The Complete Works of Fyodor Dostoyevsky - Delphi Classics

by Fyodor Dostoevsky

For the first time ever in the English language, this is the COMPLETE WORKS of the great literary giant Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Why buy any other Kindle version, which will have texts missing? This is the ONLY complete eBook text available of Dostoyevsky's work. That's right, all of the novels and shorter fiction, even the rare ones usually missed out of compilations.
European Customers: Please note, this title is NOT available to European customers, because some of the texts have yet to enter the public domain. All texts will enter your public domain in January 2017.
Including:
* the unfinished novel NETOCHKA NEZVANOVA
* the rare novels UNCLE'S DREAM and THE VILLAGE OF STEPANCHIKOVO
* informative and brief introductions to ALL of the novels
* ALL of the short stories, which have been carefully collected and formatted for your enjoyment
* numerous images related to Dostoyevsky and his life
* includes BONUS Non-Fiction texts, including Dostoyevsky’s journal
* UPDATED with the great writer’s COMPLETE letters
* UPDATED with fully optional Table of Contents and Cover 'Go to' menu
* UPDATED with improved translations and even more images
* UPDATED with contents tables for each novel, in response to a customer's request - navigate with ease around Dostoyevsky's works!
* UPDATED with BONUS text of William Lyon Phelp's essay on Dostoyevsky's life and works
The eBook also includes a front no-nonsense table of contents to allow easy navigation around Dostoyevsky’s oeuvre. As in all Delphi Classics, the work is presented in a scholarly fashion, with all of the novels placed in chronological order, allowing readers to explore the author's gradual development in writing.

CONTENTS:
The Novels
POOR FOLK
THE DOUBLE
NETOCHKA NEZVANOVA
UNCLE’S DREAM
THE VILLAGE OF STEPANCHIKOVO
THE INSULTED AND HUMILIATED
THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD
NOTES FROM UNDERGROUND
CRIME AND PUNISHMENT
THE GAMBLER
THE ETERNAL HUSBAND
THE IDIOT
THE POSSESSED
THE RAW YOUTH
THE BROTHERS KARAMAZOV
The Short Stories
MR. PROHARTCHIN
THE CHRISTMAS TREE AND THE WEDDING
THE HEAVENLY CHRISTMAS TREE
THE CROCODILE
BOBOK
A GENTLE SPIRIT
THE DREAM OF A RIDICULOUS MAN
THE PEASANT MAREY
THE LITTLE ORPHAN
A WEAK HEART
WHITE NIGHTS
THE MEEK GIRL
POLZUNKOV
A LITTLE HERO
THE HONEST THIEF
A NOVEL IN NINE LETTERS
THE LANDLADY
AN UNPLEASANT PREDICAMENT
ANOTHER MAN'S WIFE
THE GRAND INQUISITOR
The Non-Fiction
DOSTOYEVSKY’S JOURNAL
THE COMPLETE LETTERS
Literary Criticism
William Lyon Phelp's essay on Dostoyevsky

Genres: Classics, Fiction, Literature, Philosophy, Historical Fiction, Russia, Collections

First published January 1, 1954

About the author

Фёдор Михайлович Достоевский (Russian)

Works, such as the novels Crime and Punishment (1866), The Idiot (1869), and The Brothers Karamazov (1880), of Russian writer Feodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky or Dostoevski combine religious mysticism with profound psychological insight.

Very influential writings of Mikhail Mikhailovich Bakhtin included Problems of Dostoyevsky's Works (1929),

Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky composed short stories, essays, and journals. His literature explores humans in the troubled political, social, and spiritual atmospheres of 19th-century and engages with a variety of philosophies and themes. People most acclaimed his Demons(1872) .

Many literary critics rate him among the greatest authors of world literature and consider multiple books written by him to be highly influential masterpieces. They consider his Notes from Underground of the first existentialist literature. He is also well regarded as a philosopher and theologian.

