Aleshkovsky, Yuz

Yuz Aleshkovsky was born in 1929 and grew up in Moscow. After serving in the Soviet Navy and being imprisoned for insubordination, he began writing children s books and composing folk songs. His writing was deemed subversive and was censored by the state, and Aleshkovsky emigrated to the West in 1979. His books include "Kangaroo" and "The Hand", both available in English translation. He now lives in Middlefield, Connecticut, where he has been Visiting Russian Emigre Writer at Wesleyan University. He was awarded the Pushkin Prize in 2001.