Gogol's collection includes the title story about Akaky Akakievich, a poor clerk in St. Petersburg who copies documents all day. When he saves up to buy a new overcoat, it becomes the center of his life, and when thieves steal it, he seeks help from officials who ignore him. The book also includes stories such as The Nose, in which a man's nose leaves his face and walks around the city as a state official, and Diary of a Madman, which follows a clerk's slide into delusion.
Russian literature is said to have come out of this overcoat, and the stories blend comedy, bureaucracy, and the uncanny. They suit readers who want a quick introduction to Gogol and Russian satire.
Deep and thought-provoking; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Deep Diver. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1836
- Language
- EN
