The Brothers Karamazov

Book Description

The award-winning translation of Dostoevsky's last and greatest novel.

Customer Reviews:

The translation isn't perfect, but it's still Dostoevsky at his finest!.......2007-10-10

There is absolutely no way to summarize the key concepts and themes in this novel, so I wont even try. (I wish other reviewers would do the same...) That said this novel is definitely worth reading. I originally read the old Constance Garnett translation by Signet Classic and bought this new translation to re-read the book. (Your going to re-read this novel) I actually prefer the old translation. There's a certain lyrical flow that's missed when you try to translate the exact 'word-for-word' phrases instead of looking at the over-all meaning. For example:

There's an aphorism in Part III which in the Garnett translation is written as:

"Any man of sense will always come back to reason in time, but, if love does not gain the upper hand in a youth's heart at such an exeptional moment, when will it?

Where-as in this translation it goes:

"I am glad that at such a moment my young man turned out to be not so reasonable; the time will come for an intelligent man to be reasonable, but if at such an exceptional moment there is no love to be found in a young man's heart, then when will it come?

Its obviously much more rigid and forced. There are other instances too. Like when Fyodor Pavlovich adds to the 3,000 rouble note he offers to Grushenka, "To my little chicken." Its much more comic then the new versions, My chicky. Or something to that matter. These ofcoarse are mere trifles, but it's the detail that Dostoevsky always focused on. Details are what make or break a novel. I'm still waiting for a perfect tranlation of The Brothers. Maybe I should learn Russian? Until then, this will have to do!

Cut to the chase.........2007-09-28

1. Ivan is the only character who is worth reading. The rest of them are either completely insane, or squishy nothings (Alyosha).

2. Aside from a handful of GREAT chapters, there is soooooo much nonsense filler. It's not a perfect work of art a la Tolstoy.

3. Read Garnett. Don't be sucked into the Pevear/Volokhonsky marketing machine.

Found in Translation.......2007-08-30

I've got to say, Pevear and Volokhonsky have done a tremendous job with this (and the rest of the Dostoevsky library) translation!

Extremely intriguing.......2007-08-14

I read this book for a summer reading assingment for my AP English class and i was extremely impressed. I'm not one that usually reads 800 page books because usually i get bored with assigned readings. This was most definitely not the case with this book. There was constant action and mystery. There was not a time where i just did not feel like reading it. I would recommend this book to anyone who has ever read Fyodor Dostoevski or has considered it.

All you need to know . . . .......2007-08-14

Someone once said that all you need to know about life is in The Brothers Karamazov. The story is far from simple and delves deeply into the mind of its characters, so that the result is it can be both great literature, studied for its complex inner workings, and as a novel to be enjoyed for its plot twists and suspense. The story centers around three very different brothers and their father who is a wealthy but leacherous old man. The characters are dawn fantastically with sometimes exagerated or cartoonish elements, but always real and believable as people with deep desires and motives that are struggling for some kind of change in themselves but also a change in their circumstances. While trying not to give anything away, I can only say that the experience of reading the book, watching the characters develop, is as exciting as the plot, which moves steadily for and 800 some odd page book. It is no surprise that this book was translated into English and has become one of the most popular Russian novels translated into English.

The translators made sure that the novel was easy to read in English. If you have ever known Russians or know anything about the Russian language you should recognize that it is no easy task to make Russian grammar flow smoothly in English. It is the best Dostoevsky translation I have read yet.

The Brothers Karamazov (Signet Classics)

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strong, contrasting & enveloping
The Brothers Karamazov is one of the world's greatest novels
An Unflattering Portrait of Russia
Please note!!
Masterpiece

The Brothers Karamazov (Signet Classics)
Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Manufacturer: Signet Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451527348

Book Description

This novel was Dostoyevsky's last and finest work, telling the story of the four Karamazov brothers--each with his own distinct personality and desires. Driven by intense, uncontrollable emotions of rage and revenge, they all become involved in the brutal murder of their despicable father. Exploring the secret depths of humanity's struggles and sins, Dostoyevsky unfolds a grand epic which attempts to venture into mankind's darkest heart, and grasp the true meaning of existence.

Customer Reviews:

strong, contrasting & enveloping.......2007-07-25

the novel changes you by questioning your opinions with such a variety of principles & points of view

The Brothers Karamazov is one of the world's greatest novels.......2007-06-27

The Brothers Karamzov was published in 1880 by Fyodor Dostoyvesky (1821-1881). It is the the greatest of his novels. The BK is also considered one of the best novels ever written.
The lengthy book (nearly 1000 densely written pages!)is many things:
a. A mystery story. Who murdered the old lecherous Fyodor Karamazov?
b. A theological inquiry into theodicy and the purpose for life. Most notable chapters are "The Grand Inquisitor" and "The Devil."
c. A classic Christian story of sin, redemption and humankind's hope for eternal life.
d. A psychological study of the various types of human personality. Dostoevsky is the best psychological novelist in Russian letters.
e. A political discourse on the future of Russia in the late 19th century. We see such topics as nihilism, atheism, the role of the state and Russian social structure discussed.
Was old man Karamazov murdered by his sons?
a. Dmitri-a military man who is wild as the wild. He is torn between his love for the wealthy Katerina and the village Circe Grushenka. He hates his father. He represents sensuality in human life.
b. Ivan-the coldly intellectual son who is an atheist. He believes that in a world without God all things are possible.
c. Smerdyakov-the illegitimate epileptic son by old Karamazov's first wife who was the village idiot!He is one of the most repulsive characters in fiction!
d. Alyosha-He is the Christ-like son who lives in a monastery with the saintly Father Zossima. Alyosha will leave the monastery to share the gospel of love and understanding in society.
The novel has long passages of philisophy and religious thoughts by the characters. The court scenes dealiing with the murder of old Karamazov are exciting. Several chapters dealing with Alyosha's loving care of a dying child are as moving as anything in Dickens.
The book is not easy reading. I have read it five times always gaining a new insight into the human soul and condition. It will live forever.
Hooray for Karamazov!!!!

