V. I.

Lenin

170

To:   HIS SISTER ANNA

October 27, 1908

Dear Anyuta, I am surprised at your long silence. I suppose the move
to Moscow caused a lot of bother and you have had no time
for letters.

Please give me an address to which I can send the manuscript of my
book. [1]

It is ready. It amounts to 24 printer’s signatures (at the rate of 40,000 letters a signature) and
that is about 400 pages. In a fortnight I shall have finished
reading it over and will send it off; I should like to have
a good address to send it to.

Things seem to be bad as far as a publisher is concerned;
I was informed today that Granat has bought the
Mensheviks’ “history”—in other words the Mensheviks have come
out on top in that field. It is obvious that he will now refuse
to publish my book. [3] Bear in mind that I am not now chasing after royalties, i.e., I am prepared to make
concessions (any you like) and agree to the postponement of
payment until the book shows a profit—in short there will
be no risk for the publisher. As regards the censor, I will also
agree to all concessions because in general everything in
the book is undoubtedly legal, with the possible exception
of some expressions that may be unsuitable. [2]

I shall await an answer.

Our people all kiss Mother and you. So do I.

Yours,

V. Ulyanov

The first page of Lenin’s letter to his sister Anna. October 27, 1908

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Notes:
[1]
Materialism and Empirio-criticism .— Ed .

[2]
Ergo —conclude a contract if there is the slightest opportunity,
on any terms.— Lenin

[3]
This refers to the publication of Materialism and Empirio-criticism , which Lenin expected the Granat Brothers Publishing House
to handle.