I read each of the stories sporadically over the course of 3 or 4 years before finally finishing this collection.

It was a journey filled with various emotions and insights as I delved into the different worlds created by the author.

The two stories that stood out to me as clear favorites were The Double and A Disgraceful Affair (a.k.a. An Unpleasant Predicament).

The latter of which brought to mind Michael Scott levels of social awkwardness. It was truly hilarious and yet, at the same time, it made me reflect on the insecurities and blunders that we all experience in our social interactions.

Both stories were brilliantly told, peeking into the inner-turmoils of one's consciousness in a way that few authors can do as well as FD.

Their ability to capture the complex and often contradictory emotions within us is truly remarkable.

Reading these stories felt like a personal exploration of my own psyche, and I am grateful for the opportunity to have experienced them.

The comments on the works of the author are quite intriguing. Despite having a general dislike for the dense 19th-century writing style, the author surprisingly grew on the reviewer. The stories in the book, presented in publication order, each have their own特点. "The Double" (1846) was the reviewer's first encounter with the author, and while initially unsure due to possible earlier work or mediocre translation, they got hooked once accustomed to the style. "White Nights" (1848) was a love story that tricked the anti-romance self of the reviewer, being short and easy but the least interesting. "A Disgraceful Affair" (1862) felt like a different POV of "The Double" but the theme quickly diverged, reading like a parable. "Notes from the Underground" (184) had a semi-incoherent first part and a better second part. "The Gambler" (1866) was about gambling addiction and its destruction, applicable to current times. "The Eternal Husband" (1870) was summarized as the relationship between 19th-century frenemies, being the longest short story but very readable and the second favorite. "A Gentle Creature" (1876) was the reviewer's favorite, with a misguided narrator trying to make sense of his wife's suicide. "The Dream of a Ridiculous Man" (1877) had an ending that was too preachy for the reviewer. The order of personal preference shows "A Gentle Creature" (1876) as the top choice, followed by others.

White Nights is a captivating work that earns a solid 4/5 rating.

Notes from the Underground is another remarkable piece, also receiving a 4/5.

The Gambler, on the other hand, is truly outstanding, deserving a perfect 5/5.

A Gentle Creature is equally excellent, with a 5/5 rating.

The Dream of a Ridiculous Man is yet another masterpiece that scores a 5/5. Each of these works by Fyodor Dostoyevsky展现了 his unique literary talent and profound understanding of the human condition.

White Nights takes the reader on a journey through the complex emotions of the characters, while Notes from the Underground delves deep into the psyche of an anti-hero.

The Gambler explores themes of addiction and obsession, and A Gentle Creature tells a touching story of love and sacrifice.

The Dream of a Ridiculous Man is a thought-provoking work that challenges the reader's beliefs and values. Overall, these works are a must-read for any lover of literature.

It's truly amazing that this man from the 19th century was able to pen down all the emotions that I, as a 21st century 22-year-old teenage girl, experience.

His words seem to resonate deeply within me, as if he had a direct line to my heart and mind.

Despite the vast differences in time, culture, and society, there is a universality to human emotions that transcends these boundaries.

Reading his works makes me feel understood and connected to a world that is so far removed from my own.

It's a testament to the power of literature and the ability of great writers to capture the essence of the human experience.

I am constantly in awe of how his words can still have such a profound impact on me today.

It makes me wonder what other hidden gems of wisdom and emotion lie within the pages of history, waiting to be discovered and cherished.

Perhaps this is the beauty of literature - it allows us to explore the depths of our own emotions and connect with the experiences of others, regardless of when or where they lived.

Read only one story from this collection, which is the short novella, The Eternal Husband.

