Brodsky believed that Igor Efimov “continues the great tradition of Russian writers and philosophers, which began with Herzen.” And now, having published a dozen novels and half a dozen philosophical books, Efimov wrote his own version of “Past and Thoughts.” From the first volume of his memoirs - “In the Old World” - the reader learns that his life in Russia passed under the slogan “don’t believe, don’t be afraid, don’t ask” long before this slogan was coined by Solzhenitsyn. Already in his school years, he did not believe newspaper and radio propaganda - only Pushkin, Lermontov, Tolstoy. And he was not afraid to stand up for a colleague who was facing execution. And for the persecuted poet, future Nobel laureate. He was not afraid to distribute prohibited literature and publish abroad in those years when they were punishable by up to seven years in the camps... Efimov was lucky - he had the opportunity to live until his books returned to Russia.