Vladimir Arsenev

Set in a fictional town in northern Russia, where highly classified research in magic occurs, the novel is a satire of Soviet scientific research institutes, complete with an inept administration, a dishonest, show-horse professor, and numerous equipment failures. It offers an idealistic view of the scientific work ethic, as reflected in the title which suggests that the scientists' weekends are nonexistent. (Wikipedia)

About the socio-political conflict between two worldviews, about the relationship between younger and older generations, about the eternal struggle between the old and the new, about true and false values, about creation and destruction, about human strength and weakness, about friendship, love, and loneliness... What could be more acute and tragic than a conflict between people who are closest to each other and sincerely love each other? But, alas, such a conflict is inevitable whenever the interests of two generations collide.