The Friend of the Family

An exuberant farce from a treasure of world literature.

At the country estate of kindly Colonel Rostanev, parasitic houseguest Foma Opiskin has brought everyone under his sway. Now Opiskin plans to marry off his host to a wealthy widow. Will the Colonel give way to Opiskin's bullying and sacrifice the love of his life, Nastasya? Or will he finally resist the petty tyrant's demands?

Farcical and effervescent with absurdity, this short novel is a sparkling example of Dostoyevsky's comic side - and a microcosmic portrait of Russia on the verge of upheaval and transformation.

Part of the Pushkin Press Classics series: timeless storytelling by icons of literature, hand-picked from around the globe.

Translated by Ignat Avsey