Summer life in a village near Moscow between 1972 and 1977, as seen through the eyes of a schoolgirl. A portrayal of the pleasant, everyday aspects of existence, seemingly untouched by social problems. At the same time, an account is given of what was happening in Soviet society during those years, and how it contributed to its eventual collapse. The commentary accompanying the narrative provides a brief historical overview of certain aspects of life in the USSR in the twentieth century. The book may be of interest both to the general reader and to those seeking to understand how the 74 years of Soviet rule unfolded - and what they cost the inhabitants of the former Russian Empire.