In this book you will read the short story "The Fate of a Man" and "Don Stories". "The Fate of a Man" (1956-1957) is a poignant story about the times of the Great Patriotic War. One of the first works of Soviet literature in which the war is shown truthfully and clearly. Captivity, German concentration camps, escape, return to the front, loss of loved ones, difficult post-war times, an attempt to find a kindred spirit, escape from loneliness. The story was filmed by Sergei Bondarchuk, who also played the main role in it - the film of the novice director received the main prize of the Moscow Film Festival in 1959.“Don Stories” (1924–1926) is a collection of six stories describing the events of the Civil War. Although the Don remains the scene of action, with its special color and specific Cossack spirit, it is obvious that the events in these short stories can be projected to the whole of Russia - the war exposes feelings, it is in such a bloody time when the boundaries of what is permitted are erased that it becomes clearer who could save dignity and remain Human, and who is not.