What do you think?
Rate this book
The Fyodor Dostoevsky BBC Radio Drama Collection
Runtime: 17h 28m 11s
Narrated by Roy Marsden, Alex Jennings, Roger Allam, Paul Rhys, Nicholas Boulton, Paul Hilton, David Suchet, Barnaby Kay, and Lia Williams
BBC radio productions of Dostoevsky's masterpieces, plus selected shorter fiction and bonus programmes exploring his life and work
One of the most important and influential Russian writers of the 19th Century, Fyodor Dostoevsky is admired worldwide for his great realist novels, exploring questions of morality, philosophy and the nature of existence. This compilation contains the BBC radio productions of his four most famous novels - as well as three lesser-known works and two bonus documentaries - collected together for the first time.
Crime and Punishment - When he tests out a horrific theory, young Raskolnikov finds himself pursued by the cunning investigator Porfiry Petrovich. This thrilling tale of guilt and redemption stars Barnaby Kay and Jim Norton.
The Idiot - Arriving back in Russia after years spent abroad treating his epilepsy, Prince Mishkin learns the story of the woman who will dominate his life - the spoilt but captivating Nastasya... Dostoevsky's most personal novel stars Paul Rhys, Roger Allam and Lia Williams.
Devils - Idealism curdles into murderous anarchy in this fresh, contemporary 3-part adaptation of Dostoevsky's terrifying masterpiece, starring Gary Lilburn, Jane Whittenshaw, Joseph Arkley and Jonathan Forbes.
The Brothers Karamazov- The Karamazov family reunite for a meeting with their father to discuss Dmitry's inheritance. But the unpredictable Fyodor seems unwilling to play the game.... Stars Roy Marsden, Paul Hilton and Nicholas Boulton.
The Friend of the Family - Russia, 1859, and the Manor of Stephanchikovo is thrown into chaos when a former sergeant sets himself up as an arbiter of morals and taste. David Suchet and Clive Merrison star in this farcical comedy.
Bobok - Loitering in the cemetery after a funeral, a drunken writer overhears the conversations of the recently deceased corpses... This blackly comic short story is performed by Boris Isarov.
Dream of a Ridiculous Man - A study in music and words of Dostoevsky's vision of an idyllic, prelapsarian world. Read by Ronald Pickup.
Dostoevsky and Dangerous Ideas - John Gray reflects on the lessons Dostoevsky's novels teach us about the perils of misguided idealism.
Dr Rowan Williams on Dostoevsky - The onetime Archbishop of Canterbury joins Susan Hitch to consider conflicting ideas about spiritual regeneration and existentialism, as embodied in Dostoevsky's characters.
First published 1859 (The Friend of the Family), 1866 (Crime and Punishment), 1869 (The Idiot), 1872 (Demons), 1873 ('Bobok'), 1877 ('The Dream of a Ridiculous Man'), 1880 (The Brothers Karamazov)
Narrated by Roy Marsden, Alex Jennings, Roger Allam, Paul Rhys, Nicholas Boulton, Paul Hilton, David Suchet, Barnaby Kay, and Lia Williams
BBC radio productions of Dostoevsky's masterpieces, plus selected shorter fiction and bonus programmes exploring his life and work
One of the most important and influential Russian writers of the 19th Century, Fyodor Dostoevsky is admired worldwide for his great realist novels, exploring questions of morality, philosophy and the nature of existence. This compilation contains the BBC radio productions of his four most famous novels - as well as three lesser-known works and two bonus documentaries - collected together for the first time.
Crime and Punishment - When he tests out a horrific theory, young Raskolnikov finds himself pursued by the cunning investigator Porfiry Petrovich. This thrilling tale of guilt and redemption stars Barnaby Kay and Jim Norton.
The Idiot - Arriving back in Russia after years spent abroad treating his epilepsy, Prince Mishkin learns the story of the woman who will dominate his life - the spoilt but captivating Nastasya... Dostoevsky's most personal novel stars Paul Rhys, Roger Allam and Lia Williams.
Devils - Idealism curdles into murderous anarchy in this fresh, contemporary 3-part adaptation of Dostoevsky's terrifying masterpiece, starring Gary Lilburn, Jane Whittenshaw, Joseph Arkley and Jonathan Forbes.
The Brothers Karamazov- The Karamazov family reunite for a meeting with their father to discuss Dmitry's inheritance. But the unpredictable Fyodor seems unwilling to play the game.... Stars Roy Marsden, Paul Hilton and Nicholas Boulton.
The Friend of the Family - Russia, 1859, and the Manor of Stephanchikovo is thrown into chaos when a former sergeant sets himself up as an arbiter of morals and taste. David Suchet and Clive Merrison star in this farcical comedy.
