3 EASY steps to help you fall in LOVE with Russian literature!

Alexandra Guzeva

Apr 18 2026

Gateway to Russia (Photo: vectortatu, Katerina Koniukhova/Getty Images)

Want to read Russian literature, but scared it’s too long and complicated? Don’t be afraid, we’ll give you a short and handy guide on the most important and, at the same time, exciting pieces.

Let’s be honest: Everyone who reads Tolstoy or Dostoevsky, immediately becomes their fan. But, do you have enough lonely evenings to get immersed in those thousands of pages? It requires at least stopping endlessly scrolling your phone!

Also, Russian literature isn’t ALL about suffering. So, here’s what you need to start with if you are a beginner.

Step One. The basics

Russians consider Alexander Pushkin as their number one writer. So, don’t hesitate to start with any of his works. We recommend reading prose first: ‘Captain’s Daughter’, ‘Belkin Tales’, ‘Dubrovsky’ – all stunning novellas! And then, surely get acquainted with ‘Eugene Onegin’, a great novel in verse, that is funny, elegant and has an intriguing plot!

Read Pushkin in our 'Content hub' section.

Step Two. Laugh out loud

Craving something like ‘Odyssey’? An epic, but easier and funnier? Nikolai Gogol wrote his ‘Dead Souls’ exactly for this case. A scammer travels around Russia buying… dead serfs. It’s weird, witty and wild! And, well, with very lyrical thoughts about that very mysterious Russian soul.

Read ‘Dead Souls’ in our 'Content hub' section.

Step Three. Small formats

Anton Chekhov was very good at not only plays (that are still performed in theaters today), but also in short stories (Like, really short!). But, not him alone. Scroll through short stories collections by other Soviet authors, too: Mikhail Zoshchenko, Mikhail Bulgakov or Sergei Dovlatov. Exotic and very talented!

Read a Chekhov short story in out 'Content hub' section.

Happy reading!