Fyodor Dostoyevsky

“To go wrong in one’s own way is better than to go right in someone else’s.” Rodion Raskolnikov is a deeply troubled, impoverished student living in the bowels of Saint Petersburg. He is in immediate need of money, and in his desperation he hatches an ugly plan: to murder a wealthy pawnbroker and steal her money, convincing himself that he will use it to elevate himself in society and accomplish great deeds. But once the terrible deed is done, Raskolnikov is immediately stricken with guilt and self-loathing, and struggles to reconcile his sense of moral superiority with his warring conscience. And all the while, a noose is slowly being slipped around his neck as the shrewd detective Porfiry Petrovich is closing on him…

Crime and Punishment

The narrative deals with the psychology of a man who is the victim of social injustice yet does not take any action to alter his fate. His failure to realize that there are others like him increases his feelings of alienation. An elaboration of the inferiority complex that is suffered by him is given by dwelling on his personality traits.

Notes from the Underground

Notes from the Underground is a novella by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Notes is considered by many to be one of the first existentialist novels. It presents itself as an excerpt from the rambling memoirs of a bitter, isolated, unnamed narrator (generally referred to by critics as the Underground Man) who is a retired civil servant living in St. Petersburg. The first part of the story is told in monologue form, or the underground man's diary, and attacks emerging Western philosophy, especially Nikolay Chernyshevsky's What Is to Be Done?. The second part of the book is called "Apropos of the Wet Snow," and describes certain events that, it seems, are destroying and sometimes renewing the underground man, who acts as a first person, unreliable narrator and anti-hero. In the 1860s, Russia was beginning to absorb the ideas and culture of Western Europe at an accelerated pace, nurturing an unstable local climate. There was especially a growth in revolutionary activity accompanying a general restructuring of tsardom where liberal reforms, enacted by an unwieldy autocracy, only induced a greater sense of tension in both politics and civil society. Many of Russia's intellectuals were engaged in a debate with the Westernizers on one hand, and the Slavophiles on the other, concerned with favoring importation of Western reforms or promoting pan-Slavic traditions to address Russia's particular social reality. Even though in 1861, Tsar Alexander emancipated the serfs, Russia was still very much a post-medieval, traditional peasant society. However, when Notes From Underground was written, there was an intellectual ferment on discussions regarding religious philosophy and various 'enlightened' utopian ideas. Dostoyevsky, however, along with his notable contemporary, Soren Kierkegaard, rejected such ideas for proto-existentialist themes. Most importantly, the legacy that the work leaves is a challenge to and a method of understanding the larger implications of a utopian society. Utopianism largely pertains to a society's collective dream, but what the Underground Man troubles is this very idea of collectivism. The point of the Underground Man is that the people will ultimately always rebel against a collectively perceived idea of paradise; individuals dreaming of a utopian image such as The Crystal Palace will always conflict because of the underlying irrationality of humanity. The challenge of an enlightened society laid the groundwork for later writing. The work thus earned the title of "probably the most important single source of the modern dystopia."

Роман в 4-х частях с эпилогом

Братья Карамазовы

Notes from Underground (Russian: Zapiski iz podpol'ya), also translated as Notes from the Underground or Letters from the Underworld, is an 1864 novella by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Notes is considered by many to be one of the first existentialist novels. It presents itself as an excerpt from the rambling memoirs of a bitter, isolated, unnamed narrator (generally referred to by critics as the Underground Man) who is a retired civil servant living in St. Petersburg. The first part of the story is told in monologue form, or the underground man's diary, and attacks emerging Western philosophy, especially Nikolay Chernyshevsky's What Is to Be Done? The second part of the book is called "Apropos of the Wet Snow" and describes certain events that appear to be destroying and sometimes renewing the underground man, who acts as a first person, unreliable narrator and anti-hero.

By Fyodor Dostoyevsky

The two years before he wrote Crime and Punishment (1866) had been bad ones for Dostoyevsky. His wife and brother had died; the magazine he and his brother had started, Epoch, collapsed under its load of debt; and he was threatened with debtor's prison. With an advance that he managed to wangle for an unwritten novel, he fled to Wiesbaden, hoping to win enough at the roulette table to get himself out of debt. Instead, he lost all his money; he had to pawn his clothes and beg friends for loans to pay his hotel bill and get back to Russia. One of his begging letters went to a magazine editor, asking for an advance on yet another unwritten novel - which he described as Crime and Punishment.One of the supreme masterpieces of world literature, Crime and Punishment catapulted Dostoyevsky to the forefront of Russian writers and into the ranks of the world's greatest novelists. Drawing upon experiences from his own prison days, the author recounts in feverish, compelling tones the story of Raskolnikov, an impoverished student tormented by his own nihilism, and the struggle between good and evil. Believing that he is above the law, and convinced that humanitarian ends justify vile means, he brutally murders an old woman - a pawnbroker whom he regards as "stupid, ailing, greedy...good for nothing." Overwhelmed afterwards by feelings of guilt and terror, Raskolnikov confesses to the crime and goes to prison. There he realizes that happiness and redemption can only be achieved through suffering. Infused with forceful religious, social, and philosophical elements, the novel was an immediate success. This extraordinary, unforgettable work is reprinted here in the authoritative Constance Garnett translation.

Unabridged Edition

The Brothers Karamazov, also translated as The Karamazov Brothers, is the last novel by Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky. Dostoevsky spent nearly two years writing The Brothers Karamazov, which was published as a serial in The Russian Messenger from January 1879 to November 1880. Dostoevsky died less than four months after its publication. It has been acclaimed as one of the supreme achievements in world literature. Set in 19th-century Russia, The Brothers Karamazov is a passionate philosophical novel that discusses questions of God, free will, and morality. It has also been described as a theological drama dealing with problems of faith, doubt, and reason in the context of a modernizing Russia, with a plot that revolves around the subject of patricide. Dostoevsky composed much of the novel in Staraya Russa, which inspired the main setting.

