Russian original: Михаил Елизаров “Библиотекарь”
(In English: Miķail Jelizarov “Librarian”)
By a pure chance, upon a friend’s recommendation, I came across the book that apparently inspired Viktar Marcinovič of Belarus (I reviewed his “Mova“, an anti-Utopian novel where books in Belorusian, prohibited by the Chinese government, served as heavy drugs).
This one, published in 2007-2008, is much heavier.
A very average Soviet writer Gromov writes bad books about socialism and kolkhozes. He dies never knowing that he actually wrote The Seven Books that change the reader’s mind and behavior if Two Reading Conditions are observed.
What follows is beyond analysis. Just read.
First published in the Levinarium Telegram Channel (now closed and deleted)