The novellas and short stories collected in this volume represent the gold standard of our literature—its true treasure. The joy, lightness, cheerfulness, and openness of Yuri Koval’s prose—and its ability to speak directly to the reader’s heart—transform it into something more than mere writing; it becomes an indispensable remedy for the terrible afflictions that dog us like shadows: despondency, callousness, emotional deafness, and spiritual emptiness. Reading Koval is a delight—and where there is delight, there is joy.