The new book by D.Vinogradova, N.Nepomnaschiy and A.Novikov "Is the Neanderthal man alive?" (Moscow, Veche Publishers, 2003, in Russian) intrigues with the title and includes in the popular form the information on ancient and contemporary evidences of existence of other than Neanderthal hominoids simultaneously with the modern man.

Three parts of this book correspond to three authors mentioned.

The basic part, 245 pages from 380, is written by Dina Vinogradova, who was engaged in the problem since 60-th. So the chapters in which origination of the voluntary cryptozoological research in the USSR is described are especially interesting. She tells about first sessions of the Smolin seminar (she prepared protocols at all its sessions in that time), the legendary pioneers of the problem - P.P.Smolin himself, B.F.Porshnev, R.Danov, E.B.Zeligman, G.Khovanov, J.-M.Kofman, A.A.Mashkovtsev, and others, many of them already are not with us.

Their written portraits are accompanied by expressive sketches by R.Danov and Yu.Shishenko.

In other chapters D.Vinogradova shows, how the residing of the nonhuman neighbor-mate was reflected in the beliefs of ordinary people who knew much more about them that "the learned professors". She interprets proverbs and sayings as concentrates of national experience and connects them with modern observations of hominoids in the nature. She examines in details tendency of these creatures to live near water, to use rivers, lakes, swamps and similar places as vital environment, and water barrier to the rescue from the man.

D.Vinogradova also took in the book many other information sources scattered in newspapers, magazines and others rare editions.

The second part written by Nicolas Nepomnaschiy relates mainly to events, that took place outside Russia. It begins with description of arising of the Yeti problem in Himalayas, how it became familiar to all despite different attitude to it. Further author turns to China, where many encountings with hominoids occurred, and to countries of South-East Asia. The majority of these cases were already submitted in the Internet. But, certainly, for the Russian reader it is more convenient to have these assembled in one edition and translated. The domestic information is limited to materials gathered by Maya Bykova and some of it is published for the first time.

In the third part Alexander Novikov tells about hominoids in Polar Ural regions. He describes his own travels to the area and events connected with Vladimir Pushkarev, who was lost there in the autumn of 1978 during expedition by alone. The author touches various sides of human-hominoid relations and finds parallels from the antique world.

M.S.Trachtengerts

The full text of D.Vinogradova's part is uploaded to this site at Russian news and publications (without illustrations).