Subject
Russians -- Germany -- Fiction Books
Best books
Fyodor Dostoyevsky
The Gambler
"The Gambler" by Fyodor Dostoyevsky is a short novel completed in 1866. Set in a German casino town, it follows Alexei Ivanovich, a young tutor working for an indebted Russian family awaiting a wealthy relative's death. Hopelessly in love with his employer's stepdaughter Polina, Alexei becomes drawn into the intoxicating world of roulette. The novel reflects Dostoyevsky's own struggles with gambling addiction, capturing the fevered psychology of risk, obsession, and the desperate pursuit of fortune at the gaming tables.
Samuel Spewack
Exiles of the sky
"Exiles of the Sky" by Samuel Spewack is a dramatic narrative written in the early 20th century. The story revolves around the struggles of a pilot named Vladimir Uspensky, highlighting themes of despair, redemption, and the longing for one's homeland. The book encapsulates the challenges faced by individuals in a post-war Europe, particularly reflecting the emotional and psychological burdens carried by those displaced by conflict. The plot follows Vladimir Uspensky, who faces disgrace after a crash leads to his dismissal from the airline where he has worked for years. Haunted by guilt and a sense of failure, he grapples with his identity and worth as a pilot. In a desperate bid to prove himself, he steals a plane to demonstrate his flying abilities. However, he crashes again and is rescued by a Russian girl named Tatiana living in Pomerania. Their interactions reveal shared experiences of loss and yearning, allowing Vladimir to find hope and healing through their connection. The story culminates with his return to flying, symbolizing not only personal redemption but also the enduring spirit of those exiled from their true homes.
Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Sämtliche Werke 21 : $b Der Spieler. Der ewige Gatte : Zwei Romane
"Sämtliche Werke 21 : Der Spieler. Der ewige Gatte : Zwei Romane" by Dostoyevsky is a collection of two novels written in the late 19th century. The volume couples a tale of gambling fever and romantic obsession at a European spa with a stark psychological study of jealousy and humiliation. In the first, a young Russian tutor is drawn to the roulette table and to the proud Polina amid a circle of schemers and pretenders; in the second, a haunted widower confronts a former rival. Across both, money, pride, and desire strip away social veneers among émigré Russians abroad. The opening of Der Spieler follows Alexei, tutor to a Russian General’s family, as he rejoins them in Roulettenburg, where they posture as wealthy while quietly awaiting an inheritance from the ailing “Babushka.” The General dazzles and borrows, a slick French “marquis” and the calculating Mademoiselle Blanche circle, and the shy Englishman Mr. Astley silently adores Polina. Alexei’s charged, unequal bond with Polina dominates: she commands him to gamble for her, and he first wins a tidy sum, then rashly loses everything, even as he grows convinced he will surely win when playing for himself. Between tense dinners and nationalist spats, Alexei studies the casino’s rituals, the genteel pose versus plebeian hunger, and the household’s dependence on news of the old woman’s death. Polina hints at urgent debts and presses him for more money, while Alexei’s pride, passion, and fatalism harden into a vow to test his luck alone. The section ends with their strained exchange hanging in the air and the roulette wheel looming as his chosen fate.
Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Pelaaja
"Pelaaja" by Fyodor Dostoyevsky is a short novel completed in 1866. Set in a German casino town, it follows Alexei Ivanovich, a tutor to a debt-ridden Russian family desperately awaiting a wealthy aunt's inheritance. Alexei becomes entangled in their schemes while hopelessly devoted to Polina, the General's stepdaughter who treats him with cruel indifference. When the aunt arrives and succumbs to gambling fever herself, the fragile hopes of everyone unravel. The novel reflects Dostoyevsky's own addiction to roulette and the destructive power of obsession.
Recently surfaced classics