The autobiography written by Daniel Waugh, an eminent American scholar and specialist in Old Russian literature demonstrates how a person’s life can be combined with professional interest. The events of the author’s life are set against a background of Russian studies carried out both in Russia and abroad, as well as historical and cultural discussion. The reader gets acquainted with the Soviet and world humanities thought that intricately combines benevolence and academic objectivity with ideological confrontation and captious objections. The author’s perfect understanding of people and their achievements makes the memoirs a source of valuable information on the humanities during the Cold War and post-Soviet years. The article demonstrates that respect for hard academic work and mutual respect among scholars is a key to the solution of conflicts and disagreement regardless of their nature. This is the first part of the autobiography, a continuation is to be published in the upcoming issue.