N.V. Gogol's book includes stories from "Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka" ("Sorochinskaya Fair," "May Night, or Drowned Woman," etc.), from "Mirgorod" ("Taras Bulba," "Viy," etc.), the story of the so-called "Petersburg" cycle ("Nose," "Portrait," "Overcoat"), as well as "Rome." These works consistently represent the various stages of the writer's career.