  Being asked to write about Asan D. Taimanov, I had a little problem. I knew
Taimanov. I liked and respected him, and so I wanted to write something. But I
didn't know him well. I didn't live in the Novosibirsk Akademgorodok where he
lived and worked; I just visited Novosibirsk a number of times. So I decided to
widen the topic and write about my own Novosibirsk experience, including
interactions with Taimanov.
