The Gambler
The Gambler, published in 1866, was dictated by Fyodor Dostoyevsky in less than a month to meet a contract that would otherwise have cost him the rights to his work. Its narrator, Alexey Ivanovitch, is tutor to the children of a ruined Russian general living at the German spa of Roulettenburg, where the whole household waits for a rich grandmother in Moscow to die. Alexey is in love with the general's stepdaughter Polina and, through her, is drawn to the roulette table. When the grandmother arrives alive and sits down to play, the plot turns. Dostoyevsky knew the subject from his own losses, and the book is a sharp short study of obsession. The translation is by C. J. Hogarth. The full text is available to read online in your browser on Vinteuil, and the first chapter is free.
Start reading right away, without signing up. The complete text is included in Vinteuil Reading, or yours forever with a one-time purchase.
Frequently asked questions about The Gambler
The Gambler by Fyodor Dostoyevsky can be read online on Vinteuil, directly in your browser. The first chapter is free for everyone; the complete book is included in Vinteuil Reading ($4.99/month or $39.99/year) or yours forever for $2.99.
Can I read The Gambler online?
Yes. The Gambler opens right on this page, in a reader designed for long reading: adjustable text size, light, sepia and dark themes, a clickable table of contents and your place saved when you are signed in. No download or app is needed.
Is The Gambler free to read on Vinteuil?
The first chapter of The Gambler is free, without an account. To read the whole book, either buy its online reading for $2.99 (£2.99 in the UK) and keep it forever, or subscribe to Vinteuil Reading for $4.99/month (£4.99/month in the UK) or $39.99/year, with 1 month free for new subscribers. The subscription opens every book in the library and can be cancelled at any time.
Is The Gambler in the public domain?
Yes. The Gambler by Fyodor Dostoyevsky is a public-domain work, here in the translation by C. J. Hogarth. Vinteuil offers a carefully prepared digital edition made for comfortable reading on screen.
How long does it take to read The Gambler?
About 4 h 02 min of reading, at an average reading pace. Your place is saved automatically when you are signed in, so you can read in several sittings and on several devices.
What kind of book is The Gambler?
The Gambler by Fyodor Dostoyevsky is filed under "Fiction" in the Vinteuil library.
