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.