About the book: 2009 / This story by Gazdanov caused the greatest number of responses when published. Reviewing the first issue of the magazine “Numbers,” Khodasevich notes that Gazdanov is “more inventive, more picturesque than Felsen, he has more brilliance.” Savelyev recognizes the story as “the most talented” in the entire magazine, but, at the same time, expresses the wish that Gazdanov begins to write “without Proust.” The atmosphere of man’s isolation in the world is realized in the figurative fabric of the narrative, in the depiction of characters between whom, despite their efforts, there are no living human connections. The community of people depicted in the story, communication within which is impossible, represents a generalized picture of disunity, disconnection, and loneliness of a person in society. For the first time - Numbers (Paris). 1930. Issue. 1. Published from this publication.