It's here! Browse the 2024 Penguin Christmas gift guide
A Hero of Our Time

A Hero of Our Time

Summary

A masterpiece of Russian prose, Lermontov's only novel was influential for many later 19th century authors, including Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, and Chekhov. Lermotov's hero, Pechorin, is a dangerous man, Byronic in his wasted gifts and his cynicism, and desperate for any kind of action that will stave off boredom. In five linked episodes, Lermontov builds up a portrait of a man caught in and expressing the sickness of his times.

About the author

Mikhail Lermontov

Learn More

Sign up to the Penguin Newsletter

For the latest books, recommendations, author interviews and more