By Nicolay Gogol; Translated by Isaac Levine from the Russian; Edited with a New Preface by Colin Heston.

What happens when confidence becomes deception—and when courtship becomes panic?

In these two enduring comic masterpieces, Nikolai Gogol exposes the weaknesses, ambitions, and absurdities that continue to shape human behavior nearly two centuries after they were written.

In The Gamblers, a professional card sharp believes himself the cleverest man in the room. Skilled in deception and confident in his ability to outwit anyone he meets, he eagerly pursues what appears to be the opportunity of a lifetime. But Gogol's brilliant comedy of fraud, greed, and manipulation reveals an uncomfortable truth: those who think themselves impossible to deceive are often the easiest victims.

In Marriage, a timid bachelor finds himself pursued toward the altar by an energetic friend, an impatient matchmaker, and a bewildering collection of social expectations. As rival suitors compete for the hand of the eligible Agafya Tikhonovna, confusion, hesitation, and comic chaos multiply. The result is one of the funniest examinations of courtship ever written, culminating in one of the most famous comic endings in world theatre.

Presented here in lively modern English, this edition updates the classic 1927 translation to make Gogol's wit, satire, and unforgettable characters accessible to contemporary readers while preserving the spirit and dramatic power of the original works.

Sharp, humorous, and surprisingly modern, The Gamblers and Marriage remains a brilliant portrait of human folly, exposing the eternal temptations of greed, vanity, self-deception, and fear of commitment.

For readers who enjoy classic comedy, social satire, and timeless observations of human nature, these two masterpieces demonstrate why Gogol remains one of the greatest comic writers in world literature.

This edition includes:

• A new Preface by Colin Heston

• Modernized adaptations of both plays

• Editorial corrections and updated language

• Complete texts of The Gamblers and Marriage

• An accessible introduction to Gogol's enduring comic genius

Laugh at the characters if you wish—but be prepared to recognize something of yourself in them.

Read-Me.Org Inc. New York-Philadelphia-Australia. 2026. 203 p.

By Nicolay Gogol; Translated by Thomas Seltzer from the Russian; Edited with a New Preface by Colin Heston.
A Comedy in Five Acts
What happens when a corrupt town is terrified by the rumor of a government inspection—and mistakes the wrong man for the inspector?

First performed in 1836, The Inspector-General (Revizor) is Nicolay Gogol's immortal masterpiece of satire, one of the most influential comedies ever written. Set in a remote provincial town of Imperial Russia, the play begins when local officials learn that a secret government inspector is on his way from St. Petersburg. Panic spreads through the administration. Bribes have been taken, records have been neglected, justice has been compromised, and public services are in disarray. Desperate to conceal their misconduct, the town's leaders mistakenly identify a young, penniless civil servant as the feared inspector.

What follows is a brilliant comedy of deception, vanity, corruption, and self-delusion. As the bewildered visitor discovers his unexpected power, the town's officials compete to flatter, bribe, and impress him, exposing their own greed and incompetence in increasingly absurd and hilarious ways.

More than a nineteenth-century Russian farce, The Inspector-General remains strikingly relevant today. Gogol's penetrating observations about bureaucracy, political fear, official misconduct, and the misuse of authority continue to resonate wherever institutions place appearances above integrity. His unforgettable characters reveal timeless truths about human weakness, ambition, and the corrupting influence of power.

This edition features Thomas Seltzer's classic English translation together with a new Preface by Colin Heston examining Gogol's life, the historical background of the play, its enduring relevance, and its place among the greatest works of world literature.

A landmark of Russian drama, The Inspector-General combines laughter with sharp social criticism and remains as entertaining—and as unsettling—as when it first astonished audiences nearly two centuries ago.

This Read-Me.Org Classic Reprint includes:

• The complete text of Gogol's celebrated comedy
• Thomas Seltzer's English translation from the Russian
• A new scholarly Preface by Colin Heston
• Historical publication information
• Original cast and performance notes

A timeless masterpiece of satire that reminds us that corruption often reveals itself long before any inspector arrives.

Read-Me.Org Inc. New York-Philadelphia-Australia. 2026. 124 p.