Fyodor Dostoyevsky didn't need a therapist as he was quite capable of analyzing his own problems. It's not that it helped him at that moment (he lost all his money gambling shortly after the publication of this novel), but one can't say that he didn't objectively and almost clinically analyze ludopathy, the disease that made him lose everything at the roulette wheel.

In a certain way, Alexei Ivanovich is him. And of all the feelings this book has been able to evoke in me, the most intense is sadness. Sadness because, as seen at the end, Dostoyevsky himself still hadn't hit rock bottom. He knew he hadn't. He still maintained that small hope, that obsession, that makes gamblers think "this time it's going to be it, this is the good one". But it never is.

In the end, this novel is the story of a man who has lost everything. Perhaps not completely yet. But he will. And that is heart-wrenching. It shows the tragic path of a person trapped in the cycle of addiction and the inevitable consequences that follow. Dostoyevsky's portrayal is so vivid that it makes the reader truly feel the pain and desperation of the protagonist.

Dostoyevsky is so amazing.

On the first page of the story, he introduces six characters and all but one remain until the end. That is, could it be possible that on the first page of an Iranian story, six characters are introduced? I think that in Iranian stories, the important thing is not the character, but Tehran. However, I don't have enough authority to judge Iranian novels because I have read very few.

How passionate the loves and behaviors of people were at that time. I can easily eliminate people, and it is amazing to me that people find intense emotional involvements with each other. The silent conversations of the narrator of the story with his beloved are both distant and close at the same time. I completely understand the narrator's emotional contradictions towards his beloved, and yet I don't believe that he could talk so turbulently with someone. He loses his mind by revealing his inner self, and he is aware of this loss of mind and announces it, but still continues. This requires a high ability that is far beyond me.

He says at one point that he wanted to tell a drunk person about his relationship with his beloved, but then he saw, what relationship do we have except that he gave me the opportunity to express my love? Does the opportunity to express true love not give the narrator?

And how mysterious and contradictory the women in Dostoyevsky's stories are. The inner complexities of a person cannot be expressed clearly and simply in words, and Dostoyevsky shows this very well. The narrator of the story is on the last page when he realizes that his beloved also loves him, but why had he never heard this from her before?

I read this book halfway. It had been a long time since I had done such a thing.

\\"Man commits many follies in his life, not necessarily because he is stupid, but perhaps he drives himself to folly despite himself.\\"

I like that the novelist tackles such a realistic topic. It amazes me to read a work with such depth and precision in exploring the human psyche that fills our world and we find it in abundance around us, yet we fail to understand the self of that person and only touch on the superficial aspects, the pre-judgments, and the hasty treatments. The gambler could be any one of us. We may practice the essence of gambling in our lives in ways different from the gambling of Dostoyevsky's hero.

Dostoyevsky doesn't write just to write or fill the pages with empty talk or verbosity. Dostoyevsky writes what lies beyond the soul. He writes about the human being himself, describes the subtlest details, and makes you imagine the characters not only from the outside but also from the inside through the most human motives. Dostoyevsky proves that the value of gambling is not in the amount of money the gambler stakes, but in the importance of that money, even if it is little, in that he just gambles and nothing else.

The climax of gambling and excitement in the novel was reached when he had only enough in his pocket for a dinner, yet he rushed again, returning to the gambling hall to continue his gambling and win more money.

I will stop here for now, and perhaps in the next reading, I will write a more detailed and fair review.

"Una maravilla" is a Spanish phrase that means "a wonder" or "a marvel." It can refer to something that is truly amazing, extraordinary, or breathtaking.

For example, a beautiful natural景观 like a majestic mountain range, a stunning waterfall, or a colorful coral reef can be described as "una maravilla." These natural wonders have the power to inspire awe and wonder in us, making us feel small in the face of their grandeur.

Similarly, a work of art, such as a painting, sculpture, or piece of music, can also be considered "una maravilla" if it has the ability to move and touch our hearts. Great works of art often have a unique beauty and expressiveness that can leave a lasting impression on us.

In conclusion, "una maravilla" is a term that encompasses all things that are truly remarkable and wonderful. Whether it's a natural景观, a work of art, or something else entirely, these wonders have the power to make our lives more丰富多彩 and meaningful.

Dostoyevsky creates in his art of the word what the great classical composers do in the art of sounds: absolute harmony, absolute psychic and spiritual expansion of the recipient, orgasmic and mystical experience of initiation into the mysteries of human existence and pure, genuine enjoyment. From the key of the solo to the double line of the last measure.

