Vladimir Fedorovich Tendriakov was one of the most popular and prolific of the liberal-minded writers who emerged in the Soviet Union after the death of Joseph Stalin in 1953. His works reveal his concerns about the moral and spiritual values of post-World War II Soviet society and provide psychological insights into the mentality of his fellow citizens, and many of them triggered lively debates and attracted negative criticism. His writings include a strong anti-Stalinist stance and a severe critique of the actions of the Soviet bureaucracy in both urban and rural areas. He wrote novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, and essays, but his favorite genre was the novella. His early works in this form are set in remote rural areas, but his later writings include urban life, education, and political and philosophical meditations.

Tendriakov was born in the village of Makarovskaia in Vologda province, three hundred miles northeast of...