The article is written in memory of Yury Mann and follows the life and work of the prominent scholar, whose books not only constitute a landmark phenomenon of Russian literary studies but also offer a new perspective on a number of episodes in the history of literature. Mann’s scholarly career was shaped in the years after WWII. In his book of memoirs, written towards the end of his life, Mann attempts an analysis of his philological pursuits and how, trying to keep up with contemporary trends, he would still occasionally find himself to be an outsider. The article sets out to explain how Mann’s personal and scholarly journey eventually resulted in his remarkable achievements.The author pays special attention to a lesser-known sphere of Mann’s interests: his analytical studies of modern literature (among fellow philologists, he is mostly known as an expert on Gogol and Russian romanticism), his thoughts on conventionality in art, and compelling evidence that Mann’s works follow traditions of Russian formalism.