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Poor Folk

Bednye lyudi

Fyodor Dostoevsky · translated by C. J. Hogarth

Dostoevsky's first novel: letters between Makar Dievushkin, a poor clerk, and Barbara Alexievna, a young woman he tries to help.

Poor Folk is Dostoevsky's first novel, written as an exchange of letters between Makar Dievushkin, a poor clerk in a government office, and Barbara Alexievna, a young woman living in poverty nearby. Each letter is headed with its date.

This edition is the English translation by C. J. Hogarth, complete with every letter of the source edition.

Who it's for

  • Readers new to Dostoevsky
  • Readers who enjoy novels in letters

What you get

  • The book as EPUB, PDF, delivered to your library after payment.
  • Bought on its own: yours to keep.

Read a passage

DEAREST MISTRESS BARBARA ALEXIEVNA,—I pray you, my beloved, to tell me what ails you. Every one of your letters fills me with alarm. On the other hand, in every letter I urge you to be more careful of yourself, and to wrap up yourself warmly, and to avoid going out in bad weather, and to be in all things prudent. Yet you go and disobey me! Ah, little angel, you are a perfect child! I know well that you are as weak as a blade of grass, and that, no matter what wind blows upon you, you are ready to fade. But you must be careful of yourself, dearest; you MUST look after yourself better; you MUST avoid all risks, lest you plunge your friends into desolation and despair.

Contents

  1. 01April 8th
  2. 02April 8th
  3. 03April 8th
  4. 04April 9th
  5. 05April 12th
  6. 06April 25th
  7. 07May 20th
  8. 08June 1st
  9. 09June 11th
  10. 10June 12th.
  11. 11June 20th.
  12. 12June 21st.
  13. 13June 22nd.
  14. 14June 25th.
  15. 15June 26th.
  16. 16June 27th.
  17. 17June 28th.
  18. 18July 1st.
  19. 19July 7th.
  20. 20July 8th.
  21. 21July 27th.
  22. 22July 28th.
  23. 23July 28th.
  24. 24July 29th.
  25. 25August 1st.
  26. 26August 2nd.
  27. 27August 3rd.
  28. 28August 4th.
  29. 29August 4th.
  30. 30August 5th.
  31. 31August 5th.
  32. 32August 11th.
  33. 33August 13th.
  34. 34August 14th.
  35. 35August 19th.
  36. 36August 21st.
  37. 37September 3rd.
  38. 38September 5th.
  39. 39September 9th.
  40. 40September 10th.
  41. 41September 11th.
  42. 42September 15th.
  43. 43September 18th.
  44. 44September 19th.
  45. 45September 23rd.
  46. 46September 23rd.
  47. 47September 27th.
  48. 48September 27th.
  49. 49September 28th.
  50. 50September 28th.
  51. 51September 29th.
  52. 52September 30th.

About this edition

Author
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Translator
C. J. Hogarth
Era
Modern (c. 1800–1945)
Reading level
Introductory: no background needed
Formats
EPUB, PDF
Length
169 pages
First published
1846
This edition
Modern Philosophers