An Unflattering Portrait of Russia.......2007-05-27

This is a typical Russian novel in which characters walk in the room and have deep and long conversations about life with each other. If you are interested in what they are saying, it is good reading; if not, it can get tedious. Most parts of this long novel are fairly interesting, although it seems to be slow going at times.

Doestoevsky presents two brothers with opposing ideas on how the world works and how those ideas influence Russian society. Alexey follows the Orthodox Church and its beliefs and seems to do well by them, whereas Ivan is tortured by his disbelief in God and the absurdity of the world. He may just be angry at God, rather than an atheist; he is a person who does not like how God has arranged things. Dostoyevsky seems to favor Alexey's Christianity over Ivan's secular ideas because he puts Alexey in better light.

Alexey's dream is the standard Christian one in which all people become equal, holy, and loving in their submission to the will of Christ. Alexey represents a religious Russian that finds the way to live life is by the Church's teachings.

Alexey is accused of being a sensualist because he is a Karamazov; "birth and heredity" has shaped him. The socialist Rakitin states, "You're a sensualist from your father, a crazy saint from your mother." Alexey goes on to prove that his saintliness overcomes whatever sensuality he might have. He refuses to see the sensual Grushenka, even though she says that she will "pull his cassock off". Alexey represents a Russian who rejects the sensuality that a secular liberal may give into.

Unlike his brother Ivan, Alexey shows his sensitive nature and insight into people he helps. When Ivan coldly states that one reptile will devour another if Dmitri kills the father, Alexey exclaims "God forbid!" Alexey later questions Ivan as to whether he or any man has the right to decide who should live. Ivan states that it is natural to wish for his father's death and he has a right to do so. Alexey also cries over his father being beaten by Dmitri and Dmitri's insensitivity to it. When he gets bitten by Ilusha, Alexey asks the boy why he was bitten, rather than get angry with him. He thinks that he must have wronged him in some way. Alexey is incapable of passive love because if he loves someone, he wants to help them. He realizes that the captain is too proud to take the money offered him and is ashamed of his initial delight. Alexey attempts to help him again rather than lose patience. He does not have contempt for the man, but states that all are like him. Alexey is a religious Russian who finds an outlet for his kindness and sensitivity by following the Christian way of life.

Alexey does not say much, but he does record the beliefs of his mentor, Father Zossima, who believes that fulfilling desires is fruitless and one would do better to live according to brotherly solidarity and humanitarian service.

Ivan, on the other hand, asserts that all things are lawful if there is no immortality: "There is no virtue if there no immortality", he states. He is an uneasy atheist claiming that natural law is based on the belief in immortality and if the belief is destroyed then love and life will be destroyed along with it and the laws should be changed to the opposite of what they are now. Like other Russian secular liberals, he is at odds with the moral teachings of the church because he claims not to believe in God.

Ivan struggles to justify his life with his belief in absurdity and atheism. Ivan states that he still has a thirst for life that no disillusionment can destroy. Even though he does not believe in the chaotic disorder of the world and is disillusioned with it; he still wants to live and does not consider the thirst for life base. Alexey states that he should love life even if he finds no logic in it and then he will find a meaning in it later. Ivan will not depend on sensuality to get through his life the way his father has done. Ivan changes his mind and says that he does not believe in the world God created, but may believe in God. His mind is an earthly mind and cannot understand unearthly things or the absurdity of suffering in this life. Like a secular liberal, he struggles to find meaning in life after he has rejected religious meanings that explain life.

Ivan makes the argument that suffering is absurd and unjustified as it afflicts the innocent; the world does not make sense and must not have been created by God. He mentions the cruel murder of a baby and says that the devil may not exist, but man has created him in his own image. He talks about the Russian proclivity to cruelly beat innocent animals and children without a tinge of guilt. He says that everyone has a demon of lust, cruelty, and lawlessness within them that is waiting to come out and indulge itself.

Dostoevsky presents a generally unflattering picture of Russia as a backward land filled with cheats, religious fanatics, and unprincipled secular types. But he does have two compelling characters with Alexey and Father Zossima; the rest seem to be suffering from insanity, character flaws, or proclivities for violence. He indicates through these two characters that following the Christian beliefs are better than following liberal secular ones, even though a person might be considered reactionary because of it.

Please note!!.......2007-05-06

This is by far the best translation of Dostoyevsky's greatest work--BUT PLEASE!!: it is NOT the Constance Garnett translation!! It's the much newer translation by Peaver and Volokhonsky.

Any of the reviews stating this is the Garnett translation should be ignored; clearly these reviewers haven't even bothered to notice the correct names of the translators: their comments about the book itself are, no doubt, just as worthless!!

Masterpiece.......2007-03-29

This is the kind of book Freud would of wrote if he was a fiction writer. Dostoyevsky did a phenomenal job of putting together the mind set and behaviors of individuals using words.
Excellent read

The Brothers Karamazov: A Novel in Four Parts and an Epilogue (Penguin Classics)

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A story of fraternity and strife...
The last and the greatest of Dostoevsky's novels
A Fitting Finale
One of the greatest novels ever written
A Long Haul . . .

