Alexandra Yakovlevna Brushtain (1884–1968) was a Soviet writer who, born in the pivotal years at the turn of the century, reflected that difficult time with astonishing accuracy in her autobiographical trilogy about Sashenka Yanovskaya. The pressing problems of society found a living response in Sashina’s soul. Trying to fight social injustice, she helped with word and deed the poor and the dispossessed—those whom it was so easy to brush aside.