Yuri Vasilyevich Bondarev (1924–2020) — a well-known Russian writer, screenwriter, and public figure, a participant in the Great Patriotic War.
The hero of the novella “Relatives,” Nikita, after his mother’s death comes to Moscow to settle inheritance matters and finds himself face to face with a complicated family secret. The narrative is built on a clash between generations, sharp inner conflicts, and spiritual estrangement. The author addresses the themes of responsibility for what was done in the past and the need to preserve human dignity in a difficult post-war reality.
The book also includes “Moments” — short literary and philosophical essays in which Bondarev reflects on the complexities of human relationships, on manifestations of a feat, and on events and phenomena of life, nature, and time. As the author himself puts it, this is the culmination of his many years of reflection on the fates of Russia in the 20th century and today’s Russia.