The Brothers Karamazov: A Novel in Four Parts and an Epilogue (Penguin Classics)
Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0140449248
Release Date: 2003-04-29

Book Description

Translated with an Introduction by David McDuff.

Customer Reviews:

A story of fraternity and strife..........2006-08-29

Dostoyevsky's The Brothers Karamazov is a rich, thick, somewhat ponderous piece of literature which tells the tale of three Russian brothers and the circumstances surrounding their father's murder. Fyodor Pavlovitch, a disgraceful wretch, competes with his son, Dmitri Fyodoritch, for the favor of a local girl. The psychopathic Dmitri struggles mightily throughout the tome to vanquish paterfamilias. Alexey, the youngest, is the voice of reason and hope, while Ivan, the enigmatic atheist of the lot remains, to the bitter end, a hard man to pin down. Amidst these four is a collection of townspeople and relations who combine to drive the plot forward.

Interspersed throughout the angst are generous dollops of theology (inspiring for those so inclined), philosophy, and politics. At nearly 900 pages, it is an effort to get through, but there is excellent character formation. One can't help but admire Alexey's innocence, magnanimity, and gentleness while despising the obsessive carnality of Fyodor Pavlovitch and Dmitri. It is said The Brothers Karamazov is the finest example of Russian literature, but there is room to disagree. Tolstoy's War and Peace and even Anna Karenina are superior to me. 4+ stars.

The last and the greatest of Dostoevsky's novels.......2005-11-07

This is the last and the greatest of Dostoevsky's novels. It is the story of the family Karamazov who embody within themselves the character and conflicts of human nature as a whole. Each of the family members as Anne Freemantle writes Dostoevsky gave some part of himself, : to Dmitri his sincerity, generosity, and courage; to Ivan his intellectual temptations and pride, his unmentionable secret sins; to Smerdyakov his malady. To the father he gave his own name; and Alyosha is both the innocent child he once was, and the saint he would become. Also, Alyosha is something more. At the novel's end, Alyosha "half laughing, half enthusiastically" tells a group of boys gathered for a funeral, ". . . we shall all rise again, certainly we shall see each other and tell each other with joy and gladness all that has happened." Alyosha, then, is also the genius, the writer in Dostoevsky, the narrator who "tells all that has happened."
The plot of the novel centers around the question of the patricide of who has killed the sensual, greedy,father of the family.
The work contains one of the greatest chapters, set- pieces of world literature, the Grand Inquisitor. In this section told by the son Ivan there is the possibility raised of Christ returning to earth. The Grand Inquisitor provides Mankind bread and circuses and forbids the return of Christ, for the meaning of Christ's return is that Mankind knows the moral decision and passion of human freedom. And to know human freedom is to know suffering. And all this against the background of the question of the unjust suffering on earth, the terrible injustices Mankind has known.
This is a powerful, complex work, one of those great works of Literature which one can read over and over again throughout one's lifetime - and each time be fascinated anew by the remarkable strangeness, richness , cruelty, complexity and perhaps too simplistic beauty( in the form of the soul of the brother Alyosha and the saintly father Zossima who is his spiritual master) which are the picture of life given by the novel.

A Fitting Finale.......2005-09-18

Fyodor Karamzov is curmudgeonly, nasty, lecherous old man, cursing the lives of those with whom he comes into contact, and blighting the lives of his three legitimate sons: Mitya, who shares many of his father's traits and with whom he is in rivalry for the attentions of Grushenka; Ivan, a hard-bitten drunken cynic; and the deeply religious yet impressionable Alyosha.

When Fyodor is murdered, the blame falls upon Mitya, but was he really to blame and can any of the brothers be absolved of guilt?

This is a long, at times dense and challenging novel, in which Dostoyevsky re-examines many of the themes he explored in his earlier works, albeit with much greater intensity: for example, the nature of freedom and man's destructiveness when moral and social controls are absent or fail to work. He also delves into the nature of heredity - are the sins of the father visited upon the sons?

At one level, the plot is of course an extended murder mystery, complete with court-room scenes. Although these play a great part in the novel, the reader needs to be prepared for long, introspective passages. For those unaccumstomed to Dostoyevsky these might be a chore.

It takes some time to get through, but it is worth the effort, because it is the most eloquent statement of Dostoyevsky's world view and still has deep relevance.

G Rodgers

One of the greatest novels ever written.......2005-08-27

Arguably one of the greatest novels ever written; challenging, brilliant, and a wonderful entry into early existential literature. This is a tale to read in your adolescence or early adulthood; do not be intimidated by its reputation, length or greatness; just enjoy.

A Long Haul . . . .......2005-04-29

But worth it in the end. I'm a slow reader by nature, and this took me some time to get through.

Although I haven't read an awful lot of Dostoyevsky, I wouldn't say this was my favourite so far, which is not to say I didn't enjoy it. It can be slow and heavy going at times, but that is to be expected due to the sheer richness of such a large novel - the notes to the text are also a wonderful guide to such a thick prose and I'd have been greatly lost without them. That said, and I don't wish to at all bring spoilers to my review, I did enjoy The Idiot more, just for the deeply dark ending that novel contained compared to this one, the ending of which left me a little unsatisfied, despite the sense of achievement of having finally finished the book!

If you like other novels from the era, and can patiently read large slabs of monologue and the like, stick this one out and you will be rewarded.

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The Brothers Karamazov, MP3 CD Edition
Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Manufacturer: Blackstone Audiobooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: MP3 CD

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ASIN: 0786192526

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The Brothers Karamazov (Giant Thrifts)
Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0486437914

Book Description

This brilliant work by one of Russia's foremost novelists teems with greed, passion, depravity, and complex moral issues. Three brothers, involved in the brutal murder of their despicable father, find their lives irrevocably altered as they are driven by intense, uncontrollable emotions of rage and revenge.

