Behind the Facade. Part Two. Another 30 Letters About the History of Petersburg Houses

In the second part of the book "Behind the Facade", writers Alexey Shishkin and Elia Novopashennaya continue their fascinating exploration of the stories of Petersburg houses and their inhabitants. Readers will find 30 new letters with amazing tales that form a vivid, sometimes grim, but always lively image of St. Petersburg. The authors rightly note: by studying the ancient buildings, we create an emotional connection with their history, which is why this book, as in the first edition, focuses not so much on the houses themselves, but on their residents. Here, the writer Ayn Rand coexists with Bulat Okudzhava and Mike Naumenko; here, the love story of a Siamese prince intertwines with the fates of the last Russian tsars and the first Soviet emigrants. Each story is accompanied by photographs and illustrations that immerse readers in another era and other lives.