The collection consists of new works of the most popular publicists of 1988, determined by the results of sociological surveys: N. Shmelev, A. Nuikin, F. Burlatsky, A. Strelyany, Yu. Karyakin and others. With the boundaries of publicity widened, millions of people heard the voice of these authors; many specific ideas of perestroika are associated with their names today, whether it is about the problems of political reorganization of the country, human rights, the situation in the countryside or national identity.