Vital Question, or, What is to be Done?

Despised by literary giants Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy, Chernyshevskys What Is To Be Done? offers a gripping and empathetic portrayal of idealistic revolutionaries navigating the oppressive landscape of mid-nineteenth century tsarist Russia. Translator Nathan Haskell Dole passionately asserts in his preface that this is a thrilling narrative that will captivate readers from start to finish. The novel features a diverse cast of characters, including the fiercely independent Vera Pavlovna and the inspiring radical Rakhmetov. Written from the depths of the notorious Peter & Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg—often referred to as the Abu Ghraib of tsarist Russia—the author later faced years of exile in Siberia. Despite Dostoyevskys scorn for Chernyshevskys work, particularly in The Possessed and Notes From Underground, the novels legacy lies in its profound influence on future revolutionaries and activists who embraced a life of asceticism and self-sacrifice. - Summary by Expatriate