Finished reading The idiot and was amazed at how contemporary the novel sounds. Its a savage attack with traces of biting satire on the crass materialism of Russia at the time but it could just as well apply say to the modern world, to India chasing its dreams of riches without a sense of morality, of communitarian feelings. The novel's description of families on the verge of dysfunctionality rings so true of our own age. A must read for all!