(Russian: Фёдор Михайлович Достоевский) (see also Fiodor Dostoïevski)

Reviews

[BookHunter M ُH َM َD · Rating 4 out of 5]

رحلتي من الجريمة و العقاب إلى المراهق. رحلة ممتعة مع العزيز فيودور خلال 9750 صفحة بمتوسط تقييم 3.66 لعدد 35 رواية و قصة قصيرة و طويلة على مدى زمني يزيد عن عامين

كانت الجريمة و العقاب هي البداية و هي المنتهى. راسكولنيكوف هو اسم يصعب نسيانه و بطل به من التعقيد ما احتاج إلى ما يقرب من ألف صفحة للتعبير عن بعض ما يعتمل بداخله. كانت جريمته هي الحلم بمستقبل افضل سهل التحقق و سريع في الوقت ذاته. و من منا ليس لديه هذا الحلم. أحيانا ما يكون العلم نقمة على صاحبه و هذا هو ما حدث لصاحبنا عندما اندمج في الفلسفة النتشوية و عقد مقارنات تاريخية مع غزو نابليون لروسيا استنتج منه أن العالم لن يضيره شيئا لو تخلص من بعض الأوغاد و آل مالهم إلى الطيبين الأبرار و من ثم نصب نفسه طيبا و اختار عجوزا مرابية من الأوغاد و قتلها ليتبين له بعد ذلك أن لا وغد إلا هو و أن لا سبيل لتطهيرنا سوى الحب و الحب فقط.

من هنا دخلت عالم دوستويفسكي الذي لن أخرج منه أبدا فما تبقى لي منه بعد إتمام أعماله الكاملة يقبع في مخيلتي وأعتقد أنه لن يبارحها بسهولة.

الأحلام تتحقق إن كانت ممكنة و آن أوانها. و هذا هو أحد الأحلام التي ساعدت التكنولوجيا على تحقيقها فبدون البي دي إف ما كنت أظن أنني سأقرأ هذا العدد من المجلدات في هذا الزمن الوجيز. ثمانية عشر مجلدا من الحجم الكبير سهر عليها الأستاذ سامي الدروبي ليترجم لنا ما سطره هذا الكاتب العظيم منذ البداية و حتى النهاية و جعلها بالتراتب الزمني نفسه الذي تم نشرها فيه وقت كتابتها.

انقسمت كتابات دوستويفسكي على مرحلتين: ما قبل نفيه إلى سيبريا بأفكاره الجريئة الواثقة القاطعة دون كثير من فلسفة و دون امتلاك ناصية الأدب بالشكل العميق الذي وصل له في رواياته الطويلة و ظهر ذلك في روايات قصيرة رائعة كالمهرج و ذكريات طفلة و قصة في تسع رسائل أو أعمال أخرى أقل مستوٍ مثل الجارة و السيد بروخارتشين إلا أن ما بعد العصر السيبيري ليس مثل ما قبله فقد صقلته حياة الاعتقال و جعلته منفتحا على الثقافات و الطبقات الاجتماعية الأخرى كما مكنته من الإحساس الصادق بالمعاناة و طورت شخصيته التي اختارت الانقياد بدلا من المواجهة و الحكمة بدلا من تأنيب النفس و صار قادرا على صياغة أفكاره بشكل أكثر وعيا و أشمل فكرا و أقرب و أسهل لقلب و عقل شريحة كبيرة من القراء و النقاد أيضا.

انقسمت تلك المرحلة أيضا إلى مرحلتين إحداهما بعد خروجه مباشرة من الاعتقال حيث الكتابة الحذرة و الأفكار المغلفة و اللغة التي تغازل النقاد أكثر من القراء و السعي إلى الانتشار السريع بين القراء و ظهر كل ذلك جليا في قصة رائعة استهل بها حياته الأدبية الجديدة بعد العفو عنه و هي حلم العم ثم تصاعد المد الفلسفي و الوعي في مذلون مهانون ثم قرر الكتابة عن تجربة السجن الأليمة في ذكريات من البيت الميت إلا أنه اضطر أحيانا لكتابة قصص ذات مستوى أقل مراعاة لأكل العيش و توفير المال لأمور حياته مثل في قبوي و ذكريات شتاء عن مشاعر صيف و قصة أليمة إلا أنه لم يلبث أن استعاد مستواه في المقامر و الزوج الأبدي ليصل بعدها إلى الذروة و إلى مرحلة الإبداع الأخيرة التي أتحفنا فيها بأعماله الكبيرة الخالدة التي بث فيها حكمته و تطلعاته لروسيا و للعالم و صور فيها معاناة النفس الإنسانية في شتى صورها و ذلك في رواياته الكبيرة التي استهلها بأفضل أعماله من وجهة نظري و هي الجريمة و العقاب و الأبله ثم الإخوة كرامازوف التي ختم بها أعماله و لا ينفي ذلك تميز الأعمال الأخرى الكبيرة كالمراهق و الشياطين أو أعمال صغيرة كتبها متأخرا كالعذبة و حلم رجل مضحك.

