The Gambler

In this dark and compelling short novel, Fyodor Dostoevsky tells the story of Alexey Ivanovitch, a young tutor working in the household of an imperious Russian general. Alexey tries to break through the wall of the established order in Russia, but instead becomes mired in the endless downward spiral of betting and loss. His intense and inescapable addiction is accentuated by his affair with the General's cruel yet seductive niece, Polina. InThe Gambler, Dostoevsky reaches the heights of drama with this stunning psychological portrait.

<b>Constance Garnett</b> (1862–1946) translated the works of numerous Russian authors, including Tolstoy, Gogol, Pushkin, and Turgenev.<br><br><b>Gary Saul Morson</b> is a Francis Hooper Professor in the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures at Northwestern University. He is the author of dozens of books and articles, and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.