The content of the book consists of autobiographical arches and late diaries of Andrei Bely, a writer whose biographical experience served not only as an incentive for creativity, but also as a direct content of this creativity. The facts of Bely's biography are a necessary basis for the idea of ​ ​ his life path and for the interpretation of most of his works. The complex of autobiographical arches and diaries presented is of great importance for understanding both the life and work of Andrei Bely and the entire era of the first third of the twentieth century. "The monograph examines the history and etymology of many Russian figurative expressions in a lively and accessible form: stoves, benches, freeze the worm, in all Ivanovo, what the light is on, etc. Special attention is paid to language riddles that require special comment: to go home, brains on the side, tutelka in tutelka, in karachka, etc. When interpreting words and expressions, the author refers to the facts of the material and spiritual culture of the Russian people.