The diary of a superfluous man, and other stories

"The Diary of a Superfluous Man and Other Stories" by Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev is a selection of short stories giving readers a look into 19th-century Russia. The collection focuses on characters grappling with feelings of being outsiders and questions the values of society, with the main story introducing Tchulkatúrin, a man facing his own feelings of worthlessness. The story follows the inner lives of these characters, looking at the hard truths about life, love, and what it means to be human. Through key moments in the main story, like Tchulkatúrin looking back on his life as he awaits death, we see his feelings of pointlessness. His difficult childhood, with a gambling father and a strict mother, greatly shaped him. Recalling moments from his past, he deals with not feeling good enough as he tries to find himself in a society who doesn't seem to care. Tchulkatúrin's deep thoughts bring readers into a story about what it means to feel like you don't matter.