Отечественные записки
In 1868 Uspensky joined Alexander Uvarov's Moscow office as a courier. In April his first story "The Booth" appeared in "Otechestvennye Zapiski". He continued to contribute to this magazine up until its closure in 1884, working with Nikolai Nekrasov and Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin. In May 1870 he married Alexandra Barayeva, a teacher from Elets. A year before that, "Desolation" (Razorenje)'s first part ("Mikhail Ivanovich Observations") were published in "Otechestvennye Zapiski". In 1871 parts 2 and 3 followed, and the book came out as a separate edition. In May 1871 Uspensky embarked upon a trip along Oka and Volga rivers which resulted in two books of traveller' sketches. In 1872 Gleb Uspensky visited Germany, Belgium and France.