In Turgenevs last and most expansive novel, we journey into late nineteenth-century Russia, where a group of disillusioned young individuals challenge the rigid social hierarchies and power dynamics of their time. Driven by a fervent desire to inspire revolutionary change among the peasant and working classes, they rally around a Populist cause. This compelling narrative weaves together a rich tapestry of characters—from aristocrats to artists, from workers to dreamers—unveiling the raw emotions and conflicts that arise as they navigate their ideals and realities. This first volume encompasses Chapters 1-20, covering roughly half of the novel, while the second volume is catalogued separately. (Summary by Peter Tucker)