Top 10 Classic Russian Novels

Russia’s rich literary tradition spans many centuries, but it is the 19th century (1800-1900) that many scholars refer to as “The Golden Era.” The following ten novels are classic works that emerged during this prominent period.

1. Eugene Onegin by Alexander Pushkin
Written entirely in verse, Eugene Onegin is the story of a disillusioned young aristocrat who moves to the country and rejects the love of a besotted maiden. With themes covering the relationship between fiction and real life and the shaping power of art, Pushkin’s work has been adapted for the stage and film.

2. A Hero of Our Time by Mikhail Lermontov
A Hero of Our Time, written in five linked episodes, tells the shocking history of a cynical man who embarks upon a series of adventures to stave off the boredom of life. Lermontov’s novel, with its archetypical Byronic hero, was a source of inspiration for many later Russian authors, including Fyodor Dostoevsky and Leo Tolstoy.

3. Dead Souls by Nikolai Gogol
One of the most well-known works in 19th-century Russian literature, Dead Souls follows the adventures of a Chichiko, a middle class man eager to gain wealth and prestige by any means. This well-received novel has been made into a play, opera, television miniseries, and a two-part radio program.

4. Notes From Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky
This short novel relays the struggles of an anonymous narrator, later known as the Underground Man, who is plagued by feelings of alienation and bitterness. Notes From Underground contains political, moral, social, and religious themes and has been adapted for the stage.

5. The Gambler by Fyodor Dostoevsky
The Gambler follows the life of a young gambler and his difficult relationship with the woman he loves. Fyodor Dostoevsky, a gambler himself, was forced to write The Gambler under and an extremely tight deadline in order to pay off extensive gambling tests.

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