From the author of Crime and Punishment comes this remarkable collection of short fiction. A selection of ten compelling tales, steeped in Dostoyevsky’s characteristic themes of spiritual torment and psychological struggle, evoke life in Czarist Russia. Featured stories include "The Dream of a Ridiculous Man, " "Bobok, " "An Honest Thief, " "An Unpleasant Predicament, " "Another Man’s Wife, " "The Peasant Marey, " "The Crocodile, " "A Faint Heart, " "A Christmas Tree and a Wedding, " and the title work. Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1821–1881) created powerful depictions of the human condition that led to significant developments in twentieth-century thought, including psychoanalysis and existentialism. His influence resonates in the works of latter-day authors such as Proust, Faulkner, Hemingway, and Kafka. This collection of his short stories offers thought-provoking glimpses into the Russian author’s moving portrayals of the conflict between flesh and spirit.