Introduction : a round unvarnished tale of the whole course of love --The closed society and its literary translation practices -- Censorship and the Russian publishing system through history -- The pyramid of subordination : literary translation and means of social control in the Soviet Union -- The making of a translator : old controversies and new friendships -- Literary translation as a profession : commissions, earnings, and Union of Writers -- Poetry in translation : to match or not to match -- The invisible hand of censorship -- A farewell to fear : translation activism -- Conclusion : how far that little candle throws his beams -- Appendix A. Literary translation under restrictions : two case studies -- Appendix B. Personalia.