The Karamazov Brothers (Oxford World's Classics)

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The most magnificent novel ever written
Emanates a magnififcent spiritual glow
A tremendous story
In a word, fantastic
letter to Ignat Avsey

The Karamazov Brothers (Oxford World's Classics)
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0192835092

Book Description

Dostoevsky's last and greatest novel, The Karamazov Brothers (1880) is both a brilliantly told crime story and a passionate philosophical debate. The dissolute landowner Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov is murdered; his sons - the atheist intellectual Ivan, the hot-blooded Dmitry, and the saintly novice Alyosha - are all at some level involved. Bound up with this intense family drama is Dostoevsky's exploration of many deeply felt ideas about the existence of God, the question of human freedom, the collective nature of guilt, the disatrous consequences of rationalism. The novel is also richly comic: the Russian Orthodox Church, the legal system, and even the authors most cherisehd causes and beliefs are presented with a note of irreverence, so that orthodoxy, and radicalism, sanity and madness, love and hatred, right and wrong are no longer mutually exclusive. Rebecca West considered it "the allegory for the world's maturity", but with children to the fore. This new translation does full justice to Doestoevsky's genius, particularly in the use of the spoken word, which ranges over every mode of human expression.

Customer Reviews:

The most magnificent novel ever written.......2006-11-30

I cannot take credit for the title of my review - apparently, Sigmund Freud said it first, and, while I cannot say that I would agree with Freud on every subject, I must say, unequivocally, that I agree with his statement about The Karamozov Brothers (with the caveat that, of course, I have not read every novel ever written, so, take the statement for what it's worth).

My only lament regarding this novel is that I cannot read Russian directly; however, as the other reviewers of this book have pointed out, the translation by Avsey is brilliant - there is simply no other way to describe it. I first read Dostoevsky in high school - Crime and Punishment, specifically - I devoured it in a few days, if that. I absolutely loved it. Since then, I have gone on to read other Dostoevsky novels, including The Idiot, and, of course, The Karamozov Brothers. Based upon reading these novels, and many others throughout the course of my life, I must say, truly, that The Karamozov Brothers is the most breathtaking novel I have ever had the pleasure to read in regards to scope, vision, and in capturing the human soul via the written word. When Crime and Punishment and The Idiot are warm up novels to something even greater, well, that's saying something.

As for the book itself, Dostoevsky understands humanity. And, more than that, he is able to somehow capture the essence of a person - their thoughts, desires, fears, in a way that, more than any author I have ever read, makes one feel as if one is not reading a novel, but rather, witnessing real events, and real people, struggle with the great mysteries of life. Reading it is like a peering through a window into the human soul.

Does God exist? Is science a complement to or repudiation of religion? Do we have souls? Is any action permitted, or are there fundamental truths about right and wrong that govern the human reality? Are we responsible for our own actions, and, if yes, then to what extent are we responsible? Are we responsible for the actions of others, and, if yes, then to what extent? Is religion a savior or destroyer of humanity?

While these all seem like pie in the sky questions, theoretical, and wishy-washy - they are in fact as relevant today (as evidenced by the furor over evolution vs. creationism/intelligent design, and the relationship of science and religion) as they were in Dostoevsky's time - and, I am sure, have always been and will always be pivotal questions surrounding the human experience. Further, while these questions are at the heart of the novel - the novel is not just about these questions, but about people, their journey, and how these questions impact and interweave with their, and our, daily lives...from how we treat strangers, to how we treat ourselves, and everyone and everything in between.

Life is rarely black and white, if ever, and it is the dichotomy between right and wrong, good and evil, guilt and innocent, taking responsibility vs. abdicating responsibility - that drives all of us, and that makes each of us who and what we are, for better or ill. It is those same forces that drive The Karamozov Brothers as a novel, and make it a crowning achievement and testimonial to the very essence of humanity itself.

Read it.

Emanates a magnififcent spiritual glow.......2006-04-12

How do i rate the brothers karamazov? Well, Crime and Punishment is my favorite novel, and so being a true dostoevsky fan, i had high expectations. Crime is still my favorite novel.

To me, Karamazov is a more uneven novel, in that its narrative is more sprawling and less intensly focused as Crime and Punishment, and the opening 200 pages, while very good, where not quite up to the standard this great genius set in his previous novel. However, once the Grand Inquisior chapters comes (to me the greatest literary passage I've ever read), the spiritual and emotional intensity is turned up dramatically. From this point on, the greater plan of the whole novel comes into focus, and never lets up.

Let me emphasize, Brothers Karamazov is a maginificent novel! The experience after finishing it, not only left me supremely happy, it also gave me a feeling of a new love for humanity.

If the narrative is less focused than Crime and P, the characters are just as expertly realized and intense in their behavior. Finally, the terrain of the book is vast, Dostoevsky deals with a number of key spiritual, political, and legal ideas, all in truly masterful fashion.

A tremendous story.......2005-08-27

This is my first, and I guarantee to myself and to anyone who asks me not the last, Dostoyevsky novel. Dostoevsky brilliantly weaves philosophical debates into a truly dynamic plot, while commenting on his contemporanious world. Despite the social commentary, this story is universal and timeless and has that rare quality that sets it apart from other literature and shoots it up to the rank of the novel, of the kind of book that will last centuries and still shine brightly over the top of entirety of the literary form. The Karamazov Brothers is what the novel should be. I cannot word precisely enough how much I enjoyed this novel.

