The name of Nikolai Ostrovsky does not need recommendations. After all, his book "How Steel Was Tempered," which was sold in 10 million copies, was published in our country for 30 years and spread among a large number of readers. Nevertheless, the fate of N. Ostrovsky, a lone stoker and a Komsomol worker, whose first story became the main book for many generations, this topic is not exhausted by criticism. Each era reveals this topic deeper and deeper. Critic Lev Anninsky sees N. Ostrovsky as a key figure in an important period. He seeks to reveal the harsh logic of the revolutionary era in the tragedy and pathos of the life of this writer and his heroes.