About the book: 2011 / The magazine "October" for the first time publishes fragments from the new book of memoirs by Antonina Nikolaevna Pirozhkova. The publication opens with the story of her acquaintance with Babel. The acquaintance could have been brief: from the moment of a chance (or perhaps destined) meeting at a dinner with the chairman of Vostokostal, Ivanchenko, until Babel’s departure for Paris in the summer of 1932, only four months passed. Yes, Babel knew how to care for women! Gradually, imperceptibly, he managed to “furnish” Antonina Nikolaevna’s life so that during his absence in Moscow, both the environment of life and the people around her would remind her of him. And Babel’s letters arrived from Paris - every day. There were rumors in Moscow that Babel would not return from Paris. But why get ahead of yourself??..