In order to try to make myself look smart, I resort to reading classics

Dostoevsky's Poor People is a very quick read, particularly when you consider that some of his more famous works will be the thickest books on your shelf. Years ago, in high school, I was amazed when I read Notes from the Underground, and have always wanted to come back for more of Dostoevsky's cannon. This is his first novel, and I will say it does not pack the punch of NFTU, but is nonetheless a fine and absorbing read. It is an epistolary novel, following the letters of two Russians, one young woman and an aging older man. It is something of a challenge to read between the lines of their letters and find their true meaning, and see their actual struggle. Maybe a good starting point for someone like me, who is not entirely familiar with Dostoevsky and wants to ease my feet into the water, before getting caught up in The Idiot, The Brothers Karamazov, or Crime and Punishment. I'm looking forward to tackling some of these books in the not too distant future.