Crime And Punishment is the best law book and best psychology book I have ever read. I was a very effective cross-examiner and nothing helped me as much, not even Francis L. Wellman’s The Art Of Cross-Examination.
Thank you for your wonderful article on Dostoevsky Mr. Mohr. I have printed it so that I can share it with my eldest granddaughter if she goes to law school.
Appreciated this post. I appreciate Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, and Nabakov, though I have to say that I favor the sparer style of the modernists. These are competing schools, to some degree, and I realize that the pendulum has swung back toward the denser catalogues of human experience. Not that one must necessarily choose, but I find myself erring on the side of suggestion rather than exhaustive exposition. I remember some apocryphal line about how reading Henry James was like watching a whale lumber to the bottom of the ocean to pick up a pearl. It's not just the Beats who preferred the slimmer volumes!
It can definitely be draining, reading the 19th century Russians (or any 19th century writer, really). I actually agree in general about suggestion versus epic exposition and lengthy, overly detailed description. That said, in my view Dostoevsky is in a league of his own. He’s so deeply, profoundly insightful that it’s well worth the trudge. But also, for a 19th century author he really did love a solid plot, at least in C/P and The Brothers K. He does a good job of wrapping deep philosophical insight inside of a fun, juicy plot. Dost gets suspense and tension like few literary novelists of his time.
I just finished reading Notes from Underground and it was wildly unexpected how much I was going to like it. Granted, it was narrated by my favorite narrator at the moment, George Guidall, but that's just the icing on the cake. His introspection and accurate portrayal of human emotions, desires, and tendencies is remarkable. I'll be starting Crime and Punishment soon.
Wonderful! I've become mildly obsessed with Dostoyevsky recently and finally started delving into his works. The journalistic, almost scientific attention to nuance and detail is unlike anything else I've read. I'm (still) listening to Crime and Punishment right now, as it was my headphones-on-the-tractor book, but outside work has tapered off with the winter weather. I'll finish it soon. The dream about the mob killing the horse still haunts me...
Makes one wonder if there will be a new generation of literary greats without that "life experience" D captured so well. Today's young generation don't seem equipped for how hard life can be due to being indoctrinated in wokness. And I agree w D , I find "peasants" much more interesting to hang out with. Great insight
I had real problems with the Russian personal naming - I discovered that in my reading I had always been careless about names, letting context help me keep track. The second time I worked harder at following the names - it helped. Thanks again.
I have discovered that anything worth really doing in life is often a “chew” at the offset but delightfully worthwhile when you have accomplished “the task” .. We have lost so much in contemporary times. Sadly, in Britain to receive a more classical education in music, literature, art and history, it is necessary to attend private schools, whose focus has always been in achieving each individuals optimum level in small teaching groups and 1-1 too. There is significant focus on these areas - the evidence of a more “rounded” education is clearly demonstrated in exam results and university entries to red brick establishments, most notably Oxford and Cambridge. We also live in times, in my opinion, where one is treading on eggshells in a bid to avoid “offending someone” Open minds, free thinking, debate and speech are lost .. for me this is a tragedy as to form one’s own opinion you must be able to look freely at the “alternative narrative” - Lovely to meet you and thank you for your kind comments. I really enjoyed your post! Looking forward to seeing more!
Loved your response. Especially this: “We also live in times, in my opinion, where one is treading on eggshells in a bid to avoid “offending someone” Open minds, free thinking, debate and speech are lost .. for me this is a tragedy as to form one’s own opinion you must be able to look freely at the “alternative narrative.’
Thanks for this article, Michael. As usual, you create a compelling atmosphere that lets us walk with you. Your bringing Dostoevsky’s lessons into the present underscores the timelessness of his writing. If ever there was a time to embrace his philosophy of non hatred, this is it.
Now I must go back for a re-read of Crime and Punishment. And your unexpected peer into that ceremony has me remembering a similar experience that I need to write about today.
Thank you, Michael, for this reminder of the tortured genius of Dostoevsky. Russian writers are a caste unto themselves. They remind me of American Blues performers. Life with all its hardships and injustices and personal tragedies formed the chrysalis in which something beautiful can (must) emerge.
