Anatoly Mariyengof was a Russian poet and playwright of the Silver Age, the author of memoirs. He was born into the family of a public servant in Nizhny Novgorod on June 24, 1897. In 1913 Anatoly's mother died and the father decided to move to Penza. This is where Anatoly Mariyengof studied at classical school and wrote verses for local magazines.

In 1916 the poet was drafted to serve the army at the frontline. In 1917 he returned to Penza and  devoted himself completely to literature. The year 1918 saw his collection of poetry Show-Window of the Heart. At the end of the October Revolution events his father perished and then Anatoly Mariyengof left Penza for Moscow.

In Moscow he worked as a literary secretary in a publishing house and met the poets Sergey Yesenin, Shershenevich and Bukharin. Thus the group of imagists was generated and published sensational Declaration in 1919. From 1919 Anatoly Mariyengof and Sergey Yesenin were bosom friends: they wrote each other letters published in newspapers and dedicated verses to each other.

In 1923 Anatoly Mariyengof got married and in a year became the father of a son.

From 1924 the poet tried his wings as a screenwriter and authored about 10 film scripts.

His scandalous novel The Cynics saw the light in Berlin in 1928. It was because of this book that Anatoly Mariyengof was subjected to true persecution in the territory of the USSR. Afterwards he acknowledged publicly that publication of the novel was inadmissible. In 1940 his only son Kirill hang himself up for the reasons unknown.

From 1941 Anatoly Mariyengof worked on the radio and wrote ballads and memoirs. During World War II he lived with his wife in Kirov. From 1953 to 1956 he wrote the autobiography My Century, My Youth, My Friends and Girlfriends.

Anatoly Mariyengof died in Leningrad on June 24, 1962.