Two hilarious nightmares full of scenes that wouldn't be amiss in TV shows like The Office or Curb Your Enthusiasm.
These two stories are a great introduction into Dostoevsky's psychological insight and moral concern, this translation captures the delightful awkwardness of our heros' plight and communicates the enduring relevance of Dosoevsky's work.
The Double is a slightly tougher read owing to its third-person narration, preoccupation with bureaucracy and rank, and general feeling of alienation shared by characters and reader alike.
The Gambler is a riot after the first chapter and has intrigue, romance, and general absudity throughout.
Both are undeniably thematically linked and explore the paranoia and obsession that we all occasionally feel. The Double reminded me of coming home from work (or wherever) after having committed some error or, having made a throwaway comment that you instantly regretted and then experiencing a mini-ego death overnight imagining the ways the situation may have spiralled obscenely out of your control by morning (maybe that is unique to me haha). Whilst The Gambler encapsulates the kind of "in for a penny, in for a pound" attitude that many of us were adherents to in youth while on some kind of binge.

The Gambler: 2/5 stars
- Realistic portrayal of the spiral of addiction but nothing memorable or particularly insightful
- Alexei Ivanovich highkey has issues with women!!!
- Granny is so refreshingly blunt (compared to her, everyone else is uptight and stifling)
- Russian currency is confusing
- I liked how there were many different nationalities included (need to read more Dostoevsky to pick up on the stereotypes and how he represents different peoples)

The Double: TBD

I read these long ago in a different translation, and reading these new translations was revelatory. The Double is radical even for Dostoevsky, his adaptation of Hoffman and Gogol. The literary world's rejection of this book set him on the political road that would land him in Siberia and 10 years of prison camp. The Gambler is the next best thing to becoming addicted yourself!

Loved The Gambler. Absolutely could not put it down in its last 20 pages. From the start and all throughout, you knew the ending would wrench at your heart. And of course it did.

The Double is kind of a difficult read, not very enjoyable for long stretches, primarily because Dostoyevsky dives into the thoughts of a man losing his mind. But that's also what makes it good, because Dostoyevsky, I imagine, reproduces in Goliadkin what must be happening in some fashion in those who are experiencing that descent into paranoia and delusion.

Dostoyevsky made me feel for Goliadkin, sympathize with him. I could feel the helplessness and loss of control that Goliadkin felt, and that those who experience similar maladies must feel.

And, as usual, there are multiple dimensions to this story... classic Dostoyevsky.

P&V always deliver excellence in translating.

This review is for The Double:
I enjoyed this book a little; it's well written but confusing. I wouldn't reccomend it to anyone who's not well versed in Dostoevsky and the literature of his time. I didn't get a lot of what was going on, but I could still appreciate how it was written and how well F.D. developed his character.

I'm not sure if it's the particular translation of these stories or the stories themselves (regardless of translators involved), but the plot of "The Double" was confusing (was that intentional?) and I couldn't get past the first chapter of "The Gambler" (very boring). Disappointing Dostoyevsky reads.

The Double
Mr. Goldiadkin is just an old timey Russian George Costanza, and I can't be told otherwise

The Gambler
"I live, of course, in a state of constant Anxiety" pg.322
That sounds like quitter talk

The Double was referenced in Klein's Doppelganger and is worth the read. This study of personality degeneration was ahead of its time. The social structure and working conditions made me think of Das Schloss or Vor dem Gericht, but Kafka was born after Dostoevsky's death. This volume contains two of Dostoevsky;s works, The Double being a very early work and The Gambler from a much later period of his life. His characters seem to be victims of predestination and one keeps hoping that something will turn things around, while knowing that will not happen. I found his stereotyping of various ethnic groups interesting, especially as to his dissection of Russian class structure. There is no way I will put a rating on these works.

Fyodor Dostoevsky, one of the legendary figures of Russian literature, crafted a body of work that continues to captivate readers with its profound exploration of the human psyche and existential dilemmas. However, it is prevalent that Dostoevsky's earlier works pale in comparison to his later masterpieces. Dostoevsky's early works, including "The Double" and "The Gambler," are, in my opinion, good. Just good- if it was written by anyone else I’d say quite good, but I can’t help but compare them to the turmoil and thunder in Dostoyevsky’s other works, so then they get demoted.


