A compulsive gambler himself at a certain period of his life, Dostoyevsky wrote this novel with real authority. Set in the appropriately named Roulettenburg, a German spa with a casino and an international clientele, it concerns the gambling episodes, tangled love affairs, and complicated lives of Alexey Ivanovitch, a young gambler; Polina Alexandrovna, the woman he loves; a pair of French adventurers, and other characters.
Although not as dark as some of Dostoyevsky's other works, The Gambler nevertheless offers a grim and psychologically probing picture of the fatal attractions of gambling. Among its strengths are its well-drawn characters — Aunt Antonida, although lightly sketched in, is especially delightful — and its faithful depiction of life among the gambling set in fashionable German watering holes. This edition reprints Constance Garnett's authoritative translation.
Availability | Usually ships in 24 to 48 hours |
ISBN 10 | 0486290816 |
ISBN 13 | 9780486290812 |
Author/Editor | Fyodor Dostoyevsky |
Format | Book |
Grade level | 9 and Up (ages 14 and up) |
Page Count | 128 |
Dimensions | 5 x 8 |