The book by historian and translator Douglas Smith is comparable to legendary historical epics - both in the scale of the events described, and in the accuracy of details and in the heartbreaking drama of human destinies. The author managed, in a small book, to give a detailed picture of the tragedy of the Russian aristocracy after the collapse of the empire - the actual destruction of an entire class as a result of Soviet terror. The significance of the events described in the book goes far beyond the family history of famous aristocratic families. This is part of the terrible history of the twentieth century - the relationship between the state and the individual, when huge groups of people united by a common origin, nationality or beliefs were declared alien elements, unnecessary and unworthy of existence. “Former People” is a bestseller, published in many languages and now reaching the Russian-speaking reader.