One of the most dangerous aspects of censorship is the collective unwillingness to comprehend the vast consequences its actions have on society. In 19th-century Russia, this institution was one of the main tools through which the state influenced literary life.

But is the common perception of censors as mindless agents of repressive policy and writers as champions of pure freedom of speech accurate? In Kirill Zubkov's book, the relationship between literature and censorship in Russia during that time is presented as a complex web of interactions, not reducible to a one-dimensional pressure of censors on writers.

The author explores this subject through several illustrative cases involving two prominent writers — Ivan Goncharov, who himself held the position of censor, and Alexander Ostrovsky, who often became the focus of this institution's attention.

Kirill Zubkov is a literary historian, PhD in Philology, and author of the book "Scenarios of Change," published by NLO.