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Summary: Beauty Will Save The World!!
Review: "Love to throw yourself on the earth and kiss it! Kiss the earth and love it with an unceasing, consuming love. Love all men, love everything! Water the earth with the tears of your joy and love those tears. Don't be ashamed of your ecstasy, prize it."Thus ended the paragraph that saved my life from Book VI of Constance Garnett's translation of The Brothers Karamazov. Read unintentionally in tandem with the fourth movement of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony it wreaked upon me a transvaluation of all values. This also happened to some of my students at Shimer College where I teach both the Constance Garnett and the Pevear/Volokhonsky translations. I urge my students who love the book to read BOTH translations. Constance Garnett's poetic grasp of Dostoyevsky's language (with occasionally antiquated twists of phrase) assumes the worldview of the nineteenth century, which is the century in which Dostoyevsky wrote. Her first translation appeared in about 1912. She lovingly captures the cadences of Father Zosima's voice. This wise elder's words are at the heart of this book. I have never understood why his chapter, "The Russian Monk" has not been excerpted and widely read as "The Grand Inquisitor" which precedes it. Poverty, injustice, cruelty, and the suffering of innocents can only be transformed by love--and beauty. This book, a murder mystery interwoven with four love-triangles, exploring dysfunctional families, the nature of God, erotic lacerations, forgiveness, the devil, and the Russian soul can give you the equipment you need to cope with life's agonies, to go through suffering and into joy. Hurrah for Karamazov!
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Summary: Possibly the most profound book ever
Review: Although some may be intimidated by this book's prodigious length and status as a "classic," I implore everyone to read this novel. As simply a story, the Brothers K is an enthralling tale of murder and deception among 4 brothers and their despicable father set in pre-Revolutionary Russia. But Dostoevsky's attention to detail, use of language, and character development are what make this work literature. However the Brothers K's unparalleled status originates from the astonishingly insightful questions it raises about the nature of man and God. I consider myself relatively well-read, but in my experience, never has another work of literature speculated on the human condition in a fashion so sublime. If you are still hesitant about reading this book, then read the chapters "Rebellion" followed by "The Grand Inquisitor" (the most famous chapter in any novel) and I'm sure your reservations will vanish. I must say I believe the Brothers K is the most profound novel ever written and to me, it speaks great truths.
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Summary: words fail to describe this enduring classic
Review: Dostoevsky's final work, The Brothers Karamazov constitutes the culmination of his life's work, drawing from all of his previous writings. It is the tale of the three Karamazov brothers--Alyosha, the pious spiritualist; Ivan, the tormented, calculating atheist and author of that famed passage, The Grand Inquisitor; and Mitya, the sensualist involved in a twisted sort of love triangle in which the participants maliciously chicane one another--and their illegitimate half-brother Smerdyakov, sickly and conniving. The central plot focuses on the murder of the brothers' father, Fyodor, and the trial of the suspected murderer (whom I will not name, lest I spoil the book for any would-be readers). Of course, the novel transcends mere murder mystery and courtroom drama; indeed, these elements serve merely as a background for what truly concerns Dostoevsky, the battle for the soul, in which the forces of modern ideologies (e.g. socialism) struggle against the forces of religion, specifically orthodox Christianity. This war for the spirit wreaks havoc on the individual, disorients and incapacitates him; in fact, the most interesting character in the book is not Dostoevsky's declared hero, Alyosha, but rather his brother Ivan, the atheist, whose contemplation of the lack of moral restraint effected by God's absence places him in the most fragile of mental states, which collapses when he must make a moral judgment. It was Dostoevsky's genius to recognize that socialism is more than a form of labor organization, that it is "above all an atheistic phenomenon, the modern manifestation of atheism, one more tower of Babel built without God, not in order to reach out toward heaven from earth, but to bring heaven down to earth." And there lies his enduring relevance to modern times, over one hundred years after his death. Communism and socialism, indeed, have been virtually routed as viable political and economic systems. But the fight of the West versus Communism was not simply a political-economic one; it was, as Dostoevsky would have recognized--and, indeed, as his modern heirs such as Whitaker Chambers and Alexander Solzhenytsin understood--merely a continuation of that great war for the human soul. And that struggle was not, and has not been, won. For those who wish to understand that fight and to take it up with the foe, Dostoevsky is the essential starting point.
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Summary: A Classic
Review: Dostoyevsky's last work relates the tales of three squabbling brothers and their sick father. One is a man of the monastery, who grapples with the problem of pleasure, while his brother and father fight for the love of a woman.
Though, what makes this novel so great is not so much the objective character of what happens, but the intrinsic dispositions of the personages (relating in a sense, Schopenhauer's statement that great literature relates the inner states, rather than the outer). It touches on all the problems of human life, all those infinitesimal events which torture us in this brief, fleeting and painful existence, one, that through literature such as this, we for moments, overcome.
Also recommended: Toilet: The Novel by Michael Szymczyk (A Tribute to the Literary Works of Franz Kafka)
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Summary: Great Dostoyevsky book!
Review: God, murder, a love triangle, and a trial, these are the things that Dostoyevsky loves to write about. Unlike the Idiot, where I felt there was a overemphasis on Prince Myskin, I felt that each of the three brothers, Dmitry, Ivan, and Aloysha had their own equal emphasis and character development.
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Summary: It made me rediscover the joy of reading
Review: I hadn't had a reason to read until my latest work commute changed adding a 1 hour plus train ride. As a result I was drawn to this book as a fascination with the author first, and second as a 'test' to see if I could get through it. I noticed it's length and was drawn to see if I could finish it and more importantly enjoy it.
