Russian Classics: 5 Books Set in St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg is known as the cultural capital of Russia. As art and culture goes hand in hand with literature, it is no surprise that many great Russian classics are set in this city. Pushkin, Dostoyevsky, Akhmatova and many others roamed the streets of St. Petersburg and drew inspiration from the fates of its people. These are five books set in St. Petersburg which we recommend you to read:

1. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Dostoyevsky, who was born in Moscow, was never afraid to be critical of St. Petersburg – he described it as dirty and too crowded in his novel Crime and Punishment (Преступление и наказание). Thanks to his exact descriptions, you can really get the taste of the “Northern Venice” in the 19th century and you can even follow the steps of the main characters from their shabby apartments to Sennaya ploshchad and Griboyedov canal. It is amazing how the city has changed and somehow still stayed the same since the fictional Raskolnikov walked its streets. If you have already read the novel and find yourself in St. Petersburg, sign up for the Dostoyevsky tour organized by Liden & Denz and visit the locations from this classic novel.

2. Petersburg by Andrei Bely

According to Vladimir Nabokov, the author of Lolita, this is one of the four greatest novels of the 20th century. It takes place during the Russian Revolution of 1905, following Russia’s defeat in the war against Japan, and tells the story of Nikolai Apollonovich who is given the task to kill his own father. Petersburg (Петербург) is often compared to Ulysess, not only because the style of writing is similar, but mostly for the role the city itself plays in the story. Just like the Dublin of James Joyce, Bely’s St. Petersburg is so much more than a background to the narrative. The author is one of Russia’s leading symbolists and representatives of the “Silver Age” of Russian culture, so his novel is definitely worth a read!

3. Petersburg Tales by Nikolai Gogol

The most famous tale in Gogol’s collection of short stories is definitely The Nose (Нос). Funny and witty, it is the perfect read for your flight to St. Petersburg. You can visit the nose of Major Kovalyov on Voznesensky prospekt and follow its footsteps – who would have known that a nose has footsteps? – to Kazan cathedral and Gostiny dvor, where the nose was happily reunited with its owner. Also, do not forget to read Nevsky Prospekt (Невский проспект) before you head to St. Petersburg’s busiest street!

4. Oblomov by Ivan Goncharov

The main character of the eponymous novel lives in Gorokhovaya street in St. Petersburg and rarely leaves his home. Oblomov’s most defining trait is his laziness – he can spend the whole day in his dressing gown, sleeping and dreaming of his childhood.  In fact, he only walks from the bed to his chair in the first 50 pages of the book. Of course, the wonderful Russian language has a word for a lifestyle like that: обломовщина (oblomovshchina – Oblomovism). Oblomov is also a perfect example of the “superfluous man”, the kind of person you can meet in other Russian classics, such as Eugene Onegin by Pushkin and A Hero of Our Time by Lermontov.

5. The Story of an Unknown Man by Anton Chekhov

Written by the master of short stories, Рассказ неизвестного человека is a tale of a nameless revolutionary. He works undercover as a servant at home of the wealthy Orlov, where he is supposed to find some information about Orlov’s father, an enemy of his organization. However, he learns much more about Orlov’s private life and relationship with his mistress, Zinaida, which leaves him disillusioned. A classic Chekhov story set in the beautiful St. Petersburg – what more could you wish for?

If you are interested in Russian classic literature, be sure to check out our post on Chekhov and let us know if you liked this article on Facebook!