His works are like symphonies, with each character and情节 being a note or a motif that comes together to form a beautiful and complex whole. The emotions and ideas he conveys are so powerful that they can move the reader to tears or inspire them to think deeply about life and its meaning.

Dostoyevsky's writing is not only a form of entertainment but also a profound exploration of the human condition. His works continue to be relevant today, as they speak to the universal themes of love, hate, good, evil, and the search for meaning in life.

I was trying to establish a peaceful and special relationship with Russian books, but unfortunately, my efforts were once again met with failure.

The gambler is a story about a man who is addicted to gambling in a way and believes that he must gamble for himself to win. In this book, money is shown in a rather worthless way. The story presents a series of wins and losses and the blowing away of money.

The characterizations were good but seemed distant. Maybe this is due to a time gap, but I didn't establish any connection with any of the characters.

The dialogues were sometimes so long that they became speech-like and were repeated so much that it was tiring for me. This is a matter of style and maybe this style suits someone's taste. It just wasn't to my liking.

Finally, the translation of the book was extremely bad and probably I won't read another book translated by Jalal Al-e-Ahmad unless necessary. The text was not smooth at all and I had to read some sentences several times and still couldn't figure out what the translator meant! I hope that my language skills will improve soon so that I can read books in their original language.

A book that when you are reading it, perhaps you are not that deeply engaged or it doesn't touch you that much. But when it's finished, very often for some decisions, you feel that you are in the place of the main character and you are taking risks with your life.

It's an interesting phenomenon. Sometimes we don't realize the impact a book can have on us until we reach the end. The story may unfold in a way that gradually draws us in, making us question our own beliefs and actions.

As we identify with the main character, we start to see the world from their perspective. We experience their joys and sorrows, their struggles and triumphs. This connection can be so powerful that it influences our own decision-making process.

It's like we are temporarily living in their shoes, facing the same dilemmas and having to make choices that could change the course of our lives. In this way, books have the ability to transport us to different worlds and make us more empathetic and understanding individuals.

Oh Russian literature, how I love thee!

Russian literature is a treasure trove of profound thoughts, vivid characters, and beautiful language. It has the power to transport readers to different times and places, to make them feel the joys and sorrows of the characters, and to inspire them to think about life and humanity.

From the works of Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, and Chekhov, we can learn about the social and political issues of Russia in the 19th and early 20th centuries, as well as the complex inner lives of the people. Their novels and short stories are not only literary masterpieces but also important historical documents.

In addition to the great writers, Russian literature also has a rich tradition of poetry. The works of Pushkin, Lermontov, and Blok are known for their beauty, passion, and musicality. Their poems can express the most profound emotions and ideas in the most concise and powerful way.

Russian literature is a source of inspiration and wisdom for me. It has taught me a lot about life, love, and art, and has made me a better person. I will always cherish and love Russian literature.

A work written in 1866, when Dostoyevsky was almost bankrupt, on the verge of losing the copyrights of his works, desperate from an unrequited love, in a few words, an almost autobiographical work. His well-known strict, simple, layered writing, without unnecessary fanfare, difficult fields, and attempts to impress. You know that you are dealing with a serious writer who knows what he is saying, knows where he is going, and within the apparent simplicity of the story and the enjoyable satire, he makes a study of the struggle, the drunkenness, the intensity, the dedication, the oversight, the defeat, and the inevitable despair that follows.

Two passions that intertwine with each other, fuel each other, and lead our protagonist to moral and spiritual decline, are the main axes of this particular novel: his love for Polina and his passion for roulette. And in both cases, it seems that he is intoxicated by the concentrated intensity that is enclosed in those seconds when the wheel turns and in the corresponding seconds when his beloved will accept or reject him.

Regarding love:

‘’Then I wondered once again: ‘’Do I love her?’’. And again I didn't know what answer to give myself, or rather, I prefer to tell the truth, I thought for the thousandth time how I half-hated her. Yes, she was hateful to me. Hours - hours I was capable of losing half the years of my life to strangle her. I take an oath that if I could slowly and tortuously plunge a sharp knife into her chest, I would do it with great pleasure. And yet, I swear on all that is most holy in the world that if I was told ‘’Jump off the cliff’’, I would jump immediately with real delight. I know this.’’

(I think the above excerpt is the definition of love haha)

Regarding gambling:

‘’As for me, I lost everything and very quickly became penniless. I put a single bet of two hundred florins and won. I bet again and won again, and another two or three times. I think that about 4,000 florins passed through my hands in a few minutes of the hour. So then I should have left, but a strange feeling was born in me, something like a challenge to fate, something like a desire to give it a slap in the face, to show it my tongue. I bet the largest bet allowed, 4,000 florins, and lost. Then, irritated, I took out all that was left to me, bet it on the same number, and lost again, and I left like a madman.’’

