Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky, the greatest of Russia’s 19th-century writers and one of the greatest writers of all times, was born in Moscow in 1821. In 1846, he published his first book Poor Folk, which instantly received wide-spread acclaim. In 1849 he was incarcerated for being a member of a subversive-revolutionist group and sentenced to death. At the last moment, the verdict was altered to hard labor in Siberia. During his imprisonment, his worldview changed dramatically, and he turned from a socialist revolutionist into a dedicated monarchist and member of the Russian Orthodox Church. After his return from Siberia, the most important stage of his creative career began, culminating in his masterpieces: Crime and Punishment, The Idiot, Demons, and The Brothers Karamazov.