What do you think?
Rate this book
Dostoevsky
DOSTOEVSKY, NICHOLAS BERYAEV, 1959 EDITION.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1934
56 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 3, 2022
A helpful summary of Dostevsky's philosophies and beliefs on Spirit, man, freedom, evil, love, socialism, Russia and the pinacle of his thought (the grand inquisitor). It made me think more deeply about Dostevsky's focus on the necessity of suffering and his portrayal of man as an essential being. helpful reference for most of his work. Also intriguing comparisons between Tolstoy and Dostoevsky.
"The existence of evil is a proof of the existence of God. If the world consisted wholly and uniquely of goodness and righteousness, there would be no need for God, for the world itself would be god. God is, because evil is. And that means that God is because freedom is."
"Tolstoy may seem to take up more room on the stage, but Dostoevsky had the wider and stronger influence. Tolsoty was by far the more "get-at-able" and the easier to take for one's "master" he was, moreover, more of a moralist; whereas in the forrow ploughed by Dostoevsky it was the complex and keen Russian metaphysical thought that grew and had to be mastered."
"People may be divided into two types: those who are drawn to Tolstoy's mind and those drawn to Dostoevsky's...those who are satisfied by Tolstoy's rationalism and monism do not appreciate the tragic contradictions of such works at "the possessed": they are frightened by the writer's spirit, which seems to them antichristian. Tolstoy, to whom the idea of redemption was quite foreign and who lacked any personal feeling for our Lord, is their representative figure of an authentic Christian, faithful to the word of the gospel; Dostoevsky, who loved Christ consumingly and was immersed in the mystery of his atonement, him they regard as an unchristian, gloomy, disturbing writer who opens the pits of hell.
"So far as creative religious thought is concerned, Tolstoy has been almost barren while Dostoevksy's work has been exceedingly fruitful.
"The existence of evil is a proof of the existence of God. If the world consisted wholly and uniquely of goodness and righteousness, there would be no need for God, for the world itself would be god. God is, because evil is. And that means that God is because freedom is."
"Tolstoy may seem to take up more room on the stage, but Dostoevsky had the wider and stronger influence. Tolsoty was by far the more "get-at-able" and the easier to take for one's "master" he was, moreover, more of a moralist; whereas in the forrow ploughed by Dostoevsky it was the complex and keen Russian metaphysical thought that grew and had to be mastered."
"People may be divided into two types: those who are drawn to Tolstoy's mind and those drawn to Dostoevsky's...those who are satisfied by Tolstoy's rationalism and monism do not appreciate the tragic contradictions of such works at "the possessed": they are frightened by the writer's spirit, which seems to them antichristian. Tolstoy, to whom the idea of redemption was quite foreign and who lacked any personal feeling for our Lord, is their representative figure of an authentic Christian, faithful to the word of the gospel; Dostoevsky, who loved Christ consumingly and was immersed in the mystery of his atonement, him they regard as an unchristian, gloomy, disturbing writer who opens the pits of hell.
"So far as creative religious thought is concerned, Tolstoy has been almost barren while Dostoevksy's work has been exceedingly fruitful.
March 27, 2012
Anyone who happens on my read book list will see quite a number of books by both the author and subject of this book. Berdyaev was an amazing character, right up there in his own way with Dostoevsky, one of the greatest of all writers. Berdyaev says that he was a kind of sprout of Dostoevsky and he proves it with this searching, fearless and provocative account of the work of the great novelist. Some readers may find Berdyaev tiresome - he seemed to write in a kind of fever and could veer off in the wildest directions. I like it actually.
Last year I wrote a novel partly based on Berdyaev's thought, and included in that his debt to Dostoevsky. It's called The Russian Idea, and eventually you'll find Berdyaev's book by that title in this list. You can find my book on www.smashwords.com.
Last year I wrote a novel partly based on Berdyaev's thought, and included in that his debt to Dostoevsky. It's called The Russian Idea, and eventually you'll find Berdyaev's book by that title in this list. You can find my book on www.smashwords.com.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews