The Gambler

Love, luck, and addiction collide in this bold psychological portrait of self-destruction. The Gambler is Fyodor Dostoevsky's semi-autobiographical novella chronicling the intoxicating highs and crushing lows of gambling addiction. Set in a fictional European resort, the story follows Alexei Ivanovich, a tutor entangled in a desperate chase for money, status, and unrequited love—all while consumed by the roulette wheel's seductive promise of fortune. Written under extreme financial pressure in just 26 days, The Gambler is raw, urgent, and brutally honest—a masterclass in psychological realism from one of the greatest novelists in history.