The personality of the outstanding philologist, literary critic, culturologist Yu.M. Lotman (1922-1993), one of the founders of the famous Tartu school, his life and work today are of particular interest to researchers. That is why M.V. Sonkina decided to publish not only the memoirs of her mother F.S. Sonkina, but also her diaries and correspondence with Lotman, representing a lively excited conversation between two loving people. Acquaintances from their student years, Y.M. Lotman and F.S. Sonkina became close after two decades and since then their relationship has played a huge role in everyone's lives.