Vital Question, or, What is to be Done?

Written in 1863 by Nikolai Chernyshevsky while imprisoned in the Peter & Paul Fortress, 'What Is To Be Done?' is a novel that explores the lives of idealistic revolutionaries in tsarist Russia. The story features Vera Pavlovna, an independent woman, and the radical Rakhmetov, showcasing themes of social change and personal sacrifice. Despite being criticized by contemporaries like Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy, the book is notable for its influence on later revolutionary thought and its portrayal of a quest for a better society.