Every serious reader I’ve ever spoken to has a Russian epoch, yet none of the ones who have survived have dwelled there eternally. Maybe it is the chronology, but I’ve had no problem reading and enjoying Dostoevsky, but Solzhenitsyn kills me—perhaps it's too soon. I’ve been trying to get through Gulag for years, but end up in tears that force me to stop. Listening while walking the way of Saint James might be my answer.
As a writer, I loved your message of understanding. “All he needed was life experience.” Ouch! But it's true. Keep up the good work.
I really think you should walk El Camino. It will change your life. ❤️. Thank you for reading and commenting. Yes: The Russians can be hard to read at times. In many ways I think Dost is the most accessible, but he can be slow/boring/anecdotal at times, even within his startling brilliance.
Funny thing. My wife took five weeks and did the el Camino last April. Who knows. If she wants to do it again, I'll have to join her. I missed her too much to be separated that long again.
Thank you for this article - really insightful about the Great Man. I came to him later in life - had to read Crime and Punishment twice, but I'm not sure I got it even then. Your article about the book and Dostoevsky should be recommended reading for anyone approaching the book.
I am about to start exploring Dostoevsky. Your commentary about the author was excellent .. l am working my way through Faust, Vonnegut and others as not only for pure interest but to inform and exercise my brain .. pretty much why l persist with endeavouring to play Prokofiev! Luckily, l can laugh at myself!
I love it! That’s fantastic. Faust is profound but for me the second half was very slow and hard to trudge through. Yet: We must trudge through brilliance. Seems we’ve lost that art in contemporary times.
I enjoy listening to Russian Choral Vespers when I study the Bible. It sets the mood and doesn’t interfere with my reading.
I’ve also recently started Dostoyevsky’s “Demons.” It was recommended to me as being very fitting for the times we’re in.
Absolutely! And I love the mood music. Thank you for reading and commenting ❤️❤️🔥
Crime And Punishment is the best law book and best psychology book I have ever read. I was a very effective cross-examiner and nothing helped me as much, not even Francis L. Wellman’s The Art Of Cross-Examination.
I love this!!!!! ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you for your wonderful article on Dostoevsky Mr. Mohr. I have printed it so that I can share it with my eldest granddaughter if she goes to law school.
Wonderful! Wow! How cool is that???
Appreciated this post. I appreciate Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, and Nabakov, though I have to say that I favor the sparer style of the modernists. These are competing schools, to some degree, and I realize that the pendulum has swung back toward the denser catalogues of human experience. Not that one must necessarily choose, but I find myself erring on the side of suggestion rather than exhaustive exposition. I remember some apocryphal line about how reading Henry James was like watching a whale lumber to the bottom of the ocean to pick up a pearl. It's not just the Beats who preferred the slimmer volumes!
It can definitely be draining, reading the 19th century Russians (or any 19th century writer, really). I actually agree in general about suggestion versus epic exposition and lengthy, overly detailed description. That said, in my view Dostoevsky is in a league of his own. He’s so deeply, profoundly insightful that it’s well worth the trudge. But also, for a 19th century author he really did love a solid plot, at least in C/P and The Brothers K. He does a good job of wrapping deep philosophical insight inside of a fun, juicy plot. Dost gets suspense and tension like few literary novelists of his time.
I just finished reading Notes from Underground and it was wildly unexpected how much I was going to like it. Granted, it was narrated by my favorite narrator at the moment, George Guidall, but that's just the icing on the cake. His introspection and accurate portrayal of human emotions, desires, and tendencies is remarkable. I'll be starting Crime and Punishment soon.
Absolutely. He nails it. Love Notes! Fantastic read. Yes, C/P wants you to read it. Chilling and gorgeous; haunting.
Wonderful! I've become mildly obsessed with Dostoyevsky recently and finally started delving into his works. The journalistic, almost scientific attention to nuance and detail is unlike anything else I've read. I'm (still) listening to Crime and Punishment right now, as it was my headphones-on-the-tractor book, but outside work has tapered off with the winter weather. I'll finish it soon. The dream about the mob killing the horse still haunts me...
