Best Selling Books by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

This classic Russian novel has it all: murder, suspense, passion, struggle, and redemption. Originally published in 1866, Crime and Punishment is a psychological thriller that deals with issues of morality, conscience, and redemption. Widely considered to be one of the greatest novels written in any language, this novel explores the life of Rodin Raskolnikov, a young Russian man who robs and murders a pawnbroker to save himself from a life of poverty. As a consequence, he must deal with the oppressive mental anguish of being a criminal while attempting to maintain relationships with his friends and family.

Crime and Punishment (pre-reform Russian; post-reform Russian: is a novel by the Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky. It was first published in the literary journal The Russian Messenger in twelve monthly installments during 1866. It was later published in a single volume. It is the second of Dostoevsky''s full-length novels following his return from ten years of exile in Siberia. Crime and Punishment is considered the first great novel of his "mature" period of writing. The novel is often cited as one of the supreme achievements in literature.Crime and Punishment focuses on the mental anguish and moral dilemmas of Rodion Raskolnikov, an impoverished ex-student in Saint Petersburg who formulates a plan to kill an unscrupulous pawnbroker for her money. Before the killing, Raskolnikov believes that with the money he could liberate himself from poverty and go on to perform great deeds. However, once it is done he finds himself racked with confusion, paranoia, and disgust for his actions. His justifications disintegrate completely as he struggles with guilt and horror and confronts the real-world consequences of his deed.

"The Gambler" is a novella written by the Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky. It was first published in 1867. The story revolves around the character of Alexei Ivanovich, a tutor to a Russian general''s family, who becomes embroiled in the world of gambling and casinos. Alexei finds himself caught up in a passionate and self-destructive obsession with roulette, leading to financial ruin and moral decay. The novella explores themes of addiction, risk, and the human propensity for self-destructive behavior. Fyodor Dostoevsky, known for his profound psychological insight and exploration of human nature, drew upon his own experiences with gambling and financial difficulties in writing "The Gambler." The novella is considered a precursor to his later masterpieces like "Crime and Punishment" and "The Brothers Karamazov" and is recognized for its exploration of the darker aspects of the human psyche.

A novel of innocence and iniquity, love and murder, by the nineteenth-century Russian author of Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov. After several years in a Swiss sanatorium, twenty-six-year-old Prince Myshkin returns to Russian society to collect his rightful inheritance. But he soon crosses paths with the dark Rogozhin, a rich merchant''s son whose desire for Nastasya Filippovna will set the three of them on a tragic course. As author Fyodor Dostoevsky traces the effect of Myshkin''s innocence on the people around him in St. Petersburg, scandal escalates to murder . . . "I think The Idiot to be a masterpiece—flawed, occasionally tedious or overwrought, like many masterpieces—but a fact of world literature just as important as the densely dramatic Brothers Karamazov or the brilliantly subtle and terrifying Devils. In those two novels, as in the simpler Crime and Punishment, Dostoevsky had plots and political and religious ideas working together. In The Idiot he is straining to grasp a story and a character converting themselves from Gothic to Saint''s Life on the run. What makes the greatness is double—the character of the prince, and a powerful series of confrontations with death. The true subject of The Idiot is the imminence and immanence of death." —A. S. Byatt, The Guardian "Nothing is outside Dostoevsky''s province. . . . Out of Shakespeare there is no more exciting reading." —Virginia Woolf

"A Gentle Spirit" is a short story by Russian writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky, focusing on the deep distress of man who has just lost the love of his life, this is a heart-wrenching tale. In a flashback he remembers everything from the first meeting to the farewell. The reader follows the gripping narrative.

