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Summary: The Passage of Glory
Review: Alyosha's speech at the end of the book is the most poignant, emotive, inspirational take on dealing with death that has ever come out of a human mind and is reason enough to read this masterpiece (though there are countless others). I will never, ever forget it, and to this day, 15 years after having read the book, every time I re-read that passage I cry my eyes out. And this country boy doesn't EVER cry. These Russian authors are truly a gift from the heavens.
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Summary: The most important book I've ever read.
Review: In Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five, Rosewater tells Billy Pilgrim that "everything there [is] to know about life [is] in The Brothers Karamazov, by Feodor Dostoevsky."And so, I took Rosewater to heart, and after finishing Slaughterhouse over my winter break, I went to the library and took out the intimidatingly old and terribly thick translation of The Brothers Karamazov. I sat down on my bed at home and opened it, and thought to myself, "Let's read the first page, and see if I can make sense of it." The first page, is in fact, a message from the author and it addresses the same question (more or less) that I was asking myself as I began to read: "Starting out on the biography of my hero, Alexi Fyodorovich Karamazov, I find myself in some perplexity. Namely, that while I do call Alexi Fyodorovich my hero, still, I myself know that he is by no means a great man, so that I can foresee the inevitable questions, such as: What is notable about your Alexei Fyodorovich that you should choose him for your hero? What has he really done? To whom is he known, and for what? Why should I, the reader, spend my time studying the facts of his life?" It is that last question-why anyone should want to spend time studying the facts of his life (and, on a side note, I recently read a Dave Barry column where he asks, "Has anyone actually finished The Brothers Karamazov?") that I am here to sell you on. I can say now, even though I literally just finished it, with some degree of certainty, that The Brothers Karamazov is the most important book that I have ever read. It has very much changed me-and my perception of the world. I will go back to it, throughout my life, and reread many of its passages. I will forever remember-whether consciously or unconsciously-its characters, its moments, and its apparent meanings. I am here to tell you, though, that you-yes you-are very much capable of reading The Brothers Karamazov. I was the one in high school who read the Cliff's Notes for The Scarlet Letter and for Dostoyevski's own Crime and Punishment. If you asked me then, and in fact if you asked me only a few months ago, if I thought I might ever read The Brothers Karamazov for pleasure, I would have laughed. And yet I did just exactly that, reading the first 100 pages from the library, and then going out and purchasing my own copy-because I knew after those first 100 pages that I could, and that I would, finish. And now a short note on translation: the library book that I began with was, indeed, readable, but the book that I eventually bought was a new translation that came out in 1991. Critics praise this translation on the front and back covers; the New York Times writes, "One finally gets the musical whole of Dostoyevsky's original." And since I read the first 100 pages from an older translation, I can agree with the NYT that this translation is far superior. [And for those who plan on tackling this book, it's a pink and white copy, translated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky.] And now on to the book itself. I would say that this book works on two levels: on one level it is a mystery/thriller/love story/drama (all on one level) that is exciting for its plot and its suspense. The other level, though, is the spiritual level-a level that justifies the presence of the seemingly (in retrospect) unimportant characters of Zossima the Elder and Ilyushenka, the poor little boy who gets sick after his father is publicly humiliated. These characters don't affect, really, the plot of the book-although they both play important roles. They are, though, there for very different reasons-and they are for me the most important characters in the book. In conclusion, (and yet I feel like I could write so much more), read The Brothers Karamazov because we view the world constantly through a filter-a filter of consciousness-and this book will reshape and reconfigure your filter. It's like a spiritual tune-up. It will lead to deep introspection, it will comfort you, it will disturb you, and most of all it will better you. As the elder Zossima tells Alyosha, "you will bless life and cause others to bless it-which is the most important thing."
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Summary: Exquisite Writing!
Review: Unlike Dostoevsky's other great novel, "Crime and Punishment", the plot twists in "Karamazov" are more widely dispersed. In fact the central dramatic incident, the murder of one of the main characters, doesn't occur until way past the halfway point. But, my goodness, what powerful emotions are stirred throughout the course of the novel so that when the dramatic plot elements do come into play, they pack an emotional whallop. The emotions of the characters bleed from every page, (make sure you find a good translation of this novel.). And because we share the charcters' introspections on life, we get to understand them inside and out. Alyosha, the hero of the novel, made me feel the way Prince Myshkin, (from "The Idiot"), should have made me feel. Like Myshkin, Alyosha is a good, selfless man whose faith in human nature is severely put to the test. When the death of Alyosha's mentor becomes an unceremonious incident mocked by the townsfolk, he questions his own beliefs, and his faith, ("Why would God give such a good and selfless man such a uncermonious death?"). But, in the dramatic climax, he again finds himself acting purely on faith, when the scientific evidence against his brother piles up. It has been said that Dostoevsky intended a follow-up to this novel, (with the possibility of even a third installment). However, perhaps it was fitting that we are left with ambiguous elements pertaining to some of the characters in the novel; especially the fate of Dimitri. On the other hand, if you are like me, you may want to read a sequel to this novel simply because you do not want to leave these characters alone.
