I plan to get involved starting in 2025, and am very excited as I love Dostoevsky (crime and punishment is my favorite book of all time), so I am down for whatever is brought in 2025! Also excited to start going through the back log 😊
Thank you for all your work, Dana. I am amazed, and so grateful for how much you have put into this read. I read The Brothers Karamazov years ago, but was aware at the time of things that I didn't understand. Doing it again with you would be so good, but I will happily do whatever you decide on. There is a huge treasure trove waiting to be read. When, and if, you decide on a paid option, I will be very happy to pay. ❤️
Thank you for your participation and time in the club, Glenys!
On one hand, I'm eager to start "The Brothers Karamazov." On the other hand, I know that for many readers, this book is life-changing and considered their favorite. This creates an enormous responsibility to present it properly without overwhelming it with explanations—which aren't always available.
Your well researched essays have been invaluable. Sticking with you in 2025. I just finished Gogol’s Diary of a Madman. Perhaps this story of a descent into ever deeper madness influenced Dostoevsky, but Gogol’s story had its funny moments whereas C and P is totally dark. Did Dostoevsky feel himself a madman? Yes, I am curious now how all these Russian authors influenced each other. Indeed, in any field, we stand on the shoulders of giants.
It's difficult to determine if Dostoevsky saw himself as a madman, but it's likely he did. This is often the case with many geniuses, as the line between madness and genius is notoriously thin.
These authors all circulated in the same literary sphere. At that time, publishing opportunities were limited to a small number of journals and printing houses. As a result, they frequently read and critiqued each other's work, leading to many personal stories of both friendship and rivalry among them.
If you enjoyed Gogol's "Notes of a Madman," you might be interested in Tolstoy's response—he wrote his own "Diary of a Lunatic." This is the most common English translation of the title, although in Russian, Gogol's and Tolstoy's works share the same name.
Hello, any Russian novelist or poet (if you enjoy poetry) would be great. I am planning to read Anna Karenina next year on my own, but if enough people want to do a slow read of it, that would be great. Also if you decide to add a pay option, I would do that. You devote so much time to this.
Hello 😊 Discussing poetry would be intriguing, though it's undoubtedly more challenging than prose—especially translated poetry. Interestingly, Dostoevsky wrote a few poems, mostly humorous ones. I'm not certain if they've ever been translated, but I'll investigate this.
Many readers might be drawn to "Anna Karenina" this year, as it marks the 150th anniversary of its first publication. If there's interest, we could consider reading it together.
As for a paid option, it's not feasible for me right now due to Stripe-related issues—currently the only payment method available. Moreover, I'm hesitant to transform the club into a work commitment at this point. 😅
“Anna Karenina” is already on my list for next year, and I’d love to read it with a group. I had planned to look for a group, but if you lead it, Dana, I’d read with you. :-)
This has been an amazing journey. Thank you for all your hard work in bringing the book alive. I just finished Mud and Stars by Sara Wheeler. She writes of her travels through Russia as she visits places associated with all these 19th century Russian authors, including the poet Lemontov. Could we include an occassional read of some of this era’s poetry, including some women?
Oh, I haven't read this book. Are there interesting stories in it? Lermontov is also one of the most famous poets and writers of the 19th century, but from the first half. We can generally include reading some poems, but it's more difficult to understand what's going on with translations. There are many authors from the second half of the 19th century who are considered classics, such as Fet, Tyutchev, and Nekrasov.
The situation with women is much worse. In the 19th century, there weren't any who were published and distributed on par with men. Russia doesn't have its own Brontë sisters or Jane Austen. Women, of course, wrote, and now there are several names, but more often their works were simply not allowed to be published. Later, there were recognized female poets - this is the Silver Age, 20th century - Akhmatova, Gippius, Tsvetaeva.
I have a book of Dostoevsky short stories that has Book in it! And many many others, he wrote a lot, didn't he? As for next year, I'm hoping for The Brother Karamazov, I've been really curious to read it, and I'm also open to discover more Russian authors! I have an old copy of the Captain's Daughter by Pushkin at home that must have at least 25 years, I've never read it 😅😅
By modern standards, it's not very much (although it depends on who you're comparing him to) - he has about 20 short stories, a dozen novellas (short novels, around 100 pages), and only 5 major novels.
Overall, I'm already starting to mentally prepare myself for The Brothers Karamazov 😅 But the idea of Anna Karenina has also piqued my interest…
They read The Captain's Daughter in school; my memories of it are exclusively painful. It's about Pugachev's rebellion, some intrigues. There is, admittedly, love in it too, but back then it seemed to me like a story purely for boys 😅
That's fantastic! I'm delighted you're taking part. I believe the short stories will generate more lively discussions, as they're brief and most participants will read them in full. Naturally, tackling and discussing a novel is a more challenging endeavor.
