About the book: 1989 / The author, columnist for the Literaturnaya Gazeta, faced a difficult ordeal in 1983–1984. During a business trip to Italy, he was kidnapped by agents of Western intelligence services, illegally transported to the UK and subjected to sophisticated pressure using the latest psychotropic drugs. Remaining loyal to his country, the journalist managed to escape captivity and return home a year later. This is a book about the “odyssey” of Oleg Bitov. , written in the first person. But this is not only an action-packed story. It includes observations from the life of countries on three continents..