Born in Moscow, he became a military engineer, but turned to literature, publishing 'Poor Folk' in 1846.

Joining revolutionary circles in St Petersburg, he was condemned to death, reprieved at the last moment, and sent to hard labour in Siberia.

In 1859 he returned to St Petersburg, where he wrote his masterpiece 'Crime and Punishment' which sets forth a side of human nature never before portrayed with such insight and accuracy.

Two of his other great novels are 'The Idiot' and 'The Brothers Karamazov'.