In the book of the famous literary critic and historian B.F. Egorov, for the first time for the general reader, the life path of one of the most complex figures of Russian culture, Apollo Aleksandrovich Grigoriev (1822-1864), a wonderful poet, prose writer, literary and theater critic, publicist, is revealed . Widely known only for his “gypsy” songs (“Oh, at least talk to me ...” and “Two guitars, ringing ...”), he was also an outstanding critic of the mid-19th century (Turgenev compared him with Belinsky), author most interesting memories, a talented essayist. A man of irrepressible passions, he knew no limits in love, in friendship, in alcohol, often fell into ideological extremes (he was a Freemason, revolutionary, conservative, Slavophile, “soilist”), and then honestly abandoned “extremism.” In terms of the contradictions of life and creativity, Grigoriev can be compared with N.S. Leskov and V.V. Rozanov.