This unusual work is based on the diary entries of a modern ascetic monk, who labored in the Caucasus mountains for more than 30 years (from the late 50s to the early 90s). The life of the hermits, full of dangers and incidents, despite the absolute authenticity of the events described, reminds the reader of an adventure novel, a kind of Robinsonade, although, of course, the author did not set such a goal at all, but simply wrote down in his diary what was happening in the spiritual life of the monks -hermits and, of course, everything that one had to encounter on such an unusual and dangerous path of the most ancient ascetic feat in Soviet times. With all the documentary and factual value of the book, reasonable caution and prudence when reading are not always superfluous, since the opinions offered by the author are not always and assessments of events (and especially the exploits and spiritual states of the heroes of the story) are clearly consistent with the views and experiences of the holy ascetic fathers set forth in their writings.