Sakhnovsky, V. G. Thoughts on Directing (Mysli o rezhissure), 1947. In Russian.

Сахновский В. Г. Мысли о режиссуре. / Редакция и вступительная статья Н. М. Горчакова; Художник С. Кованьკო.
Москва : Государственное издательство «Искусство», 1947.
172 с. : ил. ; Обычный формат. Твердый издательский переპლეტ. Тираჟ 5 000 экз.
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Sakhnovsky, Vasily. Thoughts on Directing. / Edited and with an introduction by N. M. Gorchakov; Designed by S. Kovanko.
Moscow : Iskusstvo, 1947.
172 pp. : ill. ; Regular format. Hardcover. Print run: 5,000 copies. In Russian.

This 1947 volume, published by Iskusstvo, is a refined example of post-war Stalinist book design, blending high-quality typography with the professional insights of Vasily Sakhnovsky (1886–1945), a leading figure of the Moscow Art Theatre. The book serves as a posthumous collection of Sakhnovsky's professional reflections, comprising diary entries, transcripts of conversations with students and colleagues, and memoirs of his creative process. Sakhnovsky’s work provides a deep dive into the internal logic of the Stanislavski system, including the arrangement of rehearsals, the psychological development of characters, and his firsthand encounters with the legendary actors and directors of the early 20th century.
The edition is notably designed by the artist S. Kovanko, whose work reflects the neoclassical aesthetic prevalent in Soviet arts during the late 1940s. Beyond theoretical musings, the text offers invaluable "working moments" from the staging of landmark productions, providing a primary source for the study of Soviet theatrical pedagogy. Sakhnovsky’s meetings with his contemporaries are documented with a focus on the practical challenges of directing in a changing ideological landscape. With a limited print run of only 5,000 copies, this hardcover volume is a sought-after rarity for theatre historians, bibliophiles, and collectors of books on the history of the Moscow Art Theatre (Mkhat). It remains a sophisticated testament to the intellectual depth and aesthetic rigor of mid-century Soviet performance arts.