This groundbreaking biography of Andrei Siniavskii (1925-1997) as a writer in and of his time shows how the subtle and complex author found his way in a society polarized into heroes and villains, patriots and traitors. Siniavskii progressed from identification with the value system and ideology of his era to reaction against it, expressing his dissidence in literary terms. Based on close readings of his work, 'Andrei Siniavskii: A Hero of his Time?' explores the ways in which Siniavskii's art does not simply reflect the circumstances of his life and times but is actively shaped by an intricate commerce between the two.