في النهاية عالم فيودور دوستويفسكي ليس عالما متميزا فحسب بل هو التميز في حد ذاته. لا يسعنا إلا قراءته و التوقف عند الكثير من عباراته و عبراته و تعبيراته لعلنا ندرك و لو جزء بسيط مما بداخل هذا الكائن المدعو بالإنسان.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
الجريمة و العقاب

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
حلم رجل مضحك

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
الليالي البيضاء

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
الإخوة كارامازوف

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
الأبله

⭐️⭐️⭐️
السارق الشريف

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
ذكريات طفلة: نيتوتشكا

⭐️⭐️
السيد بروخارتشين

⭐️⭐️
الجارة

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
المهرج

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
قصة في تسع رسائل

⭐️⭐️⭐️
البطل الصغير

⭐️⭐️
زوجة رجل آخر و زوج تحت السرير

⭐️⭐️⭐️
الفقراء

⭐️⭐️⭐️
قلب ضعيف

⭐️⭐️
المثل

⭐️⭐️⭐️
شجرة عيد الميلاد والزواج

⭐️⭐️⭐️
قرية ستيبانتشيكوفو وسكانها

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
حلم العم

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
مذلون مهانون

⭐️⭐️⭐️
مذكرات من البيت الميت

⭐️⭐️
في قبوي

⭐️⭐️⭐️
قصة أليمة

⭐️⭐️
ذكريات شتاء عن مشاعر صيف

⭐️⭐️⭐️
التمساح

⭐️⭐️⭐️
المقامر

⭐️⭐️⭐️
الزوج الأبدي

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
الشياطين

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
المراهق

⭐️⭐️⭐️
بوبوك

⭐️⭐️⭐️
صبي مع المسيح عند شجرة عيد الميلاد

⭐️⭐️⭐️
الفلاح ماراي

⭐️⭐️⭐️
عجوز تجاوز عمرها مئة سنة

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
العذبة

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
حلم رجل مضحك

⭐️⭐️⭐️
خطاب عن بوشكين

[Moon Rose (M.R.) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Time spent on reading the gargantuan 8,318 pages of the book (Source: Reading Insights from the Kindle for Android App)

"Into themselves eternity at last changes them"---Mallarmé via Auerbach

Three of my all-time-favorite-books by Fyodor Dostoevsky, which should also include Demons also called The Possessed, or Devils (not in the image above)

The commitment to read the complete works of Fyodor Dostoevsky is indeed a daunting task, an undertaking that seems to be an impossibility, yet when it is done, at the moment you reach the last page and consumed the very last word, you would want it to mimic the unfinished map of the ever expanding Universe, which is as endless and as infinite as the journey to the unknown stars. Perhaps, this notion is not simply just an allegory, for what was written by his might pen is in the same interminable context, an actual perusal of the unmapped landscape of the human consciousness, where good and evil incessantly collide, creating the nebulous world of unstable thoughts that greatly impacts the subtle dimension of the human heart. From Poor Folk to The Brothers Karamazov, one can become an eye witness to this impenetrable region, solidifying the gradual progression of his inimitable talent that continuously hones his personal conviction as it universally translates to the utmost pitch of ingenuity for the benefit of mankind.

This is not my first attempt to read his complete oeuvre. In the latter part of 2010, after being reintroduced to his famous opus, Crime and Punishment and immediately followed by The Brothers Karamazov, I must say that I had my first glimpse into the havoc. The exhilaration of his words never left me even after reading them. My thoughts swirled like a storm, destroying everything I knew, but at the same time, it felt like I was on the precipice of a new discovery as if laying the very foundation of something precious, which no words can utterly describe. It just left me wanting and longing for something I still knew not, what I exactly felt was that in Dostoevsky, I found an unlikely affinity...


Lidiya Velezheva's fierce performance as Nastasya Filippovna (above) in the Russian adaptation of The Idiot in 2003, this 10-part-TV series, which also stars Yevgeny Mironov as Prince Myshkin (below) also played a stirring portrayal of Dostoevsky (see image down below) in the 8-part-TV series of the same name in 2011. The Idiot, I was able to watch in full after reading the novel on this volume, which I think compensate for the irretrievable, but faithful black and white Japanese version made by Akira Kurosawa in 1951, which I believe among his greatest works is the most filmable.


