Dead Souls: the Classic Russian Novel by Nikolai Gogol

Dead Souls is a prime example of 19th century Russian Literature. In the novel, the shady character Chichikov seeks to exploit a tax loophole in a get-rich-quick scheme. When the rumors begin to fly, Chichikov is disgraced among the town officials and he is forced to flee in disgrace.
Structured similarly to Homer's The Odyssey and Dante's Purgatorio, Dead Souls is an insightful look at the Russian political system and the corruption which abounded at the time.