Baptized with Crosses. Notes on the Knees

The book by Edward Kochergin — the chief artist of the G.A. Tovstonogov Bolshoi Drama Theater — is based on memories of the difficult post-war times when he fled from the Omsk detention center for children of the "enemies of... the people" back to his homeland in Leningrad. It recounts a flight that lasted more than six years, detailing all the twists and turns and wandering through the "SSSR" with its then-state buildings, NKVD detention centers, and colonies.

In 2010, the book received one of the most prestigious literary awards — the "National Bestseller".

The present (second) edition is supplemented by a previously unpublished story "Ballad of the Wooden Airplane".

In the appendix, geographical maps, song lyrics, and photo documents from the 1940s-1950s are included.