The authors, working while in exile, created a book that soon became a true—though somewhat playful—monument to the Soviet school literature textbook. We all remember how successfully these textbooks managed to permanently discourage children from reading, instilling in them only disgust for the classics of Russian literature. In «Native Speech» the authors attempted once again to awaken in schoolchildren (and their parents) an interest in our refined use of language. Apparently, the attempt was very successful. This is an «anti-textbook»—witty and extremely engaging—which has been helping graduates and applicants for many years during exams in Russian literature.