The Possessed, also known as The Devils or Demons, is a profound exploration of the tumultuous political and philosophical landscape of 19th-century Russia, penned by the masterful author Fyodor Dostoyevsky. This captivating novel dissects the nature of ideology and morality through the lens of a group of radicals plotting rebellion against the established order. At its core, the novel illustrates the devastating effects of nihilism and the consequences of abandoning traditional values. The narrative revolves around the character of Nikolai Stavrogin, a brooding and enigmatic figure whose personal struggles reflect the broader societal conflicts of the time. Dostoyevsky weaves an intricate web of relationships and ideological clashes among a cast of vibrant characters, each embodying differing perspectives on politics, religion, and morality. Through their interactions, the author delves into the complexities of human behavior, examining themes of guilt, redemption, and the quest for meaning in a chaotic world. One of the novel’s most striking elements is its portrayal of the seductive but destructive nature of radical ideas. As the characters become increasingly entangled in their revolutionary ambitions, Dostoyevsky raises questions about the morality of their actions and the consequences of their beliefs. The passionate rhetoric and philosophical debates serve as a backdrop against which the tragic events unfold, leading to shocking revelations and heart-wrenching outcomes. With its rich character development and intricate plot, The Possessed offers readers a profound meditation on the clash of ideals and the human psyche’s darker aspects. Dostoyevsky’s masterful storytelling invites readers to reflect on the nature of evil, the complexity of radical thought, and the fragility of human conviction. The novel’s exploration of psychological turmoil and moral ambiguity remains as relevant today as it was during Dostoyevsky’s era, making it a timeless classic in literary history. In this intriguing narrative, Dostoyevsky not only critiques the socio-political movements of his time but also provides a timeless commentary on the struggles of the human spirit. Through The Possessed, readers are challenged to confront their own beliefs and the implications of ideological fervor, ultimately provoking deeper questions about nature, faith, and what it means to be truly alive.

The story "Uncle''s Dream" was written by Dostoyevsky after a five-year exile in Siberia and covers the tale of a provincial family desperate to better itself through a marriage of their daughter to a senile prince. The old man is hoodwinked and almost forced into a wedding that is expected to last for a short period before he dies and leaves his fortune to the young girl. There are complications however with the young girl Zina already in love with a teacher who is on his death bed. That relationship is frowned on by her ambitious mother and the only other suitor is disliked by Zina. The mother tries to manipulate everyone to her own advantage but it all comes crashing down and with great humour the plans to marry the Prince fall apart. The reader gets a brilliant insight into the desperation for provincial merchants to better their station in life and the gossip and rivalry that is created by their efforts...

The Grand Inquisitor is a central passage within Dostoyevsky''s The Brothers Karamazov, presented as a parable narrated by Ivan Karamazov. The story is set in Seville during the time of the Inquisition, where Christ returns to Earth and is recognized by the people because of His miracles. However, He is soon arrested by order of the Grand Inquisitor, who accuses Him of threatening the established order of the Church. The Inquisitor argues that humanity, weak and fearful of freedom, does not wish to bear the responsibility of choosing between good and evil. According to him, people prefer to submit to an authority that guarantees bread, security, and guidance, rather than live with the uncertainty of spiritual freedom. In his speech, he claims that the Church has corrected Christ''s work, assuming the power to govern in the name of obedience and stability, even at the cost of betraying the original message. The narrative exposes fundamental tensions between freedom and authority, faith and power, truth and convenience. Christ, confronted with the Inquisitor''s harsh words, remains silent, responding only with a gesture of love: a kiss. This act encapsulates the radical opposition between coercive power and mercy, leaving open the reflection on humanity''s fate and the essence of Christianity. Since its publication, The Grand Inquisitor has been interpreted as one of the most profound meditations on the nature of religious power, human frailty, and the dilemma of freedom, establishing itself as one of the most emblematic and debated passages in world literature.

Notes from Underground is considered one of Dostoyevsky''s most powerful and original stories and marks the starting point of his literary maturity.

The short works of Dostoevsky exist in the very large shadow of his astonishing longer novels, but they too are among literature''s most revered works and offer keys to understanding the themes in his longer works. Contained in this volume are the short stories "White Nights," "A Disgraceful Affair," and "The Dream of the Ridiculous Man," three of Dostoevsky''s most troubling, moving, and poignant works. Alongside A DISGRACEFUL AFFAIR, Harper Perennial will publish the short fiction of Stephen Crane, Herman Melville, Willa Cather, Leo Tolstoy, and Oscar Wilde to be packaged in a beautifully designed, boldly colorful boxset in the aim to attract contemporary fans of short fiction to these revered masters of the form. Also, in each of these selections will appear a story from one of the new collections being published in 2009. A story from Barb Johnson''s forthcoming collection will be printed at the back of this volume.