The yearning was somewhat quench when technology made it possible for me to read the entirety of his works as most of his books are inaccessible even to the present time as a physical copy and can only be downloaded as an e-book format. With my Kindle device, the completion became just a breeze then. Though my reading was not made in chronological order after The Idiot and The Possessed because in the intervals of which, I was lured to read other works by mostly Russian, Victorian and other European novelists, my determination to complete his works never faltered. It was also at this time that I singularly noticed the wide and stark disparity between the Russian and the rest of European literature. The 19th century Russian writers appeared to be writing on a different plane...

It seemed that after Pushkin, the next generation of writers seemed to be more in tune with the profound aspect of existence that molds their prose on the preparatory mode for reinvention. It was this aspect of the 19th Russian Literature that Dostoevsky truly mastered. His purpose on writing was always to create something original as if driven to vividly describe life from another point of perspective that loudly gives a living voice to those of which man could not even utter. This is perhaps why his deep penetrating insight was even at par from his Russian contemporaries as he was not just into the meticulous description of the physiological and social stratum of man because he wanted to go even further and capture the volatile condition of the human mind to be able to penetrate the impenetrable fortress of the human consciousness.

This loftiest of stature was once validated by one of the most celebrated American writers, William Faulkner when he once wrote about The Brothers Karamazov that American literature had produced nothing yet great enough that might compare to Dostoevsky's novel. But despite this glaring fact, his works were often ridiculed and criticized as lacking artistic merit. From Dostoevsky's own personal letters, he complained that unlike Leo Tolstoy and Ivan Turgenev, who can both write in leisurely pace, he on the other hand must write for a "living", sometimes even in the middle of sickness. Although, this was a recurring issue in his letters, a complete admission on his part, I still believe that no rewriting could ever change the tone of his writing. It is this very tone that sets him apart from his contemporaries as it makes suffering not just a fictional device, but a breathing reality that comes alive in his novels. Other writers may have keen artistry to impress the public and stimulate their readers' sense of taste, but Dostoevsky's writing goes beyond mere art alone because for those who find meaning in his words can testify that it profoundly stirred their consciousness, intoxicating their soul. Art aesthetically speaking is an organized form to convey ideas elaborately adorned with the artist's confection of rhyme and rhythm while disorganized is the natural state of what Dostoevsky is attempting to capture.

Vladimir Nabokov, the greatest of his detractors, describes his characters as neurotic or insane, the stuff of "pseudo-literature". Without mincing words, Nabokov is perhaps on the point, but if the truth be told, who in this world is not? Even the loftiest ideals could sometimes sound crazy. "Love your enemy, turn the other cheek, blessed those who persecute you"--to a logical mind, the ideas are absurd, but in fact, even for those who are unable to practice them consider them as the virtues of the righteous.

In reality, madness is the natural state of mind behind the ordinary physiognomy of every individual. As intention is invisible, or shady to the naked eye, so is the reality from which it came. Even Nabokov's own protagonist, Humbert Humbert from his critically acclaimed novel, Lolita appears to be a deviant also suffering from some kind of mental disorder. This hidden disorder, the psychological darkness that lurks behind every individual is the inconspicuous broken piece of each personality Dostoevsky is attempting to penetrate and unravel.

Perhaps, there is no better way to illustrate this than the cacophony one can find from the polyphonic narrative of one of his most vitriolic works, Demons, which Joyce Carol Oates describes as Dostoevsky's most confused and violent novel, and his most satisfactorily 'tragic' work. Nihilism in the 19th century Russia could find no better description than this prophetic novel. The danger of ideals is vividly portrayed here with a narrative brimming with suspenseful energy as the ideals themselves become living characters as riveting as the characters that represent them. It is a simulation of the terror that will grip Russia by its throat in the early part of the 20th century, giving Communism a steady platform to come to fruition. Some critics argue that the work is a slipshod, not considering that the narrative style is meant to suit the theme of chaos and disorderliness, depicting the instability of a time on a hot cauldron as it about to reach its boiling point.


