The Russian writer Nikolai Leskov (1831-1895) was often referred to as the most Russian of all Russian poets. Western European influences, mindsets, and interests were completely foreign to his work. His impact on contemporary Russian literature was, in turn, enormously significant. In a conversation with Gorky, Tolstoy even placed him above Dostoevsky. He showcased his greatest talent particularly in longer and shorter novellas and in uniquely told anecdotes. His stories immerse the reader in the vivid image of old Russia. This edition includes a novella very well-known in Russia, "Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk District," which has often been performed as a play or as an opera by Dmitri Shostakovich.