About the book: 1965 / Along with what is familiar to us in the world, there are often phenomena that baffle a person with their unusualness and seeming mystery. Egyptian statues sing, stones speak, mountains groan, visions of angels, saints, and unclean spirits appear before the inflamed gaze of a traveler in the sultry desert, instant “healings” of serious illnesses occur, and prophets and fakirs perform “miracles” before the eyes of an astonished crowd. It is not surprising that superstitious people have long interpreted these facts as manifestations of supernatural forces, and enterprising clergymen presented them as proof of the truth of their religion. Into this mysterious world, into the world about which A. S. Pushkin said: “There are miracles, there is a devil wanders...", the talented popularizer N.A. Rubakin (1862–1946) guides the reader. The author, step by step, tears away the halo of holiness from “miracles” and religious mysteries, affirms the power of the human mind, the power of scientific knowledge. Very entertaining in its content and fascinating in form, Rubakin’s book will bring great pleasure to every inquisitive reader.