As it becomes clear in the book, for Dostoyevsky (as for most gamblers) the issue is not to win money through gambling, but to discover the magic formula of roulette, the combination that will grant them eternity... as victors in the battle of probabilities and brave conquerors of the infinite.

(I'm giving it only 4 stars only because in the Gobost edition that I read there are many untranslated French sentences, and frankly, I read entire paragraphs without understanding what it was saying.)

The 13th book of 2022 was "The Gambler" by Fyodor Dostoevsky.

In this novella, Dostoevsky delved into the theme of gambling addiction. First published in 1866, the author used the earnings from it to settle his own gambling debts accumulated over years of roulette play. His personal battle with addiction was the main inspiration for the plot.

The story centered around Alexei Ivanovich, a young Russian tutor living and working with a formerly wealthy Russian family in a luxurious German hotel. He had to navigate a tumultuous relationship with "The General," the family's head and his boss, and his obsessive crush on the General's daughter, Polina. To make himself more attractive to the woman who barely noticed him, Alexei decided to gamble to amass a large sum of money and win Polina's heart. But fate had different plans for him, and his fortunes changed rapidly.

Personally, this wasn't my favorite among Dostoevsky's works. I did enjoy it to some extent, as I truly believe he is a master of both short and long novels. However, "The Gambler" left me a bit underwhelmed. Despite that, it still had a well-structured plot and a cast of lifelike and relatable characters. I'd give it three stars.

The subject matter of the book is so captivating and engaging that it has led to the creation of many films with the same or a slightly modified theme. I really enjoyed it. Dostoyevsky seems to be a patient who constantly brings the hero of the story or the character in his own stories back and forth between good and evil. I love this movement. In my opinion, Dostoyevsky is a master of the debate between good and evil in storytelling. Perhaps the simplicity of the story makes the reader think that this story is very superficial, but in my view, it was a mature story. He thought about everything, even Polina, whose beginning and end of the story were found.

The best sentence in the book, in my opinion, is: "The ferocity, brutality, and the application of enormous power on an insect is a source of pleasure for humans. Humans are innately cruel and have a tendency to cause chaos." This is a very content-rich sentence. This sentence has a hidden message within it, like a book in itself.

Be victorious and be Iranian.

Alexei is a home tutor who lives with an aristocratic family. However, this family has lost their wealth and is living in the hope that a large fortune will come to them after the death of the general's aunt (the head of the family). Alexei is in love with Polina, the general's stepdaughter, but Polina has no feelings for him. At the same time, the general's aunt, whom everyone is waiting for the news of her death, arrives and it turns out that she has recently become acquainted with the attractions of gambling and is losing all her property in this ruinous game....

The Gambler is not just a simple novel. Dostoyevsky wrote this book based on his own life and the events that happened to him. The influence of this novel is related to the period when Dostoyevsky was living in Germany and lost his property due to his addiction to gambling.

Actually, nothing can be written about this book because in its simplicity it is very complex. Everything about it is complex, the story itself, the writing style of the author, and the characterization of the characters... Alexei, as the narrator of the story, is always either gambling or talking after gambling. It can be clearly seen that the way of expressing the characters and their behavior before and after gambling changes.

The story has many characters, but the appropriate volume of the book has made it possible for all the characters to be well-developed. I liked Alexei. As the narrator of the story and the main character, he was a suitable character. But the character who was really attractive to me was the aunt... She is strange, her way of speaking, her behavior, her sentence structure, her actions, her gambling, and everything about her is different and attractive. We must congratulate Dostoyevsky on the brilliance of creating all these different and deep characters. He is truly an unparalleled writer!!!

The Gambler is considered a relatively short novel, but it is not very short either. But what I was surprised about was how in this small number of pages, he was able to write a complete, flawless, and word-rich story and make me, as a reader, fall in love with his pen again...

Many words can be said about this book, but the fact that you know that the idea of writing this novel is based on Dostoyevsky's own life and that he created such a masterpiece in only 26 days are the biggest reasons why you should read this book. Even if you are not a follower of Russian literature, put this book on your list. In fact, The Gambler has been titled an indirect autobiography of a period of Dostoyevsky's life, and by reading it, we can learn to a great extent what the game of gambling did to this writer during that period...

Well, I won't talk more than this (although there are many words to say), but I will also say that this book has different translations and I read the translation by Mr. Soroush Habibi, which is directly translated from Russian and is really excellent. I recommend that you read this translation.