He was a professor at the Department of World Literature and Culture of Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), often considered the most elite university of the USSR.

The biography earned Bykov the 2006 National Bestseller (Национальный бестселлер) and Big Book (Большая Книга) awards.

Yefremov reads poems, written by Bykov, which are usually satirical comments on contemporary Russian society, politics and culture.

It was originally broadcast on Dozhd TV channel, but the project was closed because the poems were too critical of the Russian government.

For years, the show had been hosted in audio format by Echo of Moscow radio station.In mid-April 2019, while aboard a domestic flight en route to Ufa, Bykov fainted and was hospitalized upon arrival.

[10][11] The possible poisoning of Bykov by Russian government agents was reportedly investigated, along with other similar cases, by Christo Grozev of Bellingcat.