The Brothers Karamazov

"I don't know how to be silent when my heart is speaking." Set in the enchanting streets of St. Petersburg, this is a story of a young man who is a dreamer, and wanders on the city's deserted lanes during long summer nights. On a foggy night, under the hazy streetlights, a young man met Nastenka, who captured his heart with her beauty and innocence. They spent four consecutive nights together, as he becomes increasingly besotted with Nastenka, sharing his innermost thoughts and feelings. Just as he was beginning to feel safe in their oasis, he discovers that Nastenka is in love with another man; a prince who has promised to return to her after a long absence. Yet, he is certain that even Nastenka is drawn to him, each grappling with their own sense of longing and desire for connection. Through this vivid narrative of the intoxicating power of hope, the young man's monologues reveal his absolute yearning for love, while Nastenka's vulnerability and romantic idealism add layers of emotion to the story. Through these fragile yet sublime characters we witness the beauty and pain of unrequited love.

(Original, Unabridged Classic)

White Nights

Crime and punishment 

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A Raw Youth

The Novels of Fyodor Dostoevsky

Alexander Eliasberg

Ethel Colburn Mayne

Letters of Fyodor Michailovitch Dostoevsky to His Family and Friends

A Raw Youth (Volume 1 of 2) (EasyRead Comfort Edition)

Fyodor Dostoyevsky was a great Russian writer in the nineteenth century. Dostoyevsky's works are noted for their exploration of human psychology in the difficult society that he lived in. With classics such as Crime and Punishment, The Brothers Karamazov, The Idiot, and others, Dostoyevsky remains one of the most translated authors in history.The Adolescent is a novel that tells the story of a young intellectual who is the illegitimate child of a notorious landowner. The main theme is the conflict between the different ideologies of the father and the son.

The Adolescent

"Not till J. D. Salinger created Holden Caulfield has there ever been so convincing a portrait of an adolescent."-Toronto Daily Star

In "Notes from Underground" and "The House of the Dead," Fyodor Dostoyevsky delves into the complexities of the human psyche and the harsh realities of life. The former, often regarded as the world's first existential novel, presents a fragmented monologue by the Underground Man, a bitter and disillusioned former civil servant, as he wrestles with concepts of free will, societal norms, and self-imposed isolation. Meanwhile, "The House of the Dead" draws from Dostoyevsky's own experience as a political prisoner, offering a haunting depiction of life in a Siberian labor camp, infused with a stark realism that exposes the moral and spiritual degradation of both the prisoners and society at large. Together, these works exemplify Dostoyevsky's mastery of psychological depth, intense character exploration, and social critique in 19th-century Russian literature. Fyodor Dostoyevsky's tumultuous life, marked by poverty, exile, and brush with death, deeply influenced his writing. Having faced political repression and personal crises, he developed a profound empathy for humanity's struggles. His time in Siberian exile offered him a unique insight into the human condition, which is palpably reflected in the piercing narratives and philosophical underpinnings of these two seminal works. Dostoyevsky's introspection and sociopolitical context not only shaped his characters but also allowed him to explore existential themes with raw authenticity. "Notes from Underground" and "The House of the Dead" are essential reads for those intrigued by psychological introspection and societal critique. Dostoyevsky's exploration of existential angst and moral dilemmas remains relevant today, inviting readers to reflect on their own existence. Engrossing and thought-provoking, this collection provides a profound journey into the darkest corners of human experience, making it a cornerstone for students of literature, philosophy, and psychology alike.

Two Autobiographical Novels

NOTES FROM UNDERGROUND & THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD

The New Translation by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky

Notes from Underground

Entdecken Sie die düstere Welt der menschlichen Seele in Dostoyevskys Meisterwerk! "Sämtliche Werke 18: Aus einem Totenhause" entführt Sie in die beklemmende Atmosphäre eines sibirischen Straflagers, wo Hoffnung und Verzweiflung aufeinanderprallen. Fyodor Dostoyevsky, selbst einst Gefangener, schildert mit unvergleichlicher Intensität das Leben und Überleben in der Gefangenschaft. Einzigartige Themen wie Schuld, Sühne und die Suche nach Erlösung durchziehen das Werk und bieten tiefe Einblicke in die menschliche Natur. Dostoyevskys Originalität liegt in seiner Fähigkeit, die inneren Konflikte seiner Figuren mit psychologischer Präzision darzustellen. Die Stärken dieses Buches liegen in seinem fesselnden Stil und der zeitlosen Relevanz seiner Themen. Dostoyevskys Werke sind weltweit anerkannt und haben zahlreiche Auszeichnungen erhalten. Sein Einfluss auf die Literatur ist unbestreitbar und inspiriert bis heute Leser und Autoren gleichermaßen. Dieses Buch ist für ein Publikum bestimmt, das sich für tiefgründige Literatur interessiert und bereit ist, sich mit den Abgründen der menschlichen Existenz auseinanderzusetzen. Es spricht Leser an, die die Komplexität des Lebens und die Vielschichtigkeit der menschlichen Psyche erforschen möchten. Greifen Sie zu diesem literarischen Juwel und lassen Sie sich von Dostoyevskys meisterhafter Erzählkunst in den Bann ziehen. Tauchen Sie ein in eine Welt, die Sie nicht mehr loslassen wird!

Fyodor Dostoyevsky

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