Aleko Konstantinov--often referred to familiarly by his first name or by one of his favorite pen names, Shtastlivets (the lucky one)--occupies a special place in the history of late nineteenth-century Bulgarian literature. Although the dominant figure of his time was Ivan Vazov, now considered the national writer of Bulgaria, Konstantinov carved out an important literary niche for himself as a humorist and social commentator during a period of political turmoil in newly liberated Bulgaria. His chief literary creation, Bay Ganyo, ranks among the best-known literary figures in Bulgaria as the distillation of all that is most unattractive in the Bulgarian character. In addition, Konstantinov's death at the hand of a political assassin fixed his personality in the Bulgarian historical memory.

Aleko Konstantinov was born on 1 January 1863 in the small city of Svishtov, located in north central Bulgaria on the Danube, which forms the boundary between Romania and...