Poor Folk is Fyodor Dostoevsky’s debut novel, told through letters between two impoverished relatives in 1840s St. Petersburg. As they share daily worries, small joys, and mounting pressures, the book reveals how money, pride, and kindness collide in a harsh social world. Written with deep empathy and sharp observation, it’s both an intimate character study and a critique of inequality. You should read it for its emotional honesty, its vivid sense of place, and the way it captures the dignity and vulnerability of ordinary people—quietly powerful, human, and unforgettable.