorers, capable of finding a way out of the most incredible situations. Interest in the Chelyuskin epic has not faded to this day also because a number of questions remain relevant: was the Chelyuskin campaign an adventure by the head of the Main Northern Sea Route O.Yu. Schmidt or a natural event in the development of the Arctic; could the Soviet Union in the thirties afford a seriously prepared Arctic expedition; How important was exploration of the Northern Sea Route at that time? The author of the book, Honored Polar Explorer, Doctor of Geographical Sciences V.S. Koryakin, answering these questions, raises the problem of the real and imaginary merits of the participants in the events, and also reflects on the role of polar explorers in the modern history of Russia.