Originally published in 1981, this textbook was intended for university and college students, as well as advanced groups in schools, who were being introduced to Russian literature. It was the first book of its kind, and its purpose was twofold: to give those with a modicum of Russian an indication of the range and skill of Russian writers over the last 150 years; and to provide students with a wide selection of texts for explication, a technique neglected in the study of Russian literature. As part of the author's broader approach to the promotion of Russian literature for those whose grasp of the language may be limited, he provides rather literal translations of the texts in the first part, which are not intended to be models.