Rolling Stone. Pictures from Nature

In this book by Nikolai Alexandrovich Leykin, there are a collection of stories titled "Rolling Stone" and the novella "A Piece of Bread." "Rolling Stone" largely resembles the section about Khitrovka from the recognized masterpiece by Vladimir Alekseevich Gilyarovsky "Moscow... and Muscovites," only the events take place in St. Petersburg. The author candidly shows the life of people who have fallen to the social bottom, huddling in corners, attics, and basements, vividly depicting the unbearable living conditions and rampant alcoholism. "A Piece of Bread" continues the theme touched upon in the collection, providing an opportunity to look at the lives of those suffering from crop failures in villages and from the lack of jobs in cities, ultimately doomed either to a miserable existence or to dubious ways of making a living. Once again, the author demonstrates excellent command of language and, despite the overall tone of the collection, as always enlivens what is happening with his keen observations.