The book by V. K. Kantor, writer, philosopher, historian of Russian thought, professor at the National Research University - Higher School of Economics, examines the problems that arose in Russian thought in the middle of the 19th century, when, in essence, they were testing and analyzing their own cultural material (history and literature ), which served as the foundation of Russian philosophizing. Examined in the activities of its best representatives for almost a century (1860–1930s), Russian philosophy is depicted in the work as a phenomenon of the highest order, relating to the pinnacle achievements of the human spirit. The author shows how, even in exile, Russian thinkers retained their intellectual and human dignity in opposition to all types of coercion, preserved the meaning of their intellectual discoveries. Vladimir Kantor’s book is perhaps the first attempt to reflect on how the formation of philosophical self-awareness took place in Russia.