Leonid Pereplyotchik

The book consists of series of novels, essays, and memoirs. Most of the novels are devoted to the life in the USSR. Main characters are Soviet people - scientists, engineers, soldiers. Author describes their life under the Soviet regime, their relation to authority, life philosophy. People with the Soviet mentality immigrating to the USA have problems to accommodate to the American values, lifestyle, and habits. The dramatically difference between American and Russian perception of the life values, psychological problems of understanding create some tension, conflict between generations. Some novels devoted to life of Russian immigrants in the USA. Essays tell the readers about so called "Lost generation " - aged Immigrants who losing their social basis and ties with younger generation. One essay describes an author's idea of symbolism in the Art.

Russia is the other side of the planet. It is not very understandable, sometimes mysterious, sometimes threatening... How did people live under a totalitarian regime? How did they manage to survive under the tough pressure of the authority that controlled all sides of private life? What did the ideological socialism look like - not according to propaganda, but in reality? It is not easy to answer these questions. There are big gaps - social, psychological, and political between the two sides of the planet: USA and Russia. Those who left Russia and entered to the Western World serve as a bridge from totalitarian to capitalist society. In other words, two contradicting worlds are combined in one mind - mind of emigre from USSR/Russia. This book is focused on this social phenomenon.

The life of personages were shown as in two "incarnations": life in the USSR and Russia.Many personages lived in Siberia, that is why their life is some kind of Siberian Saga. The second "incarnation" is American one. The book describes different destinies of the people who tried to adapt to a new world for them. This book also includes story about the tragial love between Jewish scientist and the Chechen journalist. Another story tells about destiny of the Baptist in the USSR.