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Written by a man with his own gaming addiction, The Gambler paints a stark picture of the attractions--and devastating costs--of gambling. Using skillful characterization, Dostoevsky paints a fascinating picture of casino life in the fictious town of Roulettenburg, Germany. This classic, probing psychological novel explores the tangled love affairs and complicated lives of a young gambler and the woman he loves. Dostoevsky's novel inspired two hit movies, both of which shared the book's title: the first in 1974, starring James Caan, Lauren Hutton, and Paul Sorvino; and the second in 2014 starring Mark Wahlberg, Jessica Lange, and John Goodman.
About the author
Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky (1821 - 1881), sometimes transliterated Dostoevsky, was a Russian novelist, short story writer, essayist, journalist and philosopher. Dostoyevsky's literary works explore human psychology in the troubled political, social and spiritual atmosphere of 19th-century Russia and engage with a variety of philosophical and religious themes. He began writing in his 20s and his first novel, Poor Folk, was published in 1846 when he was 25. Dostoevsky's major works include Crime and Punishment (1866), The Idiot (1869), Demons (1872) and The Brothers Karamazov (1880). His oeuvre consists of 11 novels, three novellas, 17 short novels and numerous other works. Many literary critics rate him as one of the greatest psychologists in world literature. His 1864 novella Notes from Underground is considered to be one of the first works of existentialist literature.
