In 1929-1960 the small settlement in Tikhaya Bukhta, Hooker Island, also known as Calm Bay Station among the Western specialists, was the pivot of human presence in the remote islands. The station pioneered in many aspects of the Soviet polar explorations, such as aerology, testing of the earliest automatic meteorological facilities, wind energy consumption and women's involvement in the High Arctic field works. Nowadays, the well-preserved station is a highlight of Franz Josef Land, operating as a unique museum and visited by cruise ships every summer.

The book is the first-ever study worldwide, focused precisely on this topic. The author has derived rare data from a wide range of sources, including Russian archives, spread from St. Petersburg to Krasnoyarsk. The book is addressed to polar historians, researchers, as well as a general audience interested in the Russian Arctic.