A book detailing Mandelshtam's literary life during the Soviet era, especially his relationship with Stalin. Two points: the author claims (very convincingly) that Stalin never saw the 'Stalin epigram' or heard of it. Mandelshtam was extremely pro-Soviet and pro-Stalin during the final stage of his life and career (when he was writing his most unbelievable poetry) — something that Gasparov had been already trying to say, contradicting his widow and most other researchers.