In Search of the City of Tmutarakan

The book includes an original interpretation of the Old Russian epic poem ‘The Tale of Igor's Campaign’ in terms of Christian religion revealing its hidden and perhaps the only possible implications. This is a writer's interpretation of the epic poem not solely as a historical monument, as it often tends to be interpreted, but also as a creation of the spirit, a work of art expressing the concept of Russian life. The poem is presented as part of the overall development of artistic thought, against a broad background of much more recent Russian literature.

This book is not just about an ancient Russian epic poem, but also about man’s spiritual nature in general, not only about the past but also about the present, about the nature of artistic creativity and the peculiarity of Russian literature that explores the tragedy of a single human life and the spiritual path of the whole people.