Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky (Russian: Фёдор Миха́йлович Достое́вский; 11 November 1821 – 9 February 1881) was a Russian novelist, short story writer, journalist, and philosopher. He is one of the world’s most widely read and celebrated writers. His novels offer a profound understanding of the human psyche and provide insightful analysis of the political, social, and spiritual state of 19th-century Russia, and deal with a variety of philosophical and religious themes.