This work investigates the emergence, development, and eventual decline of the Soviet hippie movement during the late socialist period. Juliane Fürst, a historian specializing in Soviet youth culture, utilizes archival research, personal interviews, and underground documents to reconstruct the lives of young people who rejected state-sanctioned norms. The book argues that these individuals created a distinct subculture that challenged the ideological rigidity of the Soviet state through music, fashion, and alternative social spaces.

Historians and scholars of Soviet studies identify this text as a significant contribution to the understanding of late-socialist social dynamics. Readers frequently note the academic rigor of the research and the author's ability to humanize the experiences of marginalized youth within a restrictive political environment.