Oct 11·edited Oct 11Liked by Dana • Dostoevsky Bookclub
Your Crime and Punishment essays have enriched the reading experience considerably. Thank you for the work you've put into this. I have an idea of how much of your time it must occupy.
I had planned on reading Brothers Karamazov this year but there's just no way. If you were to tackle that, I'd enjoy it. Another novel I'd love to see you cover would be Oblomov. It's my favourite of the 19th century Russian literature canon and is quite underlooked I feel.
Thank you for your kind words. This whole Dostoevsky adventure started as simply a desire to find like-minded people, but it seems to be seriously drawing me in.
Judging by a quick survey, The Brothers Karamazov is indeed pulling ahead. So we need to draw conclusions. We'll probably be reading that one.
I also really like "Oblomov," it's such a heartwarming book. Maybe I'll write about it, especially since there was a reference to it in Crime and Punishment.
Looking forward to your comments on "The Nose." I read it with another group recently, but when it came time to discuss it, the moderator decided to skip it because he said he didn't understand it.
I'm very glad that you'll participate in reading "The Nose". It's funny that they decided to read it there if they didn't know what to say. I think I'll have a few words to share.
Isn’t Gogol Ukrainian? Even if he wrote in Russian? I haven’t read him in decades but looking forward to reading The Nose again and would be up for reading more of his writing. But I haven’t read much of Dostoevsky so another book would be amazing as well:) thank you 😊
You're right, Gogol has Ukrainian roots. Even in Ukrainian literary studies, he's often referred to as a russian novelist with Ukrainian origins. I've adjusted the text, as this is a sensitive topic now. Regardless, Gogol is a great writer for both Ukraine and Russia. His stories are unique and magnificent. When we approach reading "The Nose," I'll definitely write about his contributions to the literature of both countries. Although he never wrote in Ukrainian, he created magnificent cycles about Ukrainian traditions—"Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka" ("Вечера на хуторе близ Диканьки"), "Mirgorod."
I plan to get involved starting in 2025, and am very excited as I love Dostoevsky (crime and punishment is my favorite book of all time), so I am down for whatever is brought in 2025! Also excited to start going through the back log 😊
That's great, I'm glad you're participating. As a Dostoevsky enthusiast, I hope to deepen your love for his works even more. 😊
Thank you for all your work, Dana. I am amazed, and so grateful for how much you have put into this read. I read The Brothers Karamazov years ago, but was aware at the time of things that I didn't understand. Doing it again with you would be so good, but I will happily do whatever you decide on. There is a huge treasure trove waiting to be read. When, and if, you decide on a paid option, I will be very happy to pay. ❤️
Thank you for your participation and time in the club, Glenys!
On one hand, I'm eager to start "The Brothers Karamazov." On the other hand, I know that for many readers, this book is life-changing and considered their favorite. This creates an enormous responsibility to present it properly without overwhelming it with explanations—which aren't always available.
Your well researched essays have been invaluable. Sticking with you in 2025. I just finished Gogol’s Diary of a Madman. Perhaps this story of a descent into ever deeper madness influenced Dostoevsky, but Gogol’s story had its funny moments whereas C and P is totally dark. Did Dostoevsky feel himself a madman? Yes, I am curious now how all these Russian authors influenced each other. Indeed, in any field, we stand on the shoulders of giants.
It's difficult to determine if Dostoevsky saw himself as a madman, but it's likely he did. This is often the case with many geniuses, as the line between madness and genius is notoriously thin.
These authors all circulated in the same literary sphere. At that time, publishing opportunities were limited to a small number of journals and printing houses. As a result, they frequently read and critiqued each other's work, leading to many personal stories of both friendship and rivalry among them.
If you enjoyed Gogol's "Notes of a Madman," you might be interested in Tolstoy's response—he wrote his own "Diary of a Lunatic." This is the most common English translation of the title, although in Russian, Gogol's and Tolstoy's works share the same name.
Hello, any Russian novelist or poet (if you enjoy poetry) would be great. I am planning to read Anna Karenina next year on my own, but if enough people want to do a slow read of it, that would be great. Also if you decide to add a pay option, I would do that. You devote so much time to this.
Hello 😊 Discussing poetry would be intriguing, though it's undoubtedly more challenging than prose—especially translated poetry. Interestingly, Dostoevsky wrote a few poems, mostly humorous ones. I'm not certain if they've ever been translated, but I'll investigate this.
Many readers might be drawn to "Anna Karenina" this year, as it marks the 150th anniversary of its first publication. If there's interest, we could consider reading it together.