Yes!! That horse beating scene is atrocious and haunting. I had the exact same thought when I reread that. Awful.
Makes one wonder if there will be a new generation of literary greats without that "life experience" D captured so well. Today's young generation don't seem equipped for how hard life can be due to being indoctrinated in wokness. And I agree w D , I find "peasants" much more interesting to hang out with. Great insight
Absolutely!
I had real problems with the Russian personal naming - I discovered that in my reading I had always been careless about names, letting context help me keep track. The second time I worked harder at following the names - it helped. Thanks again.
I have discovered that anything worth really doing in life is often a “chew” at the offset but delightfully worthwhile when you have accomplished “the task” .. We have lost so much in contemporary times. Sadly, in Britain to receive a more classical education in music, literature, art and history, it is necessary to attend private schools, whose focus has always been in achieving each individuals optimum level in small teaching groups and 1-1 too. There is significant focus on these areas - the evidence of a more “rounded” education is clearly demonstrated in exam results and university entries to red brick establishments, most notably Oxford and Cambridge. We also live in times, in my opinion, where one is treading on eggshells in a bid to avoid “offending someone” Open minds, free thinking, debate and speech are lost .. for me this is a tragedy as to form one’s own opinion you must be able to look freely at the “alternative narrative” - Lovely to meet you and thank you for your kind comments. I really enjoyed your post! Looking forward to seeing more!
Loved your response. Especially this: “We also live in times, in my opinion, where one is treading on eggshells in a bid to avoid “offending someone” Open minds, free thinking, debate and speech are lost .. for me this is a tragedy as to form one’s own opinion you must be able to look freely at the “alternative narrative.’
100%. Agree. Thanks for reading and commenting!
Thanks for this article, Michael. As usual, you create a compelling atmosphere that lets us walk with you. Your bringing Dostoevsky’s lessons into the present underscores the timelessness of his writing. If ever there was a time to embrace his philosophy of non hatred, this is it.
Yes!!
Now I must go back for a re-read of Crime and Punishment. And your unexpected peer into that ceremony has me remembering a similar experience that I need to write about today.
Beautiful. I’ll look forward to reading it :)
Thank you, Michael, for this reminder of the tortured genius of Dostoevsky. Russian writers are a caste unto themselves. They remind me of American Blues performers. Life with all its hardships and injustices and personal tragedies formed the chrysalis in which something beautiful can (must) emerge.
Every serious reader I’ve ever spoken to has a Russian epoch, yet none of the ones who have survived have dwelled there eternally. Maybe it is the chronology, but I’ve had no problem reading and enjoying Dostoevsky, but Solzhenitsyn kills me—perhaps it's too soon. I’ve been trying to get through Gulag for years, but end up in tears that force me to stop. Listening while walking the way of Saint James might be my answer.
As a writer, I loved your message of understanding. “All he needed was life experience.” Ouch! But it's true. Keep up the good work.
I really think you should walk El Camino. It will change your life. ❤️. Thank you for reading and commenting. Yes: The Russians can be hard to read at times. In many ways I think Dost is the most accessible, but he can be slow/boring/anecdotal at times, even within his startling brilliance.
Funny thing. My wife took five weeks and did the el Camino last April. Who knows. If she wants to do it again, I'll have to join her. I missed her too much to be separated that long again.
Thank you for this article - really insightful about the Great Man. I came to him later in life - had to read Crime and Punishment twice, but I'm not sure I got it even then. Your article about the book and Dostoevsky should be recommended reading for anyone approaching the book.
Wow: High praise! Thank you :) You’re not alone on C/P: reading it several times over many years is recommended ❤️
I am about to start exploring Dostoevsky. Your commentary about the author was excellent .. l am working my way through Faust, Vonnegut and others as not only for pure interest but to inform and exercise my brain .. pretty much why l persist with endeavouring to play Prokofiev! Luckily, l can laugh at myself!
I love it! That’s fantastic. Faust is profound but for me the second half was very slow and hard to trudge through. Yet: We must trudge through brilliance. Seems we’ve lost that art in contemporary times.