Maksim Matveev as Stavrogin and Anton Shagin as Pyotr Verkhovensky in the 4-part-Russian-TV-series, Demons in 2014, in this scene, Pyotr is persuading Stavrogin to join his cause, crowning him as “Ivan the Tsarevitch” from Part 2: Chapter 8 of the novel

In this regard, the apparent skill of Dostoevsky comes not so much out of creativity, but more so instinctively. Profuse with so much insight, he writes attuned to his innermost core of being. Perhaps, it is also the reason why even up to the present moment, his works remain appealing in its universality as it provokes essential questions the world has already forgotten to ask. Though Dostoevsky never offers an answer to these questions, he can give the reader's mind an opportunity to expand beyond the sphere of individual existence by delving into the abstract and formless way of thinking sparked by the pursuit of knowledge and fueled by the experience of suffering. I remember reading an article about Sadhguru, this Indian yogi and mystic said that he was first influenced by Russian and other Western literature in his youth. He said that he admired the writers' intellect namely Dostoevsky, Camus and Kafka, but at one point, he suddenly saw that though these people were brilliant, there was a psychological factor which is unnecessary – a certain morbidity about everything and celebrating SUFFERING in so many ways, which reminds me in contrast to what some atheists think about suffering, for instance--the suffering and agony of Jesus Christ, the ultimate sacrifice, which they think logically speaking as absurdly ridiculous, grossly demeaning the death on the cross as a masochist way to save the world from sin, but whether one sees suffering in a laudatory form as a reason for celebration, or simply hold it in contempt as a form of salvation, one thing is for sure, Dostoevsky's sweeping and deep penetrating perspective of suffering as reflected in his prophetic works is a testament of its real power of transformation, a potent force that can pierce any discerning mind with intellectually stimulating thoughts and awaken the heart to spiritual revolution.


The 12-part-Russian-TV series of The Brothers Karamazov produced in 2009 considered to be as close to the book as possible.

It does not matter how it will change you. What matters is that it will. Whether through faith, or through reason, the change will shake your mind and your soul as the rage of this battle between faith in believing and reason for disbelief can best be exemplified in Dostoevsky's last novel, his magnum opus and one of the most influential works of world literature, The Brothers Karamazov.

This complex novel appears to present the 3 natures of man in the characters of the 3 brothers with each representing one, to Dmitri, passion and desire, Ivan, on the other hand, intellect and logic and to Alyosha, the redeeming factor of faith and love. The background of which is the juxtaposition of faith and reason as further heightened by the convincing arguments made by the Cardinal in The Grand Inquisitor, in contrast to Father Zossima's reflections on transcendence and the universal brotherhood of mankind. Many consider The Brothers Karamazov as an unfinished novel as Dostoevsky died only a few months of its publication. What exactly happened to the brothers were left unclear. Did Dmitri make his escape to America? Did Ivan recover from his sickness? Did Alyosha become a rebel against God? Perhaps, it was just meant to end the way it did as it reflects as well the uncertainty of our own individual endings...


Superb performance by Yevgeny Mironov (above) as an elderly Dostoevsky giving a public reading of Pushkin's "The Prophet" and the image (below) shows the uncanny resemblance of the actor as he recreates one of the notable works of Vasily Perov, the famous portrait of Dostoevsky

"Arise, O Prophet! Thou has heard, charged with My will, go forth and span the land, and let the righteous Word consume with fire the hearts of men."---Alexander Pushkin

[Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tolle Psychologie, toller "Kriminalroman"! Nur das Ende enttäuscht. Dass Dostojewski mit dem von ihm gewählten Ende derart gegen die immanente Logik seines Romans verstoßen MUSS, zeigt aber, dass die von ihm zutreffend analysierte Gesellschaft keine andere Lösung denkmöglich machte. In allen Romanen kreist der russische Autor um das Problem, wie wünschenswerte gesellschaftliche Veränderungen umgesetzt werden könnten, und er findet - innerhalb des Systems - NIIEMALS eine Lösung! Das ist künstlerische Unbestechlichkeit. Gerade im Scheitern des eigenen Anspruchs zeigt sich die weltliterarische Größe eines Autors, der nicht künstlerisches Unvermögen beweist, sondern zeigt, dass diese bürgerlich- verkommene Gesellschaft nicht reformierbar ist. Nirgends im 19. Jh. - und vielleicht noch darüber hinaus (Brecht mal ausgenommen) - ist dieser Befund greifbarer und einsichtiger als bei Dostojewski. Und er ist gültig bis heute, wo sich die Doppelmoral, die Heuchelei und das Loskaufen von "Sünden" nur auf andere Felder (Rassismus, Identität, Klima usw.) verlagert hat. Damit bleibt Claus Trägers Satz gültig, dass es nichts Neues unter der Sonne gibt, solange die alten Bücher noch in unsere Zeit passen. Und Dostojewski passt! Was für eine Autor. Was für ein grandioses Buch!