In the end it was the most satisfying book I have ever read in my life. What else can I say here that hasn't already been said? There are passages in this book and chapters that have some of the most unique writing I have ever come across. The characters are so litteraly vivid that the amount of detail in describing their thoughts and conversations practically puts you in their head as they speak.
It's also amazing how almost half the book is just background and conversations (fascinating they are), and the plot doesn't come out until much later, and then when it does it certainly leaves you hanging on every word. You really get an insight into how these characters think, live, and breathe. I still keep thinking of them days after finishing this book. It is as if you can see yourself in all of them in some way or another.
Remember a pound of nuts, ask if hell has hooks if there is no ceiling, know the grand inquisitor, try to recognize the devil, find the balance between mans hatred and spirituality with god.
Read this book at some point in your life before you die. I am amazed a human can create something like this as Dostoevsky did. It is absolutley mind-boggling.. Sheer brilliance.
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Summary: A review by a realist
Review: I'd first like to correct an error from a previous review. The translator is not Constance Garnett; it is one Andrew MacAndrew (tragic name, I know), and the prose is snappy and completely understandable. I was surprised by how informal the writing was at times, and I think the translator probably captured the style, although I can't be sure because I don't know Russian. As for the actual book, the material presented, the characters developed and the themes explored, this book is really good. But not perfect. It starts out wonderfully. Meeting the brothers, and that crazy father of theirs, is a joy. Hilarious, sometimes painfully awkward. The saga of Grueshenka and Katya is compelling, and the plight of our little boy Ilyusha is the best part of the book. Other parts of the novel are not so exciting. Like the entirity of Book VI, about the Elder Zosima. He tells us all about his life and his thoughts on the Bible, and how you should be nice to kids. If you are looking for a book to skip, this is it. Some of book XII is painful as well. We already know all about the theories of the murder, but we have to listen to both the prosecutor and defense attorney tell us about it from a psychological point of view. Important I know, because Dostoevsky was trying to say something about justice, about crime and punishment. But, all literary snobbery aside, it's boring. So chapters 6-13 in Book 12 can be optional if you're not interested in the nature of judgement. The book also relies on excessive coincidence and unlikely circumstances. It can get pretty outlandish. But overall, an enjoyable read. Good characterization, and the conflicts and love between the brothers is fascinating to read about. The theories early on in the book about the existence of God are thought-provoking. You'll love that Alyosha, whether you are a believer or non-believer.
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Summary: Essential Dostoevsky, beginners maybe start elsewhere
Review: The Brothers Karamazov is a magnificent piece of literature. Anyone the least bit familiar with Fyodor Dostoevsky will easily spot his hand at work here, which means some familiar ground for readers of other works by the author. This is not at all negative, however; this volume overflows with illuminating, thought-provoking Dostoevsky ideas. The Constance Garnett translation is somewhat awkward; I find Garnett overly monotonous and convoluted. Though Dostoevsky is no quick nor casual read, his text was certainly confused in some of Garnett's meandering passages. I feel other translators do a more concise and entertaining job, while keeping the same ideas intact, though I've only briefly read other translations. To give evidence to my critique, the notes on translation in the back of my text indicate some issues, including the title itself! Instead of "The Brothers Karamazov," the book should probably be "The Karamazov Brothers." As editor Ralph E. Matlaw states, "we do not refer to 'the brothers Kennedy'," and I'll mention "the sisters Hilton." On the bright side, I feel the strange title makes the book feel more "foreign" and exotic. Matlaw also states Garnett doesn't just confuse the reader with some language, but actually simplifies and cleans up other language, turning at least one character into a more polished version than Doestoevsky probably intended. Thankfully, Garnett's peculiarities become familiar and comfortable. Overall, this book is sufficiently readable. Of note to first-time Dostoevsky readers is the extreme number of characters quickly introduced near the beginning of the book, with the traditional cavalcade of Russian names, surnames, and nicknames. This is no deficiency of the translator, but rather a difficulty inherent with the source text. Fans of Dostoevsky may simply be wondering: is this worth the time to read? After taking in all 700+ pages, I can answer a resounding yes. Ideas introduced in earlier works are here fleshed out into living, breathing, bleeding human beings. I feel the characters are some of the most real I've ever encountered in literature. The variety in people eases the reader's process of identifying with a character; I identified with multiple throughout the book. For those being introduced to Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment may be better, simply because Karamazov has a slow, disorienting beginning. However, if you enjoy the Russian master, you will relish in the delight of Karamazov.
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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: A thought-provoking page-turner
Review: There is so much to this amazing classic, it's impossible to get it all on the first reading. On one level, it's a murder mystery. The town lech, Fyodor Karamazov, is murdered and all of his sons have one motive or another for wanting to murder him. His oldest, Dmitry, appears to be guilty. Fyodor owed Dmitry 3000 rubles (mysteriously missing after Fyodor is killed) and they were both in love with the same woman.
But then on another level, the book is about the nature of faith and God. Each of the relationships is the relationship between ideas. It juxtaposes individualism with the affect of the social order on individuals.
Does faith in itself make people virtuous? Or is faith a structure to prevent people from acting NOT virtuous? Which is more important -- love for all humanity? Or love for the individual? For the religious, morality depends on the immortality of the soul. But, is that then truly morality? Is it morally superior to do wrong and hate yourself for it? Or to not know you're doing wrong at all? Where is the line between suspicion (there's this whole theme in the book that dishonest people cannot love because they will always be suspicious) and skepticism? Is the concept of sin a doomed idea intent on controlling the baser parts of what it means to be human? In which case, the idea redemption is just a way of distancing ourselves from our own humanity. If God gave free will, then why do the religious attempt to take it away? They take away free will and offer security instead, which is like saying God failed and they need to jump in and take over.
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