The works of the protopope Avvakum (1621-1682), the head of the Old Believers, the ascetic of Orthodoxy, are a significant and important phenomenon in the history of Russian literature of the 17th century. Writing in conclusion the famous "Life", he described the religious contradictions in the society of that time, painted portraits of persons of different classes. From tsar to peasants, he actually created the literature of a living, free figurative word, opened a new page of Russian confessional prose, showing himself to be an "excellent stylist". The book includes not only the sensational “Life”, but also excerpts from the “Book of Conversations”, “Books of Interpretations”, “Books of Exposes” and the epistolary heritage of the author.