This controversial and groundbreaking book revisits the origins of one of the most beloved works of East Slavic literature, Slovo o polku Igoreve (The Igor' Tale). Keenan argues that the text is not an authentic 12th-century document but rather was created by the Bohemian scholar Josef Dobrovský in the late 18th century.

This controversial and groundbreaking book revisits the origins of one of the most beloved works of East Slavic literature, the "Slovo o polku Igoreve" ("the Igor' Tale"). Keenan delves into the history of the publication of the Tale and produces a meticulous analysis of its language in order to demonstrate that the text is not an authentic twelfth-century document. Rather, Keenan argues that it is a product of the late eighteenth century, created by the Bohemian scholar Josef Dobrovsky'. Keenan's thought-provoking insights into the creation and publication of the Tale will spark scholarly debate for many years.