A major portion of the book describes with great honesty & simplicity Rimsky-Korsakov's own musical career, from its extremely amateur beginnings to his final eminent status as a kind of father of Russian music. Interesting features include much detail in practices in Russian opera houses of the time, and the story of the genesis & subsequent influence of Belayev's publishing house for new Russian music. There are photos throughout the book as well as a few musical examples.