Formation of Mikhail Zhigzhitov's literary reputation: three hypostases

The article reviews the factors of formation of the literary reputation of the famous Buryat writer Mikhail Zhigzhitov (1915-1990). The features of his three main professions are taken into account - a teacher, a hunter-fisherman, a writer. Four groups of factors have formed his image and reputation in the eyes of his contemporaries, primarily in literary community: coming to literature, the story with the bear, features of stories of the first two periods, approval in the literary community. The article shows special significance of the victory over the bear in 1962 for the formation of the image of the charismatic taiga commander. The article analyzes the stories about the Baikal Podlemorye "Snowfall", the trilogy about Osip Samagir "My Baby-Marikan", "The Samagir Trail", and "Beyond the Gorge of Seven Wolves".