Dostoevsky

In late September, 1866, Fyodor Dostoevsky was in serious trouble. Desperate for money the prior year, he had made a bad bargain with a rogue publisher.

 Receiving an advance for an unwritten novel, the Russian writer promised to finish his new book by November 1, 1866. If he failed to deliver, however, the publisher would get the rights to all of Dostoevsky’s future works - for a period of ten years!

Thirty days from the deadline, Dostoevsky had yet to write the novel’s first word. But with the help of a secretary, using a new method of writing called stenography, he finished The Gambler just in time.

Who was this much-loved author? Why would he take such great risks? Who were his influences?

In this story about Dostoevsky, virtually visit nineteenth-century Russia. Meet the author, and his family. Discover how a near-death experience, during his youth, influenced the rest of his life.

Explore St. Petersburg - from its beginnings to the time when Dostoevsky made it come alive in his novels. See where the writer lived and died. Check out the stunning fountains at the Peterhof Palace. And ... step back in time to see the real places where his famous characters did their deeds.