This edited collection is the first critical collection on the author in English and it approaches the breadth and depth of Tynianov's thought by focusing on his fiction, specifically his major, most cryptic and experimental novel The Death of Vazir-Mukhtar (1928). Deeply rooted in and showcasing the practical application of Formalist theory, the novel is as significant for the history of literary theory as it is for Russian Modernism and it is a major missing link in the history of Formalist thought.
Thematically, the topics in this volume are: the representation of Persia in Russian literature, the history of Russia's military engagements in the Caucasus and Iran, Griboedov's commercial plans in Transcaucasia, the fascinating and lethal Great Game – Russo-British diplomatic rivalries in the region and the web of diplomatic intrigue that led to the tragic end of the Russian embassy; the aftermath of the Decembrist uprising of 1825 and the fates of its survivors, and, of course, the elusive Russian author.