Reading The Brothers Karamazov: Organizational Guide for Part 1 (Jan-Mar)
Here you can find the schedule for the first 3 months of our Club, key points about how the reading will be organized, and a space to ask any questions.
Hello, Dostoevsky enthusiast!
Today we have an organizational article that will be published quarterly. Let me outline what to expect in this club over the next three months as we read and analyze Part 1 of the novel, which consists of the first three books:
January - Book 1 "History of one family" — 5 chapters
February - Book 2 "An Unseemly Encounter" — 8 chapters
March - Book 3 "The Sensualists" — 11 chapters
Since navigation on Substack can be tricky, particularly in the app where the interface is minimalist, I've placed all main links to the schedule and materials on the "About" page. You can access this page from anywhere. If you're using the app, simply navigate to the club page on the far right.
As you can see, there are no links to the schedules that are available in the web version.
While I work on making other links more accessible, you can always rely on the About page or Schedule page link to find everything you need. I'll keep all crucial information updated at the top of these pages.
So, this is the schedule for the first three months. You can download it in PDF format.
Monthly Reading Structure
Rather than daily assignments, we've organized the reading schedule with varying intensity levels throughout the month. Some weeks will be more engaging for those who wish to participate actively in discussions.
Above all, our goal is for everyone to enjoy the novel!
Each month consists of three main components:
Materials for the chapter
Chats, chapter discussions
Articles
All links to current chats, articles, and other materials will be collected in one place on the TBK: Schedule and materials 2025 page.
At the beginning of each month, I prepare materials (+ PDF-versions) for the upcoming chapter. These spoiler-free materials are designed to enhance your reading experience. Since Book 1 is relatively short, I'll provide a brief guide this Tuesday.
The materials may include:
A printable bookmark featuring chapter listings, character names, reading schedule, and key information specific to the current section.
From the second month onward, a synopsis of previous chapters' main events to help you track the plot.
Book-specific resources including diagrams, maps, and glossaries of important terms.
A curated list of supplementary articles and materials for deeper exploration.
While the chats are completely optional for those who prefer independent reading and following articles only, they provide an opportunity for readers to share impressions and engage in discussions as we read.
Organization
New Chat discussions are published at noon GMT (London time), chosen as the most convenient time for our globally distributed readers.
These chats primarily serve as a space to share your impressions, discoveries. I'll respond to simpler questions immediately, while saving more complex ones for detailed articles or further exploration.
The chats have just two rules:
respect others' opinions and
avoid posting spoilers beyond the current chapter.
The first book contains 5 chapters, with corresponding discussion chats scheduled from January 20 to January 24.
To maintain organization during this period, I'll temporarily disable the ability to create new threads.
Between active chapter discussions, the chat will return to its normal state where everyone can create new threads. Feel free to share your thoughts and suggest discussion questions in the main chat—just remember to avoid spoilers and stay on topic.
In the articles, I will provide supplementary materials to the novel and draw attention to various details. I've decided that this time they will be more structured and divided into sections, so you won't have to read through walls of text if your goal is simply to enjoy the novel with some guidance from me.
There will be main sections and additional ones for those who want deeper immersion. The article for the first book will be published on January 26.
Different months will feature other articles, which I haven't included in the schedule since I'm not certain about dates in future months. But in January, we'll have:
January 15 — How the novel was created. I'll share a bit about its writing history and how critics received it.
January 17 — There will be important material about how to properly recognize Russian names so they stop intimidating you (if anyone finds them intimidating).
What's coming in future months — I'll announce as we go along.
To help with reading, I will provide character lists for each chapter, with dedicated pages for individual characters. My colleagues have already created similar character lists in their book clubs. Each character page will include basic information, physical description, and an audio recording of the Russian pronunciation of their name.
A note about translations
While you may have already chosen your translation, remember that reading in your preferred language or your favorite edition is what matters most. Every translation carries the translator's interpretations—some word choices may be less successful, while others offer valuable insights into the original text. After nearly 150 years, Dostoevsky's novel has taken on a life of its own, spawning countless articles and interpretations that may or may not align with the author's original intent.
However, since our club is in English, not Russian, I have a primary translation that I use for part&chapter titles, character names — this is Ignat Avsey's translation.
When questions arise about the original text, I'll analyze the most interesting interpretations and discrepancies by comparing different translations.
For now in the chat, since you can attach photos there (unlike in article comments), you can share a photo of your edition with everyone. Just like
did recently by showing her Italian edition. And showed a Korean edition. And shared their P&V translation edition, which many of you will probably be reading. I've been asked how I feel about it. The simple answer is - it's good, but it's not my favorite translation.I will also share a photo of my Russian edition, which I am actively preparing for convenient use throughout the year.
So excited to tackle this tome with you! Thank you for doing this, Dana. I appreciate it 🙏🏼🧡
I look forward to the audio of the Russian pronunciations. I like to make my reading as authentic as possible. Maybe I’ll wear my Karakul ushanka while I read.