Poor People Book

An early example of Dostoevsky's genius. Written as a series of letters, Poor People tells the tragic tale of a petty clerk and his impossible love for a young girl in a magnificently presented volume.

Library Journal

This epistolary novel, Dostoevsky's first published work of fiction, reveals glimpses of the brilliance that would reach its fullest expression in his more acclaimed later works. Makar Alexievitch Dievushkin, an impoverished middle-aged government clerk, devotes himself to the care of his ailing neighbor, young Barbara Alexievna Dobroselova. Their relationship develops primarily through correspondence by which each comes to know the personal history of the other. These letters become the vehicle for a passionately expressed but impractical love. Makar endures deprivations of every sort to provide little gifts and financial support to Barbara, who complains about his excessive generosity while welcoming the comforts. When Barbara consents to marry a wealthy suitor, Makar tries hopelessly in his final letter to dissuade her. Though Patrick Cullen and Julia Emlen often rely on melodramatics to convey the emotions of the characters, they nonetheless provide a satisfactory interpretation of a minor work from a master storyteller. Recommended for general and academic library collections. Philip Bader, Pasadena, CA Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.