[Diogenes Grief · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back in October, Oyster (an awesome e-reading service) put out a notice saying it was done and that service would end on Christmas Day of all things. Oyster is dead; one more tribe of Goths slaughtered by the Amazon Imperium (i.e., https://newrepublic.com/article/12636...). As my final Oyster read, I chose the 1100-page unabridged collection of Dostoyevsky edited by one C.J. Hogarth and published in 2010. I almost made it to the end before the plug was pulled. As someone with Russian blood coursing through my veins, I'm well aware of how Dostoyevsky stands within the Hall of Heroes. This collection was thorough and exhaustive, including his letters to others, memoir entries, and a bio by Aimee Dostoyevsky, which I didn't quite reach. How does one rate the entire literary history of an author with an overly simplistic 5-star gauge? I cannot. Some works were easily 5-star masterpieces (e.g., The House of the Dead), while others felt extremely boring and moderately pointless, falling between 2 and 3 stars, at best. The ebook was riddled with formatting errors, a lack of clear benchmarks within the voluminous text, and some egregious typos that any undergrad intern could have caught. However, I have no idea if such things are found in the physical book, so this may be a moot point.

Overall, I'm glad to have this tome under my belt. One day I might have all the great Russian writers read.

[Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dostoyevsky complete works is an awesome deal. This is another one of the must haves and if it's not on the list of books to read in your life time, it should be.

[Sinan Öner]

"Complete Works of Fyodor Dostoyevsky" is very useful source for understanding the 19. Century's history of philosophy, literature, culture, law and social relations in the world. Fyodor Dostoyevsky's novels, stories, writings are "the realist mirrors", "the objectively rational definitions", "the critical observations" about the societies of his age. Fyodor Dostoyevsky was a Russian writer, but Fyodor Dostoyevsky tries to develop "a global" view for the 19. Century's world in literature powers, tools and ways. Fyodor Dostoyevsky's novels are the stories of Russian society in the 19. Century - after "Dekambrist rebels", dram, tragedy and comedy of Russian city life in the conditions of Tsardom autocracy. Fyodor Dostoyevsky creates a lot of people ("characters") to see the life of Russia in the history of the Russian modernization.

[Robert L. Gemmill]

A classic, of course!

A deep look into Russian living and thinking in the time of Dostoevsky. A tale full of passion with an ending that is distinctly Russian.

[Pável Granados · Rating 5 out of 5]

