The short works of Dostoevsky exist in the very large shadow of his astonishing longer novels, but they too are among literature's most revered works and offer keys to understanding the themes in his longer works. Contained in this volume are the short stories ""White Nights,"" ""A Disgraceful Affair,"" and ""The Dream of the Ridiculous Man,"" three of Dostoevsky's most troubling, moving, and poignant works.