Fyodor Dostoevsky

by Peter J. Conradi

Few writers of the last century speak as urgently to our condition as Dostoevsky. In this book Peter Conradi examines Dostoevsky's understanding of psychological 'doubleness' before turning to the four major novels. He shows how Dostoevsky's understanding of suffering, guilt, repentance, paranoia and religious terrors has proved relevant in today's unbelieving age.

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

See also Sunday Times journalist Peter Conradi

Peter J. Conradi FRSL (born 8 May 1945) is a British author and academic, best known for his studies of writer and philosopher, Iris Murdoch, who was a close friend. He is a Professor Emeritus of English at the University of Kingston and has been Visiting Fellow at Magdalen College Oxford and Research Fellow at University College London.

Conradi was educated at Oundle School, before going on to study English Literature at the University of East Anglia (BA, 1967), the University of Sussex (MA, 1969) and University College London (PhD, 1983).

Conradi has taught at South Bank Polytechnic, University of Colorado, Boulder (Exchange Professor), University of East Anglia, Kingston University and the Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland (British Council Professor). In 1997 Conradi left Kingston University, where he is now Emeritus Professor, to write freelance; and in 2010 was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

Conradi has written a number of books, including studies of John Fowles, Fyodor Dostoevsky and Angus Wilson, but he is best known for his work on the life and work of Iris Murdoch. His authorised biography of Murdoch was widely chosen as a book of the year on its publication in 2001.

Peter Conradi lives in London and Radnorshire with his civil partner Jim O’Neill. He is a practising Buddhist. He is a Trustee of the Bleddfa Centre for the Creative Spirit and has been co-editor (2007-2018) of the Transactions of the Radnorshire Society.