The Double, published in 1846, explores themes of identity, alienation, and the duality of human nature through the protagonist Golyadkin's descent into madness as he encounters his doppelgänger. Similarly, The Gambler, published in 1867, delves into the destructive power of addiction and obsession through the protagonist Alexei Ivanovich, a tutor who becomes embroiled in the world of gambling.


To understand the significance of Dostoevsky's early works, it is essential to consider the tumultuous circumstances of his life during the time of their creation. Dostoevsky faced personal and financial hardships, including the death of his father, exile to Siberia for political activities, and struggles with his gambling addiction.

All of Dostoevsky's works exhibit elements of existentialism, a philosophical movement concerned with the individual's struggle to find meaning and authenticity in a seemingly indifferent world. In The Double, Golyadkin's encounter with his doppelgänger symbolises the fragmentation of the self and the existential crisis of identity. Similarly, The Gambler explores themes of nihilism and the absurdity of human existence through Alexei Ivanovich's reckless pursuit of fortune and subsequent downfall.


As Dostoevsky matured as a writer and navigated through his own existential crisis, his later works underwent a significant transformation, both thematically and stylistically. Works such as Crime and Punishment, The Brothers Karamazov, and The Idiot are often hailed as his masterpieces, characterised by their intricate plots, complex characters, and profound philosophical insights.


While Dostoevsky's early works such as The Double and The Gambler may not possess the same literary stature as his later masterpieces, they nonetheless offer valuable insights into the evolution of his writing and the existential themes that would come to define his oeuvre. Both stories offer intriguing explorations of identity and obsession, but they fall short of the depth and complexity found in his later masterpieces. While both novels have moments of brilliance, they suffer from disjointed narratives and lack of character development.


Through an analysis of his early works in the context of his life and literary theory, you can gain a deeper appreciation for Dostoevsky's journey as a writer and the enduring relevance of his exploration of the human condition. But as standalone books, I do believe both of these books are pretty dull and uninspiring, I don’t think it should be important to know the context behind a fictional story to enjoy it.

A collection of two Dostoyevsky "novellas" from two different periods in his writing career. The first, and weakest of the two, The Double is only the second book of his published. It's a Gogol-style satire, which, unless one is versed on mid 19th century Russia, is a bit hard to grasp. On the surface, though, it's a tale of schizophrenia not dissimilar to Lous Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, published a few decades later.
In St. Petersburg of the mid 19th Century, Yakov Petrovitch Golyadkin is a civil servant of low rank. One day, walking home, he comes across a man who looks just like him. The next day, Golyadkin sees the same person at his own office, with his own name, and later sitting in his apartment. The new Golyadkin seems to have social skills that old G. lacks, and the two soon become bitter rivals, leading him to have a mental breakdown.
The Gambler was written a couple decades later in a feverish rush in order to fulfill a contract with a scrupilous publisher as Dostoyevsky was finishing Crime and Punishment. Although fiction, it is based on Dostoyevsky's own gambling addiction of the time, where he frequently gambled to pay his outstanding debts. Unlike all of his other novels, this one takes place in Germany and follows Alexei Ivanovich, a tutor, and his employer's extended family. His employer, The General, is eagerly awaiting a telegram from Moscow informing him that his aunt, The Grandmother, has died and left him an inheritance. But one day, she herself arrives in Germany, surprising everyone.
It's also a love story. Ivanovich is in love with the General's niece, Polina who seems to give him the go-around. Meanwhile he is seduced by The General's ex fiancee, (yes, it's a bit of a soap opera) who takes him to Paris and takes all his money. Driven to extreme, as most Dostoyevsky characters tend to be, Ivanovich returns to Germany and starts gambling.
Obviously a poor cousin to Crime and Punishment, it still is the better of the two books here; but compared to D.'s later works, it lacks in grand themes, and is perhaps his most un-Russian novel.