In the stories of Vasily Shukshin, a whole gallery of images of Russian character comes to life. The author captivates the reader with knowledge of the psychology of the Russian person, an understanding of his feelings, from insignificant to high; the unique ability to create an image with a few strokes, remarks, actions. The book also presents the writer’s journalism - a significant part of his work. V. Shukshin talks aptly, accurately, figuratively, and relevantly about the laws of motion in cinema, about the problems of city and countryside, about the author’s style in cinema and literature, and much more.