Dead Souls is a novel written by the Russian author Nikolai Gogol, first published in 1842. The book tells the story of a young man named Chichikov who travels around Russia buying up ""dead souls"" - the names of serfs who have died but are still listed on the census so that their owners can avoid paying taxes. Chichikov's plan is to use these dead souls as collateral to borrow money and start a new life for himself, but he soon becomes embroiled in a web of corruption and deceit.The novel is a satirical commentary on the corrupt and stagnant state of Russian society in the mid-19th century, and it is widely regarded as one of the greatest works of Russian literature. Gogol's writing is known for its vivid descriptions, dark humor, and sharp social commentary, and Dead Souls is no exception. The book is divided into two parts, with the first part focusing on Chichikov's travels and the second part delving deeper into the moral and philosophical questions raised by his actions.Overall, Dead Souls is a complex and thought-provoking work that explores themes of greed, corruption, and societal decay. It is a must-read for anyone interested in Russian literature or the history of 19th-century Russia.1923. Odets writes in his introduction that the brutal censorship imposed upon the great Russian Empire of Gogol�������s time by its feudal lords and masters is comparable in our time to only that imposed upon the peoples of certain Fascist states. Enlightenment was not then a word to utter lightly on a muddy street corner. But Gogol set out to enlighten the Russian people, and his method was curiously simple. Of his central character Tchitchikov, in Dead Souls he states, Him I have taken as a type to show forth the vices and failings, rather than the merits and virtues, of the commonplace Russian individual; and the characters which revolve around him have also been selected for the purpose of demonstrating our national weaknesses and shortcomings.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.