“¿Has terminado de leer este periodo de la obra de Dostoyevski, el primer tomo de sus obras completas?, ¿y pasarás la página de la vida así como así?, ¿sin dedicarle aunque sea unas palabras a la sencillez perdida?” ¿Agregar mi nada a los mares de comentaristas?, me respondí. Está bien, lo haré porque antes no sabía las cosas que sólo en estas páginas se aprenden. Por ejemplo, que la bondad es sólo una de las formas de la ignorancia. Que amar consiste en dejarse destruir por el objeto de la pasión. Antes tenía una idea más bien reducida del ser humano. Es fácil, por eso, saber quién no ha recibido la dura lección de estas novelas. Ni siquiera el sufrimiento ni las experiencias amargas de la vida dan estas lecciones. Porque un espíritu mediocre no crece con el dolor ni con la experiencia. ¡Por el contrario!, la experiencia tiene como fin enseñar que todo es igual, que todo, hasta el dolor y la felicidad, se repite sin sentido. Más bien, el ser humano, ante la desgracia, prefiere contenerse, aferrarse a los límites conocidos de su espíritu. Cuánta seguridad hay en la idea de que el bien y el mal están separados por un firme muro, pero al concebir un espíritu más amplio, al arriesgarse a ir más allá, se ve que esas fronteras son más bien pequeñas y engañosas, puntos de referencia que se pierden totalmente al pisar lo desconocido. Una vez que se derrumban esos muros más bien molestos e inútiles para conocer el corazón del hombre, queda al descubierto una forma de ser que se desborda. Los personajes de Dostoyevski se arriesgan a conocer el extremo de la existencia. La gente normal se espanta y los llaman locos. Pero, ¿no es acaso una forma de defender el pequeño terreno de la seguridad y la ignorancia ante la vida? Sólo en estas novelas son posibles las escenas en donde el odio, la ironía y el amor forman un solo sentimiento indistinguible. Esos momentos en donde ignoramos si el personaje siente amor o una obsesión de matar. En un sólo individuo cabe todo el registro de emociones del ser humano. Es algo que olvidamos generalmente, porque a lo largo de la vida no estamos dispuestos a alejarnos de una idea conocida que tenemos de nosotros mismos. No estamos dispuestos a desconocernos, ni aunque esa sea la forma más segura del autoconocimiento. Pensemos, por ejemplo, en la pregunta que se hacen con frecuencia los personajes de Humillados y ofendidos: ¿La felicidad consiste en lograrla para uno mismo o para el ser al que amamos? Porque es muy probable que para hacer feliz al ser que amamos, tengamos que renunciar a él. Con toda seguridad, tenemos que entregarlo a otra persona. Entonces, mejor retrasar ese momento. Mientras tanto, preferimos sufrir sabiendo que tarde o temprano tendremos que sacrificarnos por la felicidad del otro, que en el fondo es la nuestra. Por eso, de manera contraria a la novela de folletín, no esperamos lo que va a pasar, sino que queremos saber cuánto tiempo más esperarán estos personajes antes de quebrarse interiormente. Prefieren compartir el sufrimiento mientras tanto, mientras la felicidad se decide a llegar o a marcharse definitivamente. Así, hasta que el sufrimiento destroce al personaje más débil. De todas las escenas de estas novelas, me ha quedado revoloteando una, la final de Humillados y ofendidos. Se ve ahí que el dolor no ha consistido en pasar por todos los sufrimientos, sino en darse cuenta, al final, que el amor y la felicidad eran posibles. Los enamorados condenados a separarse para siempre se miran y se dicen sin hablarse: “Hubiéramos podido vivir siempre felices juntos”. Ignoro el efecto de estas palabras en ruso, pero en español son devastadoras. Cuando veo otras ediciones de esta novela, inmediatamente reviso cómo están traducidas, y veo que ninguna versión tiene la fuerza que le dio Rafael Cansinos Assens, el encargado de esta edición. Es decir, el autor argentino que no sólo tradujo todo Dostoyevski del ruso, sino Las mil y una noches del árabe y todo Balzac del francés. Decía que todo el espectro del ser humano está presente en estas páginas. Así que no sólo está la tragedia sino la farsa –aunque debo decir que muchas veces se muestran indisolubles. Y uno de los momentos más divertidos y fascinantes del autor se encuentra en la novela La mujer ajena y el hombre debajo de la cama. ¡Pocas páginas tan divertidas! Un hombre cegado por los celos vuelve a casa, convencido de que encontrará a su esposa en brazos de su amante, pero la furia hace… que se equivoque de departamento, en donde sólo encuentra a su vecina, espantada. En ese momento, entra su esposo. Y él tiene que esconderse debajo de la cama, en donde se encuentra también escondido el amante de la vecina. Sin embargo, aquí se tuerce el rostro del traductor. Esta novela le parece inmoral, y nos advierte: sólo porque son obras completas está aquí incluida. Pero reconviene al autor: se lo pasamos por esta vez, pero a condición de que vuelva pronto a sus temas atormentados. Lo que significa que los autores deben de cumplir con sus deberes ante la crítica literaria.

Fiodor M. Dostoyevski. Obras completas, Tomo I (1844-1865), traducción directa del ruso por Rafael Cansinos Assens, 5ª ed. Madrid, Aguilar, 1953.

[Bob · Rating 1 out of 5]

The scanning quality for this collection makes reading a problem. "Yo" is read as \d so since a lot of sentences begin with "You" you have to translate. Also numerous line breaks after commas begin new paragraphs mid-sentence. For some reason reading time for the book increases as I go from page to page. I'll have to spend a couple of bucks for an alternative collection. (less) "

[Critical Sandwich]

I sometimes do "randomizer pick" when choosing my next read, and I DON'T have classics books by big authors on goodreads TBR (cuz otherwise my TBR would be ~200 books higher), so I put a few of these "Complete Works" onto TBR so they'd have a chance to be chosen by randomizer, but I'd still have the freedom to choose whatever work.

