The process of the birth of Russian cotton, reflected in the novel “Colonizers” by Boris Cheprunov, a descendant of settlers to the Turkestan region during the period of its conquest by the Russian Empire, is considered. Knowing the life of Central Asia from the inside - its languages, customs and culture, Cheprunov critically comprehends the process of colonization of Central Asia. The work of this writer fell out of the historical and literary process for political reasons; there was a fleeting attempt that did not receive continuation - without analysis, with half-truths, to return to him during the thaw period. The authors of the article do one more thing - to return to the history of literature of the twentieth century the work of a writer who was forcibly erased from the literary process. The purpose of the study is to highlight the theme of Russian cotton in the novel “The Colonizers” by B.V. in modern receptive practice. Cheprunova; objectives of the study: name the personalities and facts of the period of colonization of Central Asia who played a leading role in the birth of Russian cotton growing; highlight the colonialist intentions in Cheprunov’s novel; report the history of the publication of the novel “The Colonizers” and its tragic role in the author’s fate; consider the titles of the novel: one is the author’s, the second is given when the novel was published during the Thaw. The analysis of the article fits into modern Orientalist, or post-Saidian, scientific discourse.