Dostoevsky, Fyodor Mikhailovich: The Brothers Karamosov. July 2007

[Roy White]

The Brothers Karamosov is one of the greatest Novels ever written. It's worth the time and energy needed to read it. (Since its as long as a bad girls dream)

Dostoevsky actually faced a firing squad in prison as a young man. To torment him his jailors led him out and blinfolded him. Then fired over his head. Imagine that experience!

He needless to say was changed forever by that singular event and devoted the rest of his life to seeking the meaning of life.

This Novel represents his highest thought in the form of the Holy man Father Zossima and Alyosha's attempt to emulate that holiness vs. the struggle he had with Personal holiness represented by all the Karamosov brothers and their inherited passions, their essentially twisted Karamosov curse!!! A great study of human nature in its highest and lowest impulses!

I wonder if I should identify more with Dmitri and his incorrigible impulses or Alyosha and his desires to escape the curse of sin...

Well .. Anyway, I'm no scholar and most of this book sails majestically out of reach over my head but its still a great read.

Enjoy!

Roy

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[DeusExMe]

I've read a bit of this book and must say that I loved it. Now that the Sony Reader is on the way I plan to pick it up again, as an e-book. My question: which translation will bring it across the most powerfully? I realize that this question is subjective, however, I do need some thought out oppinions. As a side and related note: which translation of the book does Sony Connect offer and is it a good one?

[RWood]

The Garnett version (the one Roy posted) is my favorite English translation and considered by some to be the best translation. There is one (I forget who translated it) that follows the Russian structure and syntax too closely to be good English reading.

[Roy White]

Deus... I did a little research on the net regarding that very issue. It seems that most 'experts' agree that the Translation by Constance Garnet (The one I posted) is the most readable and accurate within the parameters of compromises you would expect in the tricky business of translating art from one medium to another.

I downloaded the Sony connect version of the brothers k and didn't like it. It is the Constance Garnet version, (The same one I did ) but it has no table of contents and therefore no way to find some of my favorite parts in the book.

I just HAD to have a way to quickly find certain passages. The Grand Inquisitor and his conversation with Christ is for me an essential part of what it means to be truly free before God. A passage with such wisdom about how giving over your mind to religious authority in the name of freedom is actually giving up your freedom. How mankind wants magic and religious trappings that are mysterious and 'holy' and therefore unknowable, An actual shield between them and God rather than a way to grow close to God. Dostoevsky I think is saying people want religious baloney far more than they want the choice to love God freely from the heart.

Reading stuff like this keeps me from giving up my own autonomous thought processes in Church when a preacher says something really stupid. (Which doesn't happen as often as you would think really. At least in the Church I attend.)

Oops sorry, my mind went off chasing rabbits for a minute...

At any rate the version I posted is identical with the Sony connect text Except I put a coupla pics of Dostoevsky in there and a fully linked TOC.

And of course my signature photo of my wife at the end of every book I do.

[DeusExMe]

Brother, I think you just talked me into getting your version of that book. I agree with what you say about loving God freely. As a preacher I have been around many "religious" Christians and for me that is just no fun. By describing this book along the lines of that contrast you made me even more excited about reading it.

Thank you so very much.

[Dr. Drib]

Check your Title page for the spelling of

1) Karamasov
2) Karamosov

+, check the upload name itself!

P.S.: I give you full permission to pick on me!!!!!!!!!!


I promise not to pick on you anymore!!!!!!!!

[Roy White]

D'OH!