I recommend this book, the one published by Oxford University Press who writes the clearest and most readable and refreshing translation I have seen (I have looked through many different translations to find one that is not awkwardly worded and explains the text well), and somehow, keeps the prose nuanced and delicate.

In a word, fantastic.......2005-08-15

This is one of those books that I've known about, and heard about, and been told about, and has been recommended to me countless times over the short span of my life. I remember one such recommendation in particular---from Fr. Miguel, my spiritual director at the time. He saw in me an immense love for philosophy, and wholeheartedly recommended that I read the book. In fact, one of our first 'projects' was to watch the movie, although we couldn't find a copy of it available anywhere.
This past Christmas time was that time when I finally endeavored to obtain a copy of the book in review here. One of my bosses at work gave me a gift card for Christmas to Borders. I utilized it quite well, purchasing 'The Karamazov Brothers', and a collection of novels and short stories by Flannery O'Connor. Trust me when I say that the purchase was emphatically worth it.
For starters, I almost didn't buy this edition, simply because it was titled 'Karamazov Brothers', instead of what I'd heard my entire life---from my youngest days, too; watch the cartoon 'An American Tale', with the beloved Mousekewitz family, and their son Fivel; when asked what his favorite book is, Fivel names the book in review---namely, 'Brothers Karamazov'. I bought the edition nontheless, precisely because it was published by Oxford University, and I knew them to be a fabulous publisher.
Beginning to read a book the size of 'Karamazov' is tough, due to its sheer length. Indeed, it is the longest book, apart from the Bible, that I have ever read. But, as I am fond of telling people, 'It is the best damn novel I have ever read.' I work a full-time job, thus don't have a whole lot of expendable time, thus it took me two months to read this book. Those two months were, however, two of my most memorable.
I've not read anything else by Dostoyevski, so I'm not sure if he's this 'good' in his other stories, but he was a sheer genius at character development. I simply cannot emphasize that point enough. The characters introduced throughout the 1,000 or so pages were developed and described so splendiferously, that I felt as if I were being introduced to real people. The whole scenario surrounding the murder was so realistically told, that, despite the fact that I am quite able to stomach immensley violent movies such as 'Saving Private Ryan' and 'The Passion of the Christ', this book made me shudder as I read the pages, paragraphs, sentences, and words describing the murder that is, in some sense, the centerpiece of this beloved novel.
Even the peripheral characters, those that are, well, quite random, and only in a few chapters, but developed oh-so-well strike me as being as real as my roommates, simply due to the---I'll say it again---sheer genius of the author.
Unless if one is completely philosophically inept, they notice that this book is much more than just a murder mystery of sorts. This book struck me almost as being a philosophical treatise against nihilism. In fact, a dear friend of mine told me that he's heard of Dostoyevski referred to as the 'Christian Nietzsche'. The same friend of mine---an avid Dostoyevski reader---said that he read that Nietzsche in fact took the time read Dostoyevski's novels. I can't help but wonder what he thought as he read these novels that unabashedly attacked the very philosophy that he pontificated over-and-over in his works.
To close, I first apologize for my rambling, and lack of direction in this review. There is just so much to be said in regards to this great book, and I lack the time to address each and every thing in it that made it what it is---great. Thus, I close by wholeheartedly recommending this book to any and all.

God bless.

CocamoJoe

letter to Ignat Avsey.......2003-01-30

Dear translator Ignat Avsey,
My friend Jenny Coates was astute enough to steer me to your translation of The Karamazov Brothers. I have just finished reading it and derived enormous pleasure from the experience. As I had never read any Dostoevsky before and know no Russian, I'm on shakey ground in claiming that the pleasure is due to your translation, but I feel sure that it is. I almost never read long books and I feared that I would never finish a 900 page book, but that was before I heard Avsey speak out loud and bold. I could not put it down, I smiled and laughed and wept and loved it and I thank you very much. I wrote to the classics editor at OUP and told her how much I liked it and asked her to bring it out in hardback in which case I guaranteed to buy at least one copy. i also told her that I have bought 10 copies of the paper back to give to my family and friends. I also suggested that I would buy any other books that you translated for OUP.
I am certain that its your translation that reveals the real dostoevsky because people who read other translations tell me that the book is very good, but they never say that it is extremely wonderful and so exciting that you can't put it down. I should explain that I don't often write to authors praising their work, I wrote to Arthur Koestler, Louis Begley and to Oriana Fallaci and yourself, I don't know how you feel belonging to such a group. I also wrote to Jeremy Isaacs thanking him for putting Tony Harrison's V on Channel 4.
Again many many thanks,
Ian shine
New York

The Brothers Karamazov (Vintage Classics)

Average customer rating:

Doomed to Failure
Three Brothers, Three Choices
Ponderous but rewarding. Intelligent yet readable.
Ponderous but rewarding. Intelligent yet readable.
A Must-Read, Thoroughly Engrossing Masterpiece

The Brothers Karamazov (Vintage Classics)
Fyodor Dostoyevsky , Richard Pevear , and Larissa Volokhonsky
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0679729259
Release Date: 1991-09-03

Book Description

A new translation by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky. This acclaimed new English version of Dostoevsky's last novel does justice to all its levels of artistry and intention.

Customer Reviews:

Doomed to Failure.......2004-12-04

Weak and confused narrative extinguishes the vital assortment of characters that are marginally 'Russian' in this excessive work. I would suggest reading "Crime and Punishment" for a more magnificent creating of writing.