As for a paid option, it's not feasible for me right now due to Stripe-related issues—currently the only payment method available. Moreover, I'm hesitant to transform the club into a work commitment at this point. 😅
“Anna Karenina” is already on my list for next year, and I’d love to read it with a group. I had planned to look for a group, but if you lead it, Dana, I’d read with you. :-)
This has been an amazing journey. Thank you for all your hard work in bringing the book alive. I just finished Mud and Stars by Sara Wheeler. She writes of her travels through Russia as she visits places associated with all these 19th century Russian authors, including the poet Lemontov. Could we include an occassional read of some of this era’s poetry, including some women?
Oh, I haven't read this book. Are there interesting stories in it? Lermontov is also one of the most famous poets and writers of the 19th century, but from the first half. We can generally include reading some poems, but it's more difficult to understand what's going on with translations. There are many authors from the second half of the 19th century who are considered classics, such as Fet, Tyutchev, and Nekrasov.
The situation with women is much worse. In the 19th century, there weren't any who were published and distributed on par with men. Russia doesn't have its own Brontë sisters or Jane Austen. Women, of course, wrote, and now there are several names, but more often their works were simply not allowed to be published. Later, there were recognized female poets - this is the Silver Age, 20th century - Akhmatova, Gippius, Tsvetaeva.
Good to know. Yes, the book has very interesting stories about all the authors.
I have a book of Dostoevsky short stories that has Book in it! And many many others, he wrote a lot, didn't he? As for next year, I'm hoping for The Brother Karamazov, I've been really curious to read it, and I'm also open to discover more Russian authors! I have an old copy of the Captain's Daughter by Pushkin at home that must have at least 25 years, I've never read it 😅😅
By modern standards, it's not very much (although it depends on who you're comparing him to) - he has about 20 short stories, a dozen novellas (short novels, around 100 pages), and only 5 major novels.
Overall, I'm already starting to mentally prepare myself for The Brothers Karamazov 😅 But the idea of Anna Karenina has also piqued my interest…
They read The Captain's Daughter in school; my memories of it are exclusively painful. It's about Pugachev's rebellion, some intrigues. There is, admittedly, love in it too, but back then it seemed to me like a story purely for boys 😅
I’m beside myself to read the articles you have planned! Every one sounds amazing. I’m hoping to read both short stories with you as well!
That's fantastic! I'm delighted you're taking part. I believe the short stories will generate more lively discussions, as they're brief and most participants will read them in full. Naturally, tackling and discussing a novel is a more challenging endeavor.
Your Crime and Punishment essays have enriched the reading experience considerably. Thank you for the work you've put into this. I have an idea of how much of your time it must occupy.
I had planned on reading Brothers Karamazov this year but there's just no way. If you were to tackle that, I'd enjoy it. Another novel I'd love to see you cover would be Oblomov. It's my favourite of the 19th century Russian literature canon and is quite underlooked I feel.
Thank you for your kind words. This whole Dostoevsky adventure started as simply a desire to find like-minded people, but it seems to be seriously drawing me in.
Judging by a quick survey, The Brothers Karamazov is indeed pulling ahead. So we need to draw conclusions. We'll probably be reading that one.
I also really like "Oblomov," it's such a heartwarming book. Maybe I'll write about it, especially since there was a reference to it in Crime and Punishment.
Looking forward to your comments on "The Nose." I read it with another group recently, but when it came time to discuss it, the moderator decided to skip it because he said he didn't understand it.
I'm very glad that you'll participate in reading "The Nose". It's funny that they decided to read it there if they didn't know what to say. I think I'll have a few words to share.
Isn’t Gogol Ukrainian? Even if he wrote in Russian? I haven’t read him in decades but looking forward to reading The Nose again and would be up for reading more of his writing. But I haven’t read much of Dostoevsky so another book would be amazing as well:) thank you 😊
You're right, Gogol has Ukrainian roots. Even in Ukrainian literary studies, he's often referred to as a russian novelist with Ukrainian origins. I've adjusted the text, as this is a sensitive topic now. Regardless, Gogol is a great writer for both Ukraine and Russia. His stories are unique and magnificent. When we approach reading "The Nose," I'll definitely write about his contributions to the literature of both countries. Although he never wrote in Ukrainian, he created magnificent cycles about Ukrainian traditions—"Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka" ("Вечера на хуторе близ Диканьки"), "Mirgorod."
Crime and Punishment has been my favourite read this year. (I read ahead and finished). Thank you.
It's wonderful to hear that, but the book has proven itself if you finished it so quickly. Dostoevsky needs no recommendations. He is awesome.