Bobok - Loitering in the cemetery after a funeral, a drunken writer overhears the conversations of the recently deceased corpses... This blackly comic short story is performed by Boris Isarov.
Dream of a Ridiculous Man - A study in music and words of Dostoevsky's vision of an idyllic, prelapsarian world. Read by Ronald Pickup.
Dostoevsky and Dangerous Ideas - John Gray reflects on the lessons Dostoevsky's novels teach us about the perils of misguided idealism.
Dr Rowan Williams on Dostoevsky - The onetime Archbishop of Canterbury joins Susan Hitch to consider conflicting ideas about spiritual regeneration and existentialism, as embodied in Dostoevsky's characters.
First published 1859 (The Friend of the Family), 1866 (Crime and Punishment), 1869 (The Idiot), 1872 (Demons), 1873 ('Bobok'), 1877 ('The Dream of a Ridiculous Man'), 1880 (The Brothers Karamazov)
MP3 CD
Published March 25, 2021
About the author
Fyodor Dostoevsky
3,501 books76.2k followers
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)
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)
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
July 16, 2024
1. Crime and Punishment
The Idiot
This adaptation was phenomenal! Adapting such an eventful and well known book is probably an incredibly daunting and complex experience, and before I started this I was worried about how it would be condensed down into a few parts. But it’s actually really good!
We meet all of the same characters and experience the same moods and thought processes of Rashkolnikov in the book, and while it’s of course incredibly condensed and without narration the gossip and expressions of the characters make up for this well. I didn’t once feel lost when listening to this and I think if I was listening to this, as someone who’s never read the book, I think I’d still have a great grasp of what happens in this book and what an incredible writer Dostoyevsky is.
The Idiot
I have yet to enjoy this story presented in any form. The voice acting and directing was fine but I still don’t enjoy it. Not sure if there’s something in the story I’m completely missing but I still don’t understand the hype beyond the very basic messages of the story that I feel are poorly exacted.
September 10, 2023
Is it really possible to interpret Dostoevsky's works in another medium? Can they really do justice by just faithfully adapting them?
Countless artists have tried, from the world of cinema to theatre, to radio drama, but so far. they all seemed to fall short. Even the great Japanese director, Akira Kurosawa failed to do so. HIs version of The Idiot is considered by most film critics as one of his lesser works. His keen craftmanship and meticulous artistry in filmmaking did not carry the film in any way. It is because in reality, there is actually a high level of difficulty in doing so, a difficulty that is truly impossible to transcend. For how can you truly visualize a stream of consciousness that is in all likelihood is like catching a cloud and being able to pin it down.
Dostoevsky's novels are teeming with philosophical insights that inundate the reader's mind in a whirlpool of ideas, provoking them to delve deeply into the meaning of life. A instrospection that can lead one to the path of self-discovery. An attempt to transmute his best works namely, The Brothers Karamazov, Crime and Punishment, The Idiot and Demons in another medium are faced with these hurdles, which are indeed extremely difficult to overcome. This is why BBC failed to do an outstanding radio drama version of Dostoevsky's greatest novels. They opted to make it the easy way by stripping their version of the novels' philosophical elements instead of facing the challenge of incorporating it to the script. Hence, leaving behind to posterity slapdash versions with more semblance to tacky soap operas than the original they are based from.
My 5 star rating is not for the BBC Radio Drama. I just don't have the heart to rate anything lower than that with Dostoevsky's name on it.
Countless artists have tried, from the world of cinema to theatre, to radio drama, but so far. they all seemed to fall short. Even the great Japanese director, Akira Kurosawa failed to do so. HIs version of The Idiot is considered by most film critics as one of his lesser works. His keen craftmanship and meticulous artistry in filmmaking did not carry the film in any way. It is because in reality, there is actually a high level of difficulty in doing so, a difficulty that is truly impossible to transcend. For how can you truly visualize a stream of consciousness that is in all likelihood is like catching a cloud and being able to pin it down.
Dostoevsky's novels are teeming with philosophical insights that inundate the reader's mind in a whirlpool of ideas, provoking them to delve deeply into the meaning of life. A instrospection that can lead one to the path of self-discovery. An attempt to transmute his best works namely, The Brothers Karamazov, Crime and Punishment, The Idiot and Demons in another medium are faced with these hurdles, which are indeed extremely difficult to overcome. This is why BBC failed to do an outstanding radio drama version of Dostoevsky's greatest novels. They opted to make it the easy way by stripping their version of the novels' philosophical elements instead of facing the challenge of incorporating it to the script. Hence, leaving behind to posterity slapdash versions with more semblance to tacky soap operas than the original they are based from.
My 5 star rating is not for the BBC Radio Drama. I just don't have the heart to rate anything lower than that with Dostoevsky's name on it.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews