One of the most popular novels in late Stalinist USSR, The Bearer of the Golden Star (1947–1948) by Semyon Babayevsky, is seen now as a representative symbol of “grand” or “varnishing” style in literature – to the same measure as the eponymous film (1950) by Yuliy Raizman did for the Soviet cinematic tradition. High official status of both texts guaranteed by Stalin’s awards matched the overwhelming success they both enjoyed with general public.
