Karamazov Library discussion

Hi everyone,

I’m excited to share that our first book will be Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky. It’s a compelling and thought-provoking novella that will help us ease into his works. The book is divided into two parts—Underground, followed by Apropos of the Wet Snow—and we’ll be moving through both slowly and reflectively.

We’ll read one chapter a week to give space for thoughtful conversation. Chapter 1 is ready to read, and the first discussion post will be up this Thursday at 7 PM EST.

I’m really looking forward to our conversations!

Warmly,
Laurie

oh hi!!

Mavi ♡ wrote: "oh hi!!"

Hey Mavi, welcome:)

I love the slow pace to your conversations. I've read this book a couple of times before so I'm going to wait for the next one.

I'm just wondering if you knew that Notes from the Underground is part of a three-way "conversation" between Ivan Turgenev, Nikolai Chernyshevsky and Fyodor Dostoevsky? Turgenev wrote Fathers and Sons which Chernyshevsky despised and he wrote What Is to Be Done? in response to it, even mocking some of Turgenev's characters in his novel. Then Dostoyevsky wrote Notes from the Underground in response to What Is to Be Done?

It's a fascinating conversation if you read the three books in sequence. And it also helps illuminate the themes in Notes from the Underground because it helps the reader understand to what Dostoyevsky is responding. I could give you an over-view but I suspect readers might just want to read them and discover for themselves! 💕

Hey Cleo, thanks for sharing that! I wouldn’t have known otherwise.

You're so welcome, Raphael! I first learned about it when I was scanning a biography of Dostoyevsky. Since then, I've read all three and it was a fascinating experience. I'm puzzled as to why it's not more well-known, but I'm glad to pass the information on!

Cleo wrote: "I love the slow pace to your conversations. I've read this book a couple of times before so I'm going to wait for the next one.

I'm just wondering if you knew that [book:Notes from the Underground..."

Thank you, Cleo. I’m glad the slower pace has been enjoyable — that was very intentional.