Pushkin is often overshadowed by later Russian writers whose works have achieved more extensive critical acclaim. Yet he is deservedly regarded as Russia’s foremost poet and holds a unique place in that country’s literature and history. The creator of a body of poetry that has endured in its appeal and remains unsurpassed in quality, Pushkin revitalized the language and culture of the educated Russian people, leaving an inheritance of artistic potential for his successors. This book gives a clear, detailed and accessible account of all Pushkin’s poetry, from the heroic and the sentimental to the bawdy and humorous, as well as a briefer consideration of his major prose works. Its approach should present no difficulty to the reader who only has a limited knowledge of Russian, and above all, emphasizes the challenging and adventurous spirit of enjoyment in the work of this major poet.