The composition of the book, inevitably linear in nature, is largely arbitrary. The first are seven chapters written by A.K. Zholkovsky and devoted to Babel's intertexts, so to speak, of the first order; the second are the seven chapters of M. B. Yampolsky (8-14), more focused on "metaintertexts." Numerous roll calls between the two parts of the book are marked with cross-references, guided by which the reader can determine his own route of movement. We believe that a prerequisite for reading is preliminary familiarization with the texts of Babel himself, placed in Tikhanovskaya. II. in I. I (compiled by A.K. Zholkovsky) brought out material about the topos of prostitution in pre-Babel literature, which can be useful for reference when reading other sections.