Vladimir Babitsky is a researcher, inventor and professor. Born in the Soviet Union, he became the founder and head of the Vibration Engineering Laboratory at the Academy of Sciences in Moscow. After the country opened its borders, Dr Babitsky was invited to the Technical University of Munich as a visiting professor, and once the Soviet Union collapsed, he migrated to Germany and became technical consultant for the Liechtenstein-based multinational Hilti. He was recruited by the University of Loughborough (Great Britain) in 1995, where he became a Professor of Dynamics and received the title of Professor Emeritus in 2012. He is president of the International Centre on Vibro-Impact Systems, as well as editor of the book series Foundations of Engineering Mechanics, published by Springer. Dr Babitsky is the author of numerous scientific articles, books, innovations, original technical projects and patents, published in Russian and English. He predicted and discovered new phenomena, and developed effective engineering methods to excite and control nonlinear resonances. His discoveries offered new principles in vibration protection, which allowed for the development of high-tech systems and machines with record-breaking characteristics. One such machine, the world's safest jackhammer, developed by JCB, was awarded the Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education in 2013.

Alex Gruzenberg was born in Moscow to a family of Bolshoi Theatre classical musicians. He grew up in Moscow, Seville and London, learning to speak Spanish and English in addition to his mother tongue. He was awarded the Languages Prize (Robinson College) and received a Masters in Film (Darwin College) from the University of Cambridge. His film blog was nominated for the Guardian Student Media Awards in the Critic of the Year category. Since graduating, Alex has worked in film, education and the art market. He is currently writing a novel about art.

Vladimir and his Memoirs-a translator's note.- It's a Long Way to Tipperary.- The Documents that Did Not Burn.- A Kinship with Pushkin.- Teachers in Bravery.- The Waiting Hall.- Adventures at the Edge of Civilisation.- Football and Mechanics.- An Engineer's Engineer.- A Series of Secret Doors.- Chronicles of MARS during Perestroika.- A Breath of Free Air.- See the Promised Land and Die.- The Conscience of a Nation.- The Eighth Liberal Art.- Dynamics Should Be Sexy.- A Lesson in Democracy.- The Constant Muse.- A Genius of Faultless Beauty.- I Want to Tell You about the Ones Who Overcame.