Pikovaja Dama / Barysnja-Krest'janka 

Pikovaja Dama / Barysnja-Krest'janka
'The Queen of Spades' and 'Mistress into Maid'.

'The Queen of Spades' deals with the horrors of gambling mania as experienced by a young officer. He is told that there is a story about a combination of cards which can make gamblers win a fortune...

'Mistress into Maid' is a story of a young love - the heroine is a playful girl of seventeen - she uses all tricks in the book to get the object of her desires.

ALEXANDER PUSHKIN (1799-1837)

He was a Russian author of the Romantic era, and by many considered to be the greatest Russian poet and the founder of modern Russian literature. Pushkin pioneered the use of vernacular speech in his plays and poems, creating a style of storytelling - mixing drama, romance and satire - associated with Russian literature ever since and greatly influencing later Russian writers. He also wrote historical fiction. His Marie: A Story of Russian Love provides insight into Russia during the reign of Catherine the Great.