One of his first short stories, "In the Town of Berdichev" (В городе Бердичеве), drew favourable attention and encouragement from Maxim Gorky and Mikhail Bulgakov.
Jeho prvú uverejnenú poviedku, "V meste Berdyčev" (В городе Бердичеве), si všimol Maxim Gorkij aj Michail Bulgakov.