The name of Vladimir Vysotsky needs no introduction. The popularity of the wonderful bard, poet, and actor during his lifetime exceeded all conceivable limits. The singer's hoarse voice was familiar to any resident of the country; it sounded from tape recordings both in the capital and in a small village. Crowds of spectators flocked to Taganka performances with the participation of V. Vysotsky. But his life was by no means smooth and prosperous. The nomenclature authorities and high officials were afraid of the bard’s excessive popularity and tried in every possible way to “not let him into the masses.” How many films did he not star in, how many poems remained in the poet’s desk without seeing the light of day during his lifetime... And the bard himself considerably complicated his existence with fatal addictions... F. Razzakov’s book is about all this. In it, as in any honest book, there is both light and shadow...