The book offered to the reader includes a number of biographical essays dedicated to domestic scientists - humanists of the 20th century, primarily linguists and orientalists. The author of the book, who has been studying the history of science for many years, sought to combine in his essays the history of ideas and the history of people, a story about scientific concepts, biographical analysis and, in some cases, elements of memoirs. The book tells about the development of a number of scientific disciplines over the last century, and about the personality traits of scientists who put forward certain ideas and concepts, and about the influence on the fate and activities of these scientists of a complex and interesting time in their lives. Little-known facts of the history of our science of the 20th century are examined, some new information, including archival information, is introduced into scientific circulation, and an attempt is made to move away from old and new stereotypes in assessments of many historical events.