‘With all great literature, like the great Russian masters, there is a sort of universality that resonates with people.
They write about the human condition and in reading them we realise that people from 19th century Russia - or indeed modern day Russia - have many of the same difficulties, hopes and dreams that we have in the west.'
The 60-year-old author - born in St Petersburg to Russian parents and assigned mandatory military service assisting the KGB - has been forced to flee his home in Kyiv with his English wife, Elizabeth, and their three children.

'We should be encouraging more students to do T-Levels and apprenticeships - in contrast to most students who go to university and do not get good graduate jobs despite the great whacking loans they take out.'
Netflix put its adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina on indefinite hold, and an Italian university course on Fyodor Dostoevsky - the 19th century novelist exiled for defying the Russian state - was withdrawn before it was reinstated after a backlash.
Some cultural bodies have prompted accusations of McCarthyism - the anti-Russian hysteria whipped up during the 1950s - for rushing to cancel Russian culture in response to Vladimir Putin's invasion order.
The Melbourne park, which is normally open and available for kids to play on when there aren't games scheduled, has become a fortress surrounded by security in blue uniforms and patrolling police officers.
Shane Warne's children Brooke, Summer and Jackson (pictured with their dad in London) have shared heartwarming tributes to the cricketing legend and put on a united front in the weeks since his tragic death
Bulgakov, born in Kyiv to a Russian family, wrote about the horrors of the Russian revolution and many of his works were banned by the Soviet government, although Joseph Stalin was known to be fond of one of his plays.
Gwen Stefani models an Anaheim Hillbillies sweat outfit as... Gwen Stefani showcases taut torso in clinging sheer white... EXCLUSIVE: Gavin Rossdale enjoys quality time with ALL FOUR... Gwen Stefani launches GXVE beauty line: No Doubt star shares...
Universities will be required to publish the drop-out rate and graduate job outcomes on every advert they put out for a degree, in the same way loans have to be upfront about APR, under plans being considered by the Education Secretary.
Some cultural bodies have prompted accusations of McCarthyism - the anti-Russian hysteria whipped up during the 1950s - for rushing to cancel Russian culture in response to Vladimir Putin's (above) invasion order
'All that stress on the body doesn't bode well': Katie Price... 'Moisturise and go day!' Molly-Mae Hague displays her... Chanelle Hayes reveals the results of her 9st weight loss as... 'It's extraordinary to witness how quickly people have got...
Parents should take the teether away from their child immediately. While no injuries have been reported, Bebe au Lait received six reports of detached beads, including one where a child placed a bead in their mouth.
It's a miracle that I met somebody that was going through the exact same thing that I was at the same exact moment in time. I think if Gwen and I were being honest right now talking about this, I think in the back of our minds, we both kind of thought this is a rebound deal,' he admitted in a 2018 interview.
Esme children's sleepwear garments: recalled Feb. 16 for failing to meet the federal flammability standards for children's sleepwear and posing a risk of burn injuries. Get a refund or replacement here.
However the plan is controversial and others want a softer version of pupils needing to have passed either Maths or English at GCSE or have a minimum of two Es at A-Level to be able to attend university.
The strollers were sold between February and October of 2020 for $700 through Amazon, as well as baby stores across the US and online in charcoal, gray, night and denim colors, with about 1,290 being recalled.