I gave Volodymyr Zelenskyy a copy of my book "Invasion" at the presidential palace in Kyiv. Seconds after we sat down for an interview the electricity failed, plunging us into darkness! Zelenskyy seemed relaxed, good-humoured and resilient, after almost four years of full-scale war. A remarkable guy

A wonderful book! Valerian Pidmohylnyi's 1927 novel "The City", in a new English translation by Harvard Library of Ukrainian Lit. It's an extraordinary portrait of Kyiv in the years after the revolution through the eyes of a young writer: his encounters with women (much poor behaviour) & urban life

Happy Easter! The scene this morning outside St. Volodymyr's Cathedral in Kyiv. Worshippers bring baskets to be blessed. The priest douses them with Holy water. There are giggles, and some flinching, as everyone gets wet. More than three years after Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine is unbowed

Friends! Happy Christmas! It's been a difficult year and 2025 will be tough too. How do we survive dark times? The answer, I think, is with humour, resilience, solidarity and optimism! And by taking pleasure in small things! Have a wonderful festive break and good to see you in this gentler place xx

Congratulations to @yarotrof.bsky.social who won the Peterson Literary Prize last night for his book 'Our Enemies Will Vanish'. I was delighted to make the shortlist with 'Invasion', together with finalists John Sweeney & @zygaro.bsky.social. The Toronto-based fund celebrates books about Ukraine