White Nights; Poor Folk; The Double (Wordsworth Classics)

This Wordsworth paperback brings together three of Fiódor Dostoievski’s crucial early works: “White Nights,” “Poor Folk,” and “The Double.” Together, these texts capture the young writer’s fascination with the human soul, social isolation, and the fragile nature of reality. “Poor Folk,” his debut, exposes the heartbreaking struggles of the urban poor, while “White Nights” paints a melancholic picture of unrequited love. Finally, “The Double” plunges into a psychological thriller where a clerk is haunted by his own doppelgänger.

Though Dostoevsky himself doubted “The Double,” it has since been recognized as a groundbreaking precursor to modern psychological fiction. Notably, Vladimir Nabokov lauded it as a perfect work of art and the finest piece the author ever produced. The collection is remarkable for its rich, atmospheric prose and its early mastery of the interior monologue, showcasing a writer who was already redefining the boundaries of the nineteenth-century novel.

This collection is an ideal choice for students and devoted admirers of Russian literature who want to explore the formative years of a literary giant. It is perfect for readers who appreciate deep character studies, gothic undertones, and stories that challenge our perception of sanity.