Three Brothers, Three Choices.......2003-07-14

This book by Dostoyevsky can be read in many ways. It can be read as a murder-mystery-with-gripping-courtroom-drama. It can be read as a 19th century polemic on the struggle for the Russian soul (there was such a struggle). It can be read as an essay on doubt versus faith. However one chooses to read such a book, the most important thing to know is that it has been written with passion, understanding and yearning. The ultimate question, as with any great undertaking of man, is: how shall we live our lives?

At two opposite poles stand two brothers: Alyosha and Ivan. Alyosha is the pure-of-heart believer, the disciple of Christ, the affectionate lover of all humanity, the guide of youth, the suffering monk, the bright and burning truth-seeker. Ivan is the dark, secretive, disbelieving, man-as-God, with a vicious conscience that exists seemingly against everything in his own nature. In the middle is the third brother Mitya, who acts, while his brothers stand apart from his actions. They comment on his action, they inform the route Mitya takes, but they are ultimately outside of Mitya, who is a passionate and perhaps misguided man with two poles to choose from. His apparently dark actions are brightened by his loving heart and purity of soul. Where does this all point, this life of unsolved questions, this life of enigmatic brotherhood?

Enough. The book, while comfortable with dark questions such as "How will man live without God?" is also written with great humor and vitality -- with gusto for life overall. Living is a joyous experience, Dostoyevsky tells us. Read this book and remember it when you are planning your next career move. Their flaws aside, Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky vibrate with life and help their readers to forget the innummerable idiotic questions that their lives offer up on a daily basis. Return to your soul under the guidance of these Russians, and be rewarded with your own renewed vitality.

Ponderous but rewarding. Intelligent yet readable........2003-05-03

More than many other works, Brothers Karamazov was an experience for me--not the plot, nor the themes, nor even the characters: any number of writers can create believable characters and scenarios and, with them, play out lofty themes. But I speak here only of the simple process of reading this tome. It weighs in at 700 pages and it took me a year to read. In fact, I began the first 100 pages at least four different times before I finally plodded forward to the end. I used two different translations and an audio book version. Why did I do this to myself? Why did I start the thing three times? For any lesser book, I probably would have given up and tossed aside.

There. That said, I also refuse to extinguish the fire with the spittoon (you did want to read this book, right?), so I should tell my readers that the book is excellent. In fact, let's call the book superior.

I realized that my problems with Dostoevsky's writing were stylistic concerns, and these I should be able to conquer, because the author was saying something _important_. The importance of his work could be felt in each page. And despite many long and admittedly tedious passages, he was unassumingly polite to the reader. He was not confusing his verbosity with his intelligence, although the author was undoubtedly brilliant and possessed a very large vocabulary. Somewhere in the novel, you realize, without really knowing when it happened, that you care deeply about his characters and their struggles. It became obvious to me that, for Dostoevsky, the object of his work was far more important than his ability to tell the tale. So I attacked the work many times, hoping to capture the articulation of the author's vision.

So a bit about my difficulties--In the style of many writers of his era, Dostoevsky tends to explain the back story, rather than to depict it. One wonders that, if the author's popularity was not at its height at the time of this work's publication, his editor would not have removed perhaps half the novel's current bulk. The largesse of the novel comes across as rather unpalatable for readers in this era of television, where it is expected that we be told a story, rather than _shown_ a story. One only need think of the extremely common use of flashback as a storytelling device in television and film to understand this point.

Dostoevsky weaves his narrative with expertise and intelligence yet there are moments when the book moves toward a heavy-handed didactic style. His work frequently reads like an essay, in my opinion; especially during the first half of the novel. Despite this, one leaves with the feeling that Dostoevsky was a man of many strongly-held opinions, and that he processed his thoughts rigorously before he reached them. These tendencies may frame this work as too reflective for twenty-first century readers, but it is not without purpose that the author does this--his themes are far too expansive to be treated lightly, wants the reader to realize that the questions posed by his work are not solved by simple, grunting yeas and nays.

So, you may wonder if I even liked the book. My answer to this is an adamant yes, but it was a challenge. Once, in my early readings of the first few hundred pages, I described this book to a friend: it seemed like a very long list for a shopper at a religious bookstore. This was only partially in jest--it seems like this at times. Yet Dostoevsky is not without its merits. He develops his characters with acuity of a person who has spent years watching others, and not judging their actions, but discovering why they acted in certain ways. Dostoevsky is a forerunner of the Multiple Intelligences movement in vogue today. One comes away from the novel sympathizing deeply for each of the characters and their struggles. His narrative segments are, if nothing else, thought-provoking, and all the more meaningful to those who struggle with religious faith.

I recommend the book with the following proviso: the reader should be ready to be challenged. The narrative style is not for the faint-hearted, and Dostoevsky develops the plot at a snail's pace. If you are looking for excitement, or a quick thrill, or romance, this will not be the book for you. Something more contemporary would probably be more to your appeal. But if you are looking for a beautiful and meticulously-constructed work that has maintained its appeal for 120 years, you should give The Brothers Karamazov a try.

Finally, I should mention something about translations. Constance Garnett's classic translation is widely available. However, this translation is steeped in language that is, well, a century old, and may seem too stodgy for readers of today. A far more readable translation is the more recent Pevear and Volokhonsky, which transforms many of the more archaic terms and metaphors. I enjoyed the Audio Book version, by the way. One can fade in and out, still catching the gist of the novel and its main characters. It also allows you the luxury of reflecting on the work as it is being listened to, rather than become irritated by all the Russian names and their variations. If you enjoy the kind of loftiness I described, and are not afraid to think about what you are reading, then read this book, by any means. You may even find yourself, as I did, falling in love with a new author.

