About the book: 1989 / Heroes of Russian literature of the 19th century were busy searching for the meaning of life, finding their place in a complex and contradictory world, constantly changing, directly dependent on wars , political upheavals, changes in social systems and other historical events. And in the age of computers, laser discs, new technologies and skyscrapers, have the heroes changed internally? Have you calmed down or are you still looking for the meaning of life and happiness? Already at the beginning of the story “Somnambulist in the Fog” (1988) T. Tolstaya shows the state and mood of the hero: “Having reached the middle of earthly life, Denisov began to think. He thought about life, about its meaning, about the frailty of his earthly, half-used existence...” The main character lives as if in a fog. And his thoughts are foggy, vague: he thinks about the possibility of “the existence of Australia”, he even tries to compose a work about it. He tries to invent, write poetry, but nothing works. His profession is unclear, but judging by his mood, he is dissatisfied not only with himself, but also with the life around him. Another character is similar to the main character - the father of Laura, Denisov’s mistress. He was dubbed “ideological rot” and expelled from the institute for “a report on the relationship of birds with reptiles... and their scientific secretary was named Ptitsyn, so he took it personally.” Lorin's dad now spends his time writing phenologist's notes for magazines. And it is he who walks in his sleep, he is a somnambulist. Recognizable realities allow us to attribute the action to the era of stagnation: in a world of rabbits and boa constrictors, total shortages and cronyism, queues for meat, social competitions, party committees, local committees and the Stenka Razin brewery, somnambulists wander among the businessmen , among imaginary healers who heal using photographs, and run into a terrible dead end. But the ending of the story sounds encouraging. — M. Belgorodsky.