It's not as captivating as his better classics like Notes from the Underground or White Nights. However, I still enjoyed it. It gave me the feeling of a Woody Allen movie before Woody Allen. The story is about an anxious Russian aristocrat, Velchaninov. He learns from a widower (the Eternal Husband) that his former lover has passed away and that their daughter is his biological child. He doesn't want her to be raised by the drunk man, so he decides to raise her himself. But things start to spiral after that. In some parts, this story is quite funny (as most of Dostoevsky's best works are) and also poignant. Themes such as guilt, lust, and regret play into the story through a metaphorical lawsuit. Velchaninov is seeking redress for a wrong in estate court. He is a quintessential Dostoevskian hero with all the expected elements like self-pity, anxiety, paranoia, and comically bad habits that lead to guilt, which we've come to expect from Dostoevsky's protagonists.

Again, it's not one of his all-time best, but it's okay. I love Dickens more than Dostoevsky, but what Dostoevsky has over Dickens is a keen philosophical insight into the human comedy that nobody of that era can match (except perhaps George Eliot; seriously, folks: read Middlemarch). I wouldn't recommend this particular novella. There are better books out there, such as Notes, Crime & Punishment, The Idiot, Bros. Karamazov, and novellas like The Gambler and The Double. There are also lesser classics.

Anyway, it was a chore to read, but I'm glad I finished it. Now I'm looking forward to my SUMMER WITH FAULKNER, so stay tuned!

Not all of Dostoevsky's short works are created equal.

For instance, "A Gentle Creature" is truly a masterpiece that earns a well-deserved five stars.

The story is a profound exploration of human nature, love, and the complex emotions that drive us.

Dostoevsky's writing in this work is细腻入微, bringing the characters and their experiences to life in a vivid and engaging way.

On the other hand, "Notes from the Underground" garners only one star.

While it may have its merits, it fails to capture the reader's attention and interest in the same way as "A Gentle Creature."

The narrative is often disjointed and difficult to follow, making it a less enjoyable read overall.

In conclusion, Dostoevsky's short works vary in quality, with "A Gentle Creature" standing out as a shining example of his literary genius, while "Notes from the Underground" falls short.

You got it, Phil:

Here's my first review. Next comes my Goodreads picture. I've re-opened the book to read the last couple stories.

If you loved the one Dostoevsky novel you read in high school and never dove into another, then this collection might be a great way to back into his work. There's no excuse to miss out on Dostoevsky's unique and well-crafted worlds. His works are like a magical portal that can transport you to different and fascinating realms. You should get them in your life and share with your friends. These are the old-school translators, for those aware of the new efforts by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokh. The translations in this collection bring out the essence of Dostoevsky's writing, allowing you to fully appreciate his genius. Whether you're a long-time fan or a newcomer, this collection is definitely worth checking out.

My favorite story in this collection was either "White Nights", "Eternal Husband" or "The Gambler"!

These stories are truly captivating and engaging. "White Nights" takes the reader on a journey through the emotions and dreams of the characters, set against the backdrop of the mysterious white nights. "Eternal Husband" delves into the complex relationships and psychological turmoil of its protagonists, exploring themes of love, jealousy, and revenge. "The Gambler" is a thrilling tale that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat, with its vivid descriptions of the gambling world and the intense emotions of the gambler.

In addition to these great stories, there is a lot of Constance Garrett in this collection. Her writing style is unique and engaging, and her characters are well-developed and relatable. Overall, this collection is a must-read for anyone who loves great literature.

Whew,

not sure why I decided to read over 700 pages of Dostoevsky when it was NOT the dead of winter.

But somehow, I made it through, and surprisingly, it was not as bad as I had expected.

As my husband so aptly says, there's no loser like a Dostoevsky loser.

And indeed, with a little bit of attention and focus, a reader can surely learn a great deal from these complex and flawed characters.

Particularly, one can come to understand that there is far more to life than the empty and vain striving for worldly wealth and fleeting pleasures.

Dostoevsky's works force us to look deeper within ourselves and question our values and priorities.

They make us realize that true meaning and fulfillment in life often lie in the most unexpected places, and that we should not be so quick to judge others based on their outward appearances or circumstances.

In the end, reading Dostoevsky is not just an exercise in literature, but a journey of self-discovery and growth.

