American journalist and writer Christopher Buckley needs no introduction: almost all of his satirical novels have been translated into Russian and enjoy great, well-deserved popularity in our country. Skillfully constructed plots and the ability to find the funny even in the most serious aspects of everyday reality make his books especially engaging—and at times surprisingly funny. And, as astonishing as it is, all of this is also sharply present in the writer’s poignant and sad memories of his parents, who passed away in 2008. Prominent American politician and writer William Buckley and his wife, socialite Patricia Buckley, for many years were at the center of political and cultural life in the United States; they talked and were friends with her outstanding representatives—the story of whom this book is about.