Maxim Gorky: 62 books

It is certainly a curious fact that so many of the voices of what is called our modern religion have come from countries which are not only simple, but may even be called barbaric. A nation like Norway has a great realistic drama without having ever had either a great classical drama or a great romantic...

This collection of short biographies about Chekhov includes: Fragments of Recollections by Gorky, To Chekhov's Memory by Kuprin, and A. P. Chekhov by Bunin.

The novel, written in the times when Gorky became keenly interested in the new quasi-religious God-Building movement, horrified Vladimir Lenin who on several occasions criticized the attempts to unite Socialism and Christianity. ( Wikipedia)

A collection of three short stories: Twenty-six and One, Tchelkache & Malva.

Conceive the joy of a lover of nature who, leaving the art galleries, wanders out among the trees and wild flowers and birds that the pictures of the galleries have sentimentalised. It is some such joy that the man who truly loves the noblest in letters feels when tasting for the first time the simple...

Ten of the greatest authors of all time present their great works in the short story genre. A great compilation of tales for all tastes with the  great geniuses of literature in his most acclaimed works.  This selection specially chosen by the literary critic  August Nemo, contains the following...

The cellar resembles a cave, with only one small window to illuminate its dank recesses. In a corner, thin boards partition off the room of Vaska, the young thief. In the kitchen live Kvashnya (Dough), a vendor of meat pies, the decrepit Baron, and the streetwalker Nastya. All around the room are...

Set amongst the whores, alcoholics, cynics and doss house dreamers of a Russia on the brink of revolution, The Lower Depths is a harrowing, violent and uncompromising portrayal of the human spirit at its lowest ebb, with destitution and death an ever present spectre.

A volume of short stories representing the later work of the Russian novelist, the fruit of his sojourn in Capri. It is interesting to note how this change of environment altered not merely his point of view, but even his literary style.

(Excerpt): "In “The Lower Depths” more than in any other single play throughout its history, the Moscow Art Theatre concentrates its dramatic ideals and methods, its esthetic theory and practice, and through the production of this play it most emphaticall

(Excerpt): "Almost every Saturday, just before the All-Night Vigil Service, from two windows in the cellar of merchant Petúnnikoff's old and filthy house, opening on the narrow court-yard encumbered with various utensils, and built up with wooden servant

A collection of stories from both Russia and Italy.  All of them are romance and/or mystery, and all of them are difficult to put down.  Recommended!