Ponderous but rewarding. Intelligent yet readable........2003-05-03

I finally completed Brothers Karamazov, and I needed to share my thoughts. I will try not to insult anybody's intelligence by outlining this book--Cliff Notes and the like abound, so if somebody wants a full explanation of Dostoevsky's plot, they can simply pick up one of these. What I want to say is much more difficult to define--whether or not I would recommend it to others, and why.
More than many other works, Brothers Karamazov was an experience for me--not the plot, nor the themes, nor even the characters: any number of writers can create believable characters and scenarios and, with them, play out lofty themes. But I speak here only of the simple process of reading this tome. It weighs in at 700 pages and it took me a year to read. In fact, I began the first 100 pages at least four different times before I finally plodded forward to the end. I used two different translations and an audio book version. Why did I do this to myself? Why did I start the thing three times? For any lesser book, I probably would have given up and tossed aside.
There. That said, I also refuse to extinguish the fire with the spittoon (you did want to read this book, right?), so I should tell my readers that the book is excellent. In fact, let's call the book superior.
I realized that my problems with Dostoevsky's writing were stylistic concerns, and these I should be able to conquer, because the author was saying something _important_. The importance of his work could be felt in each page. And despite many long and admittedly tedious passages, he was unassumingly polite to the reader. He was not confusing his verbosity with his intelligence, although the author was undoubtedly brilliant and possessed a very large vocabulary. Somewhere in the novel, you realize, without really knowing when it happened, that you care deeply about his characters and their struggles. It became obvious to me that, for Dostoevsky, the object of his work was far more important than his ability to tell the tale. So I attacked the work many times, hoping to capture the articulation of the author's vision.
So a bit about my difficulties--In the style of many writers of his era, Dostoevsky tends to explain the back story, rather than to depict it. One wonders that, if the author's popularity was not at its height at the time of this work's publication, his editor would not have removed perhaps half the novel's current bulk. The largesse of the novel comes across as rather unpalatable for readers in this era of television, where it is expected that we be told a story, rather than _shown_ a story. One only need think of the extremely common use of flashback as a storytelling device in television and film to understand this point.
Dostoevsky weaves his narrative with expertise and intelligence yet there are moments when the book moves toward a heavy-handed didactic style. His work frequently reads like an essay, in my opinion; especially during the first half of the novel. Despite this, one leaves with the feeling that Dostoevsky was a man of many strongly-held opinions, and that he processed his thoughts rigorously before he reached them. These tendencies may frame this work as too reflective for twenty-first century readers, but it is not without purpose that the author does this--his themes are far too expansive to be treated lightly, wants the reader to realize that the questions posed by his work are not solved by simple, grunting yeas and nays.
So, you may wonder if I even liked the book. My answer to this is an adamant yes, but it was a challenge. Once, in my early readings of the first few hundred pages, I described this book to a friend: it seemed like a very long list for a shopper at a religious bookstore. This was only partially in jest--it seems like this at times. Yet Dostoevsky is not without its merits. He develops his characters with acuity of a person who has spent years watching others, and not judging their actions, but discovering why they acted in certain ways. Dostoevsky is a forerunner of the Multiple Intelligences movement in vogue today. One comes away from the novel sympathizing deeply for each of the characters and their struggles. His narrative segments are, if nothing else, thought-provoking, and all the more meaningful to those who struggle with religious faith.
I recommend the book with the following proviso: the reader should be ready to be challenged. The narrative style is not for the faint-hearted, and Dostoevsky develops the plot at a snail's pace. If you are looking for excitement, or a quick thrill, or romance, this will not be the book for you. Something more contemporary would probably be more to your appeal. But if you are looking for a beautiful and meticulously-constructed work that has maintained its appeal for 120 years, you should give The Brothers Karamazov a try.
Finally, I should mention something about translations. Constance Garnett's classic translation is widely available. However, this translation is steeped in language that is, well, a century old, and may seem too stodgy for readers of today. A far more readable translation is the more recent Pevear and Volokhonsky, which transforms many of the more archaic terms and metaphors. I enjoyed the Audio Book version, by the way. One can fade in and out, still catching the gist of the novel and its main characters. It also allows you the luxury of reflecting on the work as it is being listened to, rather than become irritated by all the Russian names and their variations. If you enjoy the kind of loftiness I described, and are not afraid to think about what you are reading, then by all means get this book. You may even find yourself, as I did, falling in love with a new writer.

