SOURCE: An interview in Soviet Literature, translated by Evgeni Filippov, No. 5, 1989, pp. 161-65.

In the following interview, which is based on talks between Leonov and Lysov that took place on April 26, 1983, and June 20, 1987, Leonov remarks on the difficulty of writing and the place of art in the twentieth century.

Everyone entering Leonov's house leaves the world's mundanities and vanities on the doorstep. The personality of the owner, the feeling of concern he exudes, the time that seems to flow at a different pace in his study lined with books—ancient tomes, "books constantly in use" with worn gilded bindings, and the latest publications and periodicals—everything creates a "philosophical atmosphere", makes you aware of "the age-old concerns of the world waiting to be resolved" without, however, inducing a sense of guilt if you failed to address yourself to the task. Conversations with Leonid Leonov are always unique and...