Abstract. A.V. Mikhailov (1938-1995) is the largest theorist and historian of literature and culture, germanist, art critic and musicologist. His scientific heritage is extensive and in large part published posthumously. The scholar’s works are very extensive in formulation of problems, and in coverage of broad historical and cultural material. The Annually Conference on Literary Theory « Mikhailov Readings» (held by A.M. Gorky Institute of World Literature RAS) are devoted to understanding the scientific heritage of A.V. Mikhailov. In 2014, at the Conference «A.V. Mikhailov as a theorist of literature and culture,» the reports were devoted to comprehension of his scientific heritage, its methodology, aspects of the history of science and the world literary process, keywords of the literary scholarship, the investigation of woks by European and Russian writers, the history of literary genres.