A Must-Read, Thoroughly Engrossing Masterpiece.......2002-07-11

In an attempt to cultivate a more enlightened self, I recently chose to read Fyodor Dostoevsky's, The Brothers Karamazov. I have never read anything quite like this, though admittedly, I am not extensively read in the classics, and most assuredly, this is a literary masterpiece. A most enjoyable read, clever, humorous, but most importantly, an extremely thought-provoking piece of work, this nearly 800-page novel (the translation that I read has 796 pages) that barely scanned a two-month period managed to capture my rapt interest. Dostoevsky's book could be categorized as an historical fiction as the reader is learns of the political climate and ideologies, theological thought (mainly Russian Orthodox) and social mores of the times. The novel sustained me on several levels. First, it was every bit an entertaining and intriguing novel containing mystery, homicide, unrequited love, spiritual journeys, and a father/son rivalry involving the same, duplicitous woman, just to mention a few topics. On another level, the reader is exposed to the political thoughts of mid-eighteenth century Russia, as well as that of Europe. The various new political philosophies that are bandied and discussed, cursed and applauded in the book portend change to come for Mother Russia. We also learn about the social stratum of Russia at the time. Recently liberated from serfdom, peasants are no longer bonded to the landed aristrocracy, though they are still virtual slaves to tradition, for the only difference between the former serf and free peasant is he is no longer owned by his employer. But their mere existence is as bleak and desperate as ever, and still very much dependent upon their less than benevolent masters. And for many Russian peasants only their belief in their God sustains them, which brings this to Dostoevsky's highest level, the spiritual and theological discourse that is the very heart and soul of his novel. The Brothers Karamazov is ultimately a study in human nature and the voracious need for spiritual guidance and sustenance. Dostoevsky seeming vacillates between believing in God and questioning His existence. He draws us into a most magnificent and passionate theological discourse in two of his chapters, The Grand Inquisitor and Rebellion. Dostoevsky forces the reader to examine his or her own beliefs. Religious contradiction, hypocrisy and ideals are examined throughout this book causing the reader perhaps to believe that the author himself went through much introspection and soul-searching before finally coming to the revelation that he, himself, is a true Believer. I would highly recommend this book especially to anyone wanting and willing to re-examine or explore his or her own religious perspective. Dostoevsky poses many questions that cannot be answered or be easily answered, but he does cause one to think about one's own beliefs, because a blind faith is potentially more dangerous then an informed faith. Finally, Thomas Jefferson once said, "Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear." Dostoevsky challenges us to question and search for answers to the existence of God. This discovery, or lack thereof, is determined solely by the reader.

The Grand Inquisitor: With Related Chapters from the Brothers Karamazov

Average customer rating:

A New Favorite
An interesting Christian view
Definitely worth a look

The Grand Inquisitor: With Related Chapters from the Brothers Karamazov
Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Manufacturer: Hackett Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0872201937

Customer Reviews:

A New Favorite.......2006-11-05

I haven't read much by Dostoyevsky which I've always considered above and beyond me. And so, the sleek thinness of the book allowed me to be less intimiated.

I read the whole book, without reading the intro, just to see how it would go. I found that the seperate sections were very specific and I was able to follow Dostoyevsky's line of thought for once. His use of using the characters to represent political and social issues, in the Catholic view from the Western and Eastern perspecitve was very modern and fascinating. Despite its small stature, it took me a good while to go through it. I read it very carefully and gradually because you just can't read anything by Dostyevsky fast, otherwise, as I've learned, you won't get anything out of it.

I then read Guignon's introduction which further inhanced my understanding and appreciation. It propelled me to read the whole thing again and I got even more out of it. I know I will be reading this book again, in the very near future. In fact, this book incites the desire to read the whole book, because you don't know how it all began and ended.

It's a great introduction to not only the whole book but to Dostoyevsky's style and insight into the human condition in the modern world. It is not just Russian and Orthodox views that he questions but Western influence and its role as well. It's just worth the time and effort it takes to read it and trying to understand it.

An interesting Christian view.......2003-03-19

This book is a collection of select chapters from "The Brothers Karamazov."

There is a lengthy introduction that explains in detail the author's philosophy and how it is revealed in each of the four chapters presented here.

"The Brothers Make Friends" is simply here to introduce the two brothers Ivan and Alyosha. Ivan is the Europeanized lover of science, and Alyosha is the young Romantic. Dostoevsky uses his characters as representatives of different worldviews, and develops action in such a way to show how each worldview could be flawed.

In "Rebellion," Ivan's character is developed as he reveals his disdain at the suffering of children and how cruel it seems since they are without sin. Ivan says that he realizes there is suffering and that no one is responsible. This shocks him because he values order, and yet there seems to be no justice in the world.

In "The Grand Inquisitor" chapter, Ivan tells a fable based in the Spanish Inquisition in which the Catholic Inquistor judges Christ, who has returned. He condemns Christ to death saying he valued freedom of faith over mankind's happiness (in ignorance of freedom).

This small book concludes with the incredible story of Father Zossima. In the "Russian Monk," Dostoevsky explains the old Russian, holistic vision of sobornost (love of the entire world and one's taking responsibilty for the sins of all). In this worldview, if all choose to follow it, all will serve all and the world will be a paradise.

Dostoevsky's storytelling is very emotional, and not so much picturesque. But there is so much impact in his words and message! This book is one of my all-time favorites, and I cannot wait to read "The Brothers Karamazov" in its entirity. This, probably, could also serve as a great introduction to Dostoevsky.

Definitely worth a look.......1999-11-17

Guignon's essay is borne out of and reflects such a genuine enthusiasm that it's ultimately worthwhile to read it just for fun even if you happen to disagree with his interpretation of the fable. It certainly provoked me into returning to and re-reading Dostoevsky's tale.

Average customer rating:

A Classic

The Brothers Karamazov
Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Manufacturer: Hovel Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 1596440791

Book Description

Dostoyevsky's crowning life work, The Brothers Karamazov, stands among the best novels in world literature. The book probes the possible roles of four brothers in the unresolved murder of their father, Fyodor Karamazov. At the same time, it carefully explores the personalities and inclinations of the brothers themselves. Their psyches together represent the full spectrum of human nature, the continuum of faith and doubt. Ultimately, this novel seeks to understand the real meaning of faith and existence and includes much beneficial philosophical and spiritual discussion that moves the reader towards faith. An incredibly enjoyable and edifying story!

Customer Reviews:

A Classic.......2006-11-05

At nearly 50 years old, I just found this title and enjoyed it very much.

The Brothers Karamazov (Illustrated Modern library)

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The Brothers Karamazov (Illustrated Modern library)
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Manufacturer: Illustrated Modern Library/ Barnes & Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OSLCH8

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