19 Comments

I'm excited for this! I read Crime and Punishment in high school and loved it, and I've wanted to reread it but never made the time to do so. Love the idea of reading along with a group. :)

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Welcome to the club! A great group is gathering. I hope to make our reading experience as exciting as possible.

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This is great Dana!! I have read Crime and Punishment before, but have always wanted to discuss Dostoevsky with a group, and this answers my wish perfectly!! And from your comments in the War n Peace group, im sure you'll add a lot more to the reading experience and our knowledge of russian lit...Thank you! Can't wait to begin.

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How great! I think we will find it interesting. It will be my first time reading in English, and it often opens up new perspectives on the text. It's kind of a view from the outside on a familiar novel.

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Is there a particular translation that you recommend?

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If you already have a translation, read it. For our reading, any translation will work as each has its pros and cons. I know there are at least 14 different translations into English. You can also read it in other languages.

I will be reading the Oxford World’s Classics translation by Nicolas Pasternak Slater during the club. Nicholas Pasternak Slater is the nephew of Russian novelist Boris Pasternak, author of *Doctor Zhivago*, and has translated *Doctor Zhivago* into English for The Folio Society.

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How did I not know that Crime and Punishment and War and Peace were published in the same journal? That's so trippy.

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Yes, this is really an amazing fact, considering that these two books became the most famous in Russian literature of the 19th century. And that they were written almost at the same time.

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I’m hoping to give it a try Dana 🤞🏼

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It's been in my TBR since time immemorial :)

The time has come to finally read it. It's pretty interesting to see how the translation compares to the original.

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Translation is its own unique genre, full of surprises from translators. Based on my experience reading War and Peace, it can be quite fascinating!

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I'm so glad to have discovered you today! I've been doing a group read of C&P but not getting the depth of discussion I was hoping for there; your posts are exactly what I was hoping for.

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Welcome to our club, Deborah! I hope our discussions and articles will help you delve deeper into the novel. There's always more to explore. While we don't cover everything exhaustively, new topics often emerge during our conversations. If you have any questions or reflections, please don't hesitate to share them. You can also use the group chat—this ensures your thoughts and ideas won't get buried under a specific article, and everyone can see and engage with them.

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I would love to continue to read Dostoevsky with you, whatever you choose would be wonderful.

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Can I ask what you are planning for next year, the books to read I mean? I am very keen to keep on this journey with you.

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This is an interesting question because I haven't decided yet, but I will continue with Dostoevsky. Fortunately, he didn't write very much. Most likely, we will read "Notes from Underground" and some short stories at first. I definitely want to discuss "The Idiot" and, of course, "The Brothers Karamazov." I'm not sure about "Demons" and "The Adolescent." Do you have any suggestions?

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I can’t believe you’re doing this!! I just started Crime and Punishment for the first time yesterday without knowing! I’m so excited!

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This is a wonderful coincidence! It's the perfect time to start, to feel how unbearable the heat is, especially for a northern city like St. Petersburg, with temperatures over 30 degrees.

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Yes! We hit 32 degrees yesterday, and my note in the margin reads, “EXACTLY like now! 158 years ago! 7/5/2024.” I love to think of someone finding my copy 100 years from now and starting a read of their own. I hope they add their own notes! ❤️❤️❤️

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