The book offered to the reader includes a number of biographical essays dedicated to domestic scientists - humanities of the 20th century, primarily linguists and orientalists. The author of the book, who has been engaged in the history of science for many years, sought to combine in his essays the history of ideas and the history of people, the story of scientific concepts, biographical analysis and in some cases elements of memoirs. The book also tells about the development of a number of scientific disciplines over the past century, and about the personality traits of scientists who put forward certain ideas and concepts, and about the impact 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 considered, some new information, including archival, is introduced into scientific circulation, an attempt is made to move away from old and new stereotypes in the assessments of many historical events.