For his debut novel ("Former Son," 2014), Sasha Filipenko received the "Russian Prize" a year ago. On his first attempt, he earned a first-degree diploma in the "Major Prose" category. So, how does one sit down to write the next book after that? Especially since the hero of "Former Son," who captivated everyone, was clearly "built from himself," his own biography, youthful impressions, and feelings.

Will his own life be enough for the next hero, or will there be a repetition? There was no repetition. Instead, a bright, paradoxical, unusual, and sharply contemporary character was born again—a professional television humorist who creates jokes for TV hosts.

This is no easy task, especially if you were fired today, just divorced your wife, and your cat ran away this morning...