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Summary: A book that can change lives.
Review: A close look at the reviews for this book throughout time have revealed the obvious, which is that it is truly one of the world's masterpieces. My strongest promotion for the book is that it is perfect for someone who is questioning thier own faith in God. When done with The Brother's Karamozov, a better sense of confidence will bestow the reader in the realm of theology, no matter what path is taken. Wonderful and interesting, this book will never leave my memory.
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Summary: This is the one
Review: If you suspect that you have a brain in your head, you have to read this
Rating:
Summary: One of the best books in the store
Review: One of the traits that many top writers share is the ability to give you a lot of great characters in one story, whether they are heroes, villains, or in between. In this wonderful book you get to meet a number of unforgettable people. There's the father, Mr Karamazov, a sort of likeable villain, a self centered rake who fondly recalls the ex-wife who used to smack him around, justifiably. His oldest son Dmitri, hothead and romantic hero of the book, accused of murder. His youngest son, the saintly Alyosha, beloved and trusted by all. His middle son Ivan the intellect. His butler Smerdyakov the schemer. Then there's Dmitri's two women - the rich one who loves him because he saved her father, and the heartbreaker you start out hating and end up liking. How can you not read Brothers Karamazov? I liked Brothers Karamazov a lot more than Crime and Punishment, so if you read Crime and Punishment and didn't enjoy it you still may like Karamazov. This is one of the finest books in the store.
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Summary: Perhaps the greatest novel ever written...
Review: THE BROTHERS KARAMAZOV may indeed be the greatest novel yet written. The Russian master's tumultuous epic concerning ultimate questions of good and evil; faith and rationalism; love and passion, are profoundly dramatized in a murder mystery that astonishes and disturbs by its refusal to stereotype any of its characters or trivialize any of its themes. Hence the book...like a well-lived life...is a struggle that requires much of the reader. However, if the effort is made in good faith, one never forgets the experience of journey and the lessons taught. The Constance Garnett translation is to The Karamazov as the King James Version is to the Bible. At the center of the story is "The Legend of the Grand Inquisitor". Some readers may observe that its inclusion in the novel is a "mechanical" contrivance and a technical flaw that does not naturally flow into the narrative. This may be true; but Ivan Karamazov's "poem" (as Dostoyevsky's proud, intellectual nihilist proposes) is...in effect...a spiritual history of humanity and its battle for dignity under the weight of its own Sins. When the Inquisitor/anti- Christ figure of the tale asserts that man's greatest curse is his own freedom and that he will "worship" anyone who takes this burden from him (from Supreme Court Justices who declare abortion is not murder...to talk show hosts who celebrate divorce and homosexuality)most readers suddenly realize that they are not merely reading a book but...like The Brothers Karamazov themselves... are on trial for their beliefs. Or lack of them. It is a novel which rivals parts of The Bible itself in wisdom and startling insights. Yet Dostoyevsky was "only" a man and this book... perhaps the greatest novel ever written...is a wonderful testimony to great literature's affirmation of life and the "adventure" of living.
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Summary: excelente
Review: que mas puedo agregar yo un simple lector a la miriada de cosas que este libro nos brinda, no me queda mas que hacerme eco del clamor del publico por un libro tan bueno y tan profundo como ese, solo me queda decirlo en otro idioma, para que los latinos lo vean. lei ese libro hace unos anos en ingles y me gusto muchisimo, si te acostumbras a los nombres largos lo demas es facil y fascinante los tres hermanos que odian a su padre por un motivo diferente y hacen una transferencia psicologica a su otro hermano, que es el que comete la accion que los demas niegan y aborrecen. espero que mas personas se animen a descubrir los autores rusos, como dostoievski y sus otros libros para que sepan que la psicologia comenzo antes de freud, solo que entonces no tenia nombre luis mendez
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Summary: Best book I have ever read.
Review: While I haven't had the opportunity to read as much literature as I would like, thus far into my life, I was absolutely stunned upon reading Dostoevsky's final work. The Brothers Karamazov literally changed my life with its satire of society, its criticism of religion, and overall representation of the human condition. You must read this book!
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Summary: Perfect
Review: I was debating whether or not I should pretend to be an English professor and examine such details of the "Brother's Karamazov" like symbolism and the allusions to the Bible. Nah. I prefer to rave about how even an unintelligent individual like myself can be drawn into how real the characters are. Dostoevsky fails to embellish his characters' traits and that is one of the main reasons he is such a stunning author. One is able to FEEL what the characters are going through because Dostoevsky paints his characters so elaborately. His tone is simple, informative, and not the least bit pompous. I have not read many books but I can honestly say that this is the best one my eyes have scrolled across. I also like the way he builds scenes and conversations up throughout the novel. For instance, he will give the reader every single detail of a situation except one - which literally makes you want to read on rigorously to discover the missing link. Brilliant stuff.
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