In the era of the thaw in linguistics, absolutely fantastic and at the same time strict ideas appeared: mathematical linguistics, machine translation, semiotics. Out of this diversity grew a new science - structural linguistics. Vyach. vs. Ivanov, Vladimir Uspensky, Igor Melchuk and other structuralists created departments and laboratories, argued about science and the country at conferences, kitchens and campaigns, spoke the truth at meetings and signed collective letters - and became real heroes of their time. Maria Buras weaves from the witty, cheerful, tragic words of witnesses and participants the history of time and science in the genre "linguistics. doc».