[Ghassan Samaha · Rating 1 out of 5]

Such a gathering of great literature pieces for one author i can not but hail most of the moments i spent reading it.

[Clive Vincent]

As an exploration of the darker sides of humanity, even a brutal murder, this book is profoundly disturbing but comfortingly optimistic. A good read.

[Michael A. Vidalis PhD · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dostoyevsky is undoubtedly a literary giant, who also had a spiritual side. His writing is interesting, yet feeds the esoteric intellect. This book is the one for Dostoyevsky lovers.

[Zach Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not actually finished but close enough to log it; probably won't be fully done until January

[Alex Lanious · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading Dostoyevsky. Raw emotions, complexity of thought, passions and confusions.

[Jefrois · Rating 1 out of 5]

Do NOT buy this, it’s not what you think.

Also, the man is now unreadable, DESPITE whatever they tell you. He is incomprehensible; also reading somebody who wrote in 1842 is a crazed idea.

Also he uses “the ‘N’ word,” here: “…I know she would rather be a nigger on a plantation….” And therefore HE MUST BE CANCELED, WIPED OUT, REMOVED, DESTROYED, and replaced by some real authentic writing such as that found in the petroglyphs!!!

https://www.crystalinks.com/Petroglyp...

!!!

[Arlene Starr · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE RAW YOUTH
Description taken from the first page of the Raw Youth: “The Raw Youth, also published as the Adolescent or An Accidental Family...originally Dostoyevsky created the work under the title 'Discard.'
"Some scholars have criticized it as a minor, or ever failed, work; while others have vehemently defended its worth.” My opinion is it is of value and worth reading but keep in mind that it is long and the first third seems to be drawn out too much. However it gets more interesting as you progress and eventually you are drawn into a drama to the point that it becomes hard to put the book down.
Again quoting from the book: “It chronicles the life of 19-year old intellect Arkady Dolgoruky illegitimate child of the controversial and womanizing landowner Versilov.”
The book consists of a lot of ideological content between the old way of thinking and the new point of view of the youth of 1860's Russia.
Arkady's development, his rebellion, his love of and conflict with his father Versilov, his living independently, his relationship with others, his first feelings of love for a woman, his adventures, and immaturity in dealing with problems, his evaluation of others and himself, all sum up the pains of growing up. Dostoyevsky again shows his ability to write dealing with relationships and characterization of people making them come alive in one's eyes. I would give it a 4 rating.
As to a rating of the Complete Works of Fyodor I'd give it a 5 rating.

[José Van Rosmalen · Rating 5 out of 5]

In deze bundel staan vier romans en drie lange verhalen van de negentiendeeeuwsw Russische schrijver Dostojewski. De Nederlandstalige omnibus kwam uit in 1964 en is al meer dan zestig jaar in mijn bezit. Ik las ook al in de jaren zestig boeken van hem zoals ‘de Speler’ en ‘ Oompjes droom’. Later las ik hem weer van tijd tot tijd. Het boek begint met een biografie over de schrijver, die al als kind zich verdiepte in de literatuur. De krijgsmacht was niks voor hem. Hij kende de literatuur van zijn tijd, ook die uit west Europa. Wat vooral aan hem opvalt is zijn vermogen om diepgaande emoties te beschrijven en te analyseren, zoals in het verhaal ‘de kleine held’ waarin een puber smoorverliefd wordt op een volwassen vrouw en met zijn houding geen raad weet. In het verhaal ‘de hospita’ gaat het over eenzaamheid en vervreemding. Ook hier speelt onzekerheid in de omgang tussen mensen een grote rol. Dostojewski schreef vooral over Petersburg, toen al een grote stad.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I downloaded this ebook to read Notes From Underground on my phone when away from home while reading it in the anthology Sixteen Short Novels. There's little to excite any sympathy or empathy, but as perhaps the first existential novel it's intellectually interesting as an example of what a novel can do and for it's influence on writers that came after. I used Sparknotes liberally to help me weed through the narrators ramblings and make sense of what the author is trying to say.

[Lara Durrant]

I've only read Crime and Punishment.