Christened with Crosses is the unforgettable story of a young boy's dangerous, adventure-filled westbound journey along the railways of postwar Russia. Based on a true story of Kochergin's amazing life, this book depicts the awakening of artistic talent under highly unusual Russian circumstances. It is the memoir of an old man who, as a boy, learnt to find his way between extortionate state control and marauding banditry, the two poles that characterize Russia to this day.