The Brothers Karamazov | 
| Author: Fyodor Dostoevsky
Creators: Richard Pevear, Larissa Volokhonsky
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Category: Book
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Avg. Customer Rating:  107 reviews
Sales Rank: 2687
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 824
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.5
Dimensions (in): 8 x 5.5 x 1.5
ISBN: 0374528373
Dewey Decimal Number: 891.733
EAN: 9780374528379
ASIN: 0374528373
Publication Date: June 14, 2002
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Product Description
The award-winning translation of Dostoevsky's last and greatest novel.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 102 more reviews...
Perhaps the best novel ever written in the history of mankind August 22, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
At the beginning of my freshman year at college, a girl told me to read this book, it would 'change my life'. She wouldn't elaborate further. Now that I've read it, maybe I shouldn't either.
Read it.
Odd, its one of the most painful books I have ever read, it left me a wreck when I finished it.
But its...comforting. Not in the story, in my own life. That won't make any sense till you read the book. (And every synopsis/interpretation on the web misses the whole meaning completely.)
Take it as the last testament of a man who bounced from Christian to Socialist and back, "tormented by everlasting sin and injustice--both of one's own, and the world's" (quote from character in BK). "Thirsting for belief" and simultaneously very much "I will be a child of this age--a man of unbelief--till the lid of my coffin closes", and asking 'the parable of the prodigal son' to be read to him as he died.
The story is like life in general...beautiful and then ghastly, painful, loads of hatred and love twisted and not so twisted.
It hasn't got any pat answers, beautiful explanations for tormenting questions, or happy endings. But its...comforting. Read it.
________________________________
Actually, I couldn't stop crying for awhile after I finished The Brothers Karamazov. It was weird, it hurt so much, and yet it felt so true, like real life is like that. And then I felt this love welling up inside that didn't leave for awhile. Its like TBK hurt so much and at the same time gave this love inside and felt so true that the book was devastating and painful and comforting all at once.
This book will probably give you these common symptoms of many readers of the books. Namely:
1. took 3 weeks to recover from one of the books and become a functioning member of society again. Couldn't talk about the books with other people during that time, because it felt so intensely personal.
2. wanted to change your life after recovering from TBK.
3. shortly after recovering from TBK, found oneself choking up about the meanings of things too heavy for words.
******spoilers ahead****************
It says so much about life, and it is so true. Especially what it says about shame, hatred, strained virtue (Katya), torment, injustice, hope, and love. At the end of the book, I was bawling so hard because it felt so real. This sounds weird, but the book is so comforting precisely because parts of it are so painful and raw like life. I felt like it was saying: yes, there is so much wrongness, there is so much pain and defeat and death, and we have the choice to rage against earthly injustice like Ivan, or like Mitya and Alyosha, put all our hope in that inexplicable love that rushes into our heart at the darkest moment....to put our hope in it, and to love and forgive. Oh dear, I'm slaughtering it, this post doesn't do it justice at all.
What a messed up family! July 21, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
In my opinion Dostoevsky's "The Brothers Karamazov" is a seismic event in world literature because it puts God at the center of the discussion during a highly secular time, it is a tremendous piece of existential-psychology, and the characters are so unforgetable. Plus, it is a great murder mystery with several surprises and unforgetable scences. This is a must read!
Understanding the Russian July 10, 2008
When first in Russian business, I was told to read "Brothers Karamazov" to understand the Russian. As always, there are three sides to the Russian coin and this masterpiece reflects this fact about this land of 1000 years. The chapter "The Grand Inquisitor" is to me one of the greatest tracts in the world's literature and reflects on organized religion as well as a Russia about to implode. Absolutely essential.
Frederick R. Andresen, Author of "Walking on Ice, An American Businessman in Russia."Walking on Ice: An American Businessman in Russia
Dostoevsky's final major work...a masterpiece June 23, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
A truly wonderful piece of fiction.
Dostoevsky's (1821-1881) classic work was written towards the end of his life (between 1879-1880). It is a tale of a dysfunctional Russian middle class family; the story follows significant events in the lives of the father (Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov) and his three sons (Dmitri, Ivan and Alexei).
Although the first half of the story is slow to develop it is well written and easy to follow (maybe this is a trait of this era of Russian writers, I found Tolstoy's 'Anna Karenina' had the same qualities.) The latter half of the book was, in my opinion, much more dynamic and interesting to read.
The translation of the work, by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky, from Russian to English, is well done; subjectively, to me, it seemed to captivate many of the subtleties and nuances that I can only assume Dostoevsky wished to bring forth in his novel.
However be forewarned, reading this novel is a true labor of love and a definitive exercise in perseverance. The book is 779 pages long and 'dense' with regards to the number of words per page. Some paragraphs go on for pages; some sentences can be difficult to follow because they are exceedingly long and punctuated with many commas. Also, Dostoevsky at times, uses his novel to expound (often, at some length) upon a few of his philosophical theories regarding such opposing forces as life/death, good/evil, and the existence (or not) of God.
Conclusion:
Many consider this one of the finest books ever written, and it may be so; this is obviously a very subjective opinion. I really enjoyed the book, especially the second half (beginning with Dmitri's tale). However, if your not an avid fan of Russian literature or if your simply reading it for pleasure then this book requires a degree of dedication to finish. But make no mistake about it, the quality is there, and if the story tweaks your fancy you'll be well rewarded by reading Dostoevsky's final masterpiece.
R.Nicholson
Absolutely Stunning! May 30, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
"The Brothers Karamazov" left me speechless. It definitely merits a second reading because there is SO much to absorb here. Dostoevsky presents a perfect mix of philosophy, religion, social issues and a page-turner of a plot. This is one of the best books I've ever read. Highly recommended. The translation, by the way, is fantastic and I will read all of my Russian literature by this amazing team of writers. I loved this book so much that I immediately purchased a hardback copy of it for my family library.
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