A Bad Business: Essential Stories

A collection of 6 thrilling short stories by the classic Russian author of Crime and Punishment, full of existential angst and wicked humor.

“A sprightly new translation... [that] reminds us how extremely funny [Dostoevsky] could be.” –Times Literary Supplement

With stories ranging from impossible fantasy to scorching satire, this wonderful collection from the renowned author of Crime and Punishment is the perfect introduction to one of the greatest of all fiction writers.

A civil servant finds a new passion for his work – and a taste for fame – when he's swallowed alive by a crocodile. A struggling writer stumbles on a cemetery where the dead still talk to each other. An arrogant but well-intentioned gentleman provokes an uproar at a subordinate's wedding, and in the marital bed. A widowed pawnbroker remembers the events leading to his marriage, in an attempt to understand his wife’s death. And a young boy finds unexpected salvation on a cold and desolate Christmas Eve.

This vivid new translation by Nicolas Pasternak Slater and Maya Slater illuminates Dostoyevsky's dazzling versatility as a writer. His remarkable short fiction swings from wickedly sharp humour to gripping psychological intensity, from cynical social mockery to moments of unexpected tenderness.

A microcosm of Dostoyevsky’s themes, these stories offer existential insight, an indictment of social inequality, and extremes of agony and ecstasy. They also showcase his lesser-known comic mode, in flashes of satirical brilliance and antic farce. This collection provides a palette holding each shade of Dostoyevsky’s talent – and of human experience.