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Abstract:

The Kemerovo literary critic L. Khodanen recalls her meetings over the years with Y. Mann and speaks about different aspects of his scholarly work and pedagogical activity. Khodanen first met Mann in the 1970s while she was a graduate student at the Moscow State Pedagogical Institute. Mann consulted her on the works of V. Odoyevsky, helping her to successfully defend her PhD thesis, at which he served as an official opponent. The author also writes about Mann’s exceptional research skills, including his deep and multifaceted consideration of problems from philosophical, aesthetic, and literary perspectives, his detailed study of problem history, his knowledge of the broad historical and literary context, his lucid and careful argumentation, and the rigor of his conclusions. Mann’s outstanding abilities as a mentor and lecturer who taught at Moscow State University and Russian State Humanities University are also described. The author recreates the image of a brilliant scholar who shed new light on N. Gogol’s creativity and a deeply ethical, intelligent and friendly person who willingly shared his discoveries with the academic community.