In Letters from Novosibirsk an international group of iconoclastic colonists living in New Siberia (of the late 21st century) communicate to the rest of the world via a journal in which they offer advice for saving human civilization. Trouble is, a group of ghosts in their town, previously known as Vydrino, does not welcome them, nor their attitudes. They pop up at unexpected turns, though never too concretely, to try and rattle the newcomers into a more humane existence. Some of the characters are Wynnet (a statistician who has devoted himself to information), Todd (a monarchist), Kolya (a ghost who died too young and wants to be born again to have another chance), and Karyne (an activist who preaches against eating parsnips). In the end no one's life is what it used to be?including the ghosts'.