I read Dostoyevsky mostly I think in my late thirties and early forties. I think I read them in order, but probably not on purpose. I had a very hard time with Devils; and had to give-up twice before finally mastering it. As much as I agree with you about books being different at different times in our lives. I would go even further - in my own experience and say the more I read the better reader I become; and certain projects which were probably unattainable before become more accessible as I mature as a reader. There is a scene, I'm sure you are familiar with it, where the drunken pheasant mercilessly beats the suffering horse to the amusement of his friends. What I like about the scene is it's horribleness: I hate it. I hate Dostoyevsky for writing it and for tricking me into reading it. It's so sad: cruelty: put there intentionally by the author to terrorize me and make me suffer. And so I think it's pretty cool that the skill of the author can have such a powerful effect on my imagination.
As much as I agree with you about books being different at different
times in our lives. I would go even further - in my own experience
and say the more I read the better reader I become; and certain projects which were probably unattainable before become more
accessible as I mature as a reader.
There is a scene, I'm sure you are familiar with it, where the drunken pheasant mercilessly beats the suffering horse to the amusement of his friends. What I like about the scene is it's horribleness: I hate it. I hate Dostoyevsky for writing it and for tricking me into reading it. It's so sad: cruelty: put there intentionally by the author to terrorize me and make me suffer.
And so I think it's pretty cool that the skill of the author can have such a powerful effect on my imagination.