Mikhail Elizarov is a prose writer and musician, author of the novels “Pasternak” and “Multiki” (shortlisted for the “Naцbест” prize), story collections “Nails,” “We went outside for a smoke for 17 years…” and others. “The Librarian” is a novel awarded the Russian Booker Prize and sparked scandals and discussions in society; a novel about sacred texts—yet without the “book dust” of Borges and Eco: books here are used for their direct archetypal purpose—set in metal, they crush fragile skulls, break destinies, beckon you to the stake, and invade the fabric of the universe. …the most boring production novels by the long-forgotten Soviet writer Gromov, discovered years after his death, reveal magical properties: anyone can grant the reader supernatural abilities. It’s not only the text that matters, but also the printing ink and paper; several bibliophile sects hunt for rarities, and to have the right to read the Book, you have to fight with an axe in your hand…