I had quite the remarkable journey while delving into this book.

It was so captivating that when I unfortunately lost it, I was in a state of utter distraught for weeks on end.

Finally, I ended up purchasing another copy.

There's something about the thought that somewhere out there in the vast world, a copy of this book exists with my very own annotations.

These annotations include translations of almost all the French bits in "The Gambler".

It's as if that copy holds a piece of my reading experience, a tangible connection to the moments when I was fully immersed in the story.

It makes me wonder where that copy could be, who might come across it, and if they would take the time to appreciate the efforts I put into those annotations.

The idea of it floating around in the world gives a sense of mystery and excitement to the whole situation.

Even though I now have a new copy, that original one with my personal touch will always hold a special place in my heart.

Experimental Dostoyevsky: Real/Unreal

Review of "The Double"

If you have to choose a Dostoyevsky short story and haven't read “Notes from Underground,” it's advisable to pick that one first. "The Double" is a relatively minor work. Despite the interest that might be sparked by his use of a double, which is a rather common Romantic trope. Dostoyevsky's employment of the “little man” stereotype and his implicit imitation of Gogol's short story “The Overcoat” demonstrate the derivative nature of this tale. While Gogol manages to encapsulate a number of contradictory themes within a brief story, Dostoyevsky rambles on endlessly and confusingly.

He shows his “little man” being driven to madness by job insecurity, his own moral failings, and his sense of being exploited by society's more powerful individuals. His pride becomes the cause of his self-destruction as he had “known from bitter experience of life the lengths to which a man may sometimes be driven by malice, and the furious extremes to which an enemy avenging pride and honour may sometimes go.” In painstaking, repetitive detail, Dostoyevsky describes how this leads Golyadkin to project another self, who is more socially competent yet also an exploiter and “executioner” of the man who “created” him.

The story's narrative voice is inconsistent and deliberately perplexing, causing the reader (as well as Golyadkin) to be confused about what is “real.” Initially, the third-person narrator claims incompetence in describing a high-society birthday party. “Would I were a poet! A Homer or a Pushkin, of course, for with a lesser talent one would not attempt it,” using the first person to address the reader and ironically lamenting the lack of the “elevated, forceful style … to depict all these beautiful and edifying moments of mortal existence, contrived as it were expressly in evidence of the fact that virtue will sometimes triumph over vice, envy, free-thinking and evil intent!” The irony and social satire inherent in this description prepare the reader for the essence of Golyadkin's complaints, namely that society is immoral and corrupt, so that the nephew of the department head is promoted while those who have worked there longer, like Golyadkin, are not.

However, Dostoyevsky, not content with “objectively” satirizing social immorality, delves into the “subjective” implications of this environment on those who have fallen out of step with the social expectations of their low-level position. According to Leonid Grossman, Dostoyevsky aimed "to introduce the extraordinary into the very thick of the commonplace, to fuse … the sublime with the grotesque, and push images and phenomena of everyday reality to the limits of the fantastic." “Our hero,” as he is constantly, ironically described, just like Pushkin's and Lermontov's ill-fated heroes, finds himself unable to fit in and be accepted. His misplaced pride thrusts him into a birthday party where he's been told he's unwelcome, an act that precipitates his downfall. The final image of the doctor's diabolical eyes glaring at the completely mad Golyadkin completes the devolution of a narrative that begins as an “external” satire of Petersburg's immoral corruption and terminates in the confused, interior “reality” of a doomed “anti-hero.”

Sincerely, no one is touching him when it comes to writing these insane and hilarious little guys. His creativity seems to know no bounds as he crafts these characters with such vividness and charm. Each one has its own unique personality and quirks that make them truly come alive on the page. Whether it's their crazy antics or their outlandish dialogues, they never fail to bring a smile to the reader's face. It's as if he has a special gift for breathing life into these fictional beings and making them a part of our world. We can only imagine what other wonderful and wacky creations he has in store for us in the future.