First Time Married

Pavel Nilin's books have long become classics of Soviet literature. He started as a journalist, which explains his attention to detail, to the ordinary life and everyday experiences of the most ordinary people, who always sincerely interested him. Therefore, the characters of his heroes are genuine, vivid, and still recognizable. Pavel Nilin's works formed the basis for well-known films by Ivan Pyriev, Konstantin Voinov, and other directors. They featured Faina Ranevskaya, Mark Bernes, Vladimir Vysotsky, Oleg Efremov.

The novella "First Time Married," which gave its name to the collection, served as the basis for the cult film by Joseph Kheifits, starring Evgenia Glushenko and Nikolai Volkov in the main roles.
The plot revolves around an eternal theme: the relationships between parents and children, mothers and daughters.
Once a concrete worker and now a cleaner at a research institute, Antonina made immense efforts to single-handedly raise her daughter. What is the result? Youth has passed, dreams have not come true, her personal life has not materialized, and her capricious and selfish daughter grew up but never matured. Antonina has become superfluous in her own home. She is like a bird in a cage from which it is impossible to escape.
But Nilin gives his heroine a chance for happiness. This is not a beautiful, spectacular "cinematic" happiness, but quiet, inconspicuous, and therefore real.