A Bad Business

Essential Stories

'Reminds us how extremely funny he could be' A.N. Wilson, TLS

'The man more than any other who has created modern prose' James Joyce

A refreshingly accessible way in to this iconic Russian writer, focusing on his shorter works.

From scorching satire to unexpected tenderness, this selection of Dostoyevsky's short fiction shows off his dazzling versatility as a writer.

In it, a civil servant finds a new passion for his work when he's swallowed alive by a crocodile; an arrogant gentleman provokes uproar at a subordinate's wedding, and in the marital bed; and a young boy finds unexpected salvation on a cold and desolate Christmas Eve.

This vivid new translation by prestigious co-translators captures all the Russian master's sharp comedy, psychological intensity and impossible fantasy.

Part of the Pushkin Press Classics series: timeless storytelling by icons of literature, hand-picked from around the globe.

Translated by Nicolas Pasternak-Slater and Maya Slater

Fyodor Dostoyevsky was born in Moscow in 1821. A strong critic of the tsarist regime, he spent four years in a Siberian prison camp followed by six years of military service in exile. A renowned writer and journalist, his masterpieces of psychological and existential fiction include Crime and Punishment, The Idiot, The Brothers Karamazov and Notes from Underground.

Contributor: Nicolas Slater Pasternak (Translated by), Maya Slater (Translated by)

Translator: Nicolas Slater Pasternak, Maya Slater

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