Description

Dostoevsky relentlessly explores the complexity of human nature, exposing its vulnerability to vices, social pressure, and existential despair. In each story, deep compassion for the fallen and the downtrodden is evident, alongside a sharp critique of hypocrisy and the moral decay of society. The author forces us to peer into the abyss of despair that can lead a person to extreme decisions, yet at the same time, never deprives them of hope for redemption and transformation through love and mercy. Even in the most repellent images and seemingly base situations, Dostoevsky seeks and finds sparks of genuine humanity capable of resisting decay and oblivion. He shows that true insight often comes through suffering, and that mercy and kindness can manifest themselves in the most unexpected and, seemingly, coarse hearts.

These stories are not just narratives, but moral parables, each serving as a reminder of the need to maintain dignity, fight inner demons, and see light in the darkest circumstances. They invite the reader to self-reflection, compassion, and the search for the true meaning of life, which, according to Dostoevsky, is always connected with faith, love, and the unconditional value of every human soul.

This collection contains Dostoevsky’s shortest stories.

1. The Honest Thief
2. The Christmas Tree and the Wedding
3. The Boy at Christ’s Christmas Tree
4. Two Suicides
5. The Verdict
6. Bobok
7. Polzunkov
8. The Peasant Marey