In January 1850 Dostoyevsky was sent to a remote Siberian prison camp for his part in a political conspiracy. The four years he spent there, startlingly re-created in The House of the Dead, were the most agonizing of his life. In this fictionalized account he recounts his soul-destroying incarceration through the cool, detached tones of his narrator, Aleksandr Petrovich Goryanchikov: the daily battle for survival, the wooden plank beds, the cabbage soup swimming with cockroaches, his strange ‘family’ of boastful, ugly, cruel convicts. Yet The House of the Dead is far more than a work of documentary realism: it is also a powerful novel of redemption, describing one man’s spiritual and moral death and the miracle of his gradual reawakening.

he Brothers Karamazov, is the final novel by the Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Dostoyevsky spent nearly two years writing The Brothers Karamazov, which was published as a serial in The Russian Messenger and completed in November 1880. Dostoyevsky intended it to be the first part in an epic story titled The Life of a Great Sinner, but he died less than four months after its publication. The Brothers Karamazov is a passionate philosophical novel set in 19th century Russia, that enters deeply into the ethical debates of God, free will, and morality. It is a spiritual drama of moral struggles concerning faith, doubt, and reason, set against a modernizing Russia. Dostoyevsky composed much of the novel in Staraya Russa, which inspired the main setting. Since its publication, it has been acclaimed as one of the supreme achievements in literature. Although written in the 19th century, The Brothers Karamazov displays a number of modern elements. Dostoyevsky composed the book with a variety of literary techniques. Though privy to many of the thoughts and feelings of the protagonists, the narrator is a self-proclaimed writer; he discusses his own mannerisms and personal perceptions so often in the novel that he becomes a character. Through his descriptions, the narrator''s voice merges imperceptibly into the tone of the people he is describing, often extending into the characters'' most personal thoughts. There is no voice of authority in the story (see Mikhail Bakhtin''s Problems of Dostoyevsky''s Poetics for more on the relationship between Dostoyevsky and his characters). In addition to the principal narrator there are several sections narrated by other characters entirely, such as the story of the Grand Inquisitor and Zosima''s confessions. This technique enhances the theme of truth, making many aspects of the tale completely subjective. Dostoyevsky uses individual styles of speech to express the inner personality of each person. For example, the attorney Fetyukovich (based on Vladimir Spasovich) is characterized by malapropisms (e.g. ''robbed'' for ''stolen'', and at one point declares possible suspects in the murder ''irresponsible'' rather than innocent). Several plot digressions provide insight into other apparently minor characters. For example, the narrative in Book Six is almost entirely devoted to Zosima''s biography, which contains a confession from a man whom he met many years before. Dostoyevsky does not rely on a single source or a group of major characters to convey the themes of this book, but uses a variety of viewpoints, narratives and characters throughout. Major characters: Fyodor Karamazov is the father, a 55-year-old "sponger" and buffoon who sires three sons during his two marriages. He is rumored to have fathered an illegitimate son, Pavel Fyodorovich Smerdyakov, whom he employs as his servant. Fyodor takes no interest in any of his sons, who are, as a result, raised apart from each other and their father. The relationship between Fyodor and his adult sons drives much of the plot in the novel. Dmitri Fyodorovich Karamazov (a.k.a. Mitya, Mitka, Mitenka, Mitri) is Fyodor Karamazov''s eldest son and the only offspring of his first marriage, with Adelaida Ivanovna Miusov. Dmitri is considered to be a sensualist, much like his father, spending large amounts of money on nights filled with champagne, women, and whatever entertainment and stimulation money can buy. Dmitri is brought into contact with his family when he finds himself in need of his inheritance, which he believes is being withheld by his father. He was engaged to be married to Katerina Ivanovna, but breaks that off after falling in love with Grushenka. Dmitri''s relationship with his father is the most volatile of the brothers, escalating to violence as he and his father begin fighting over the same woman, Grushenka. While he maintains a good relationship with Ivan, he is closest to his younger brother Alyosha, referring to him as his "cherub".

Through the story of the brilliant but conflicted young Raskolnikov and the murder he commits, Fyodor Dostoyevsky explores the theme of redemption through suffering. "Crime and Punishment" put Dostoyevsky at the forefront of Russian writers when it appeared in 1866 and is now one of the most famous and influential novels in world literature. The poverty-stricken Raskolnikov, a talented student, devises a theory about extraordinary men being above the law, since in their brilliance they think "new thoughts" and so contribute to society. He then sets out to prove his theory by murdering a vile, cynical old pawnbroker and her sister. The act brings Raskolnikov into contact with his own buried conscience and with two characters -- the deeply religious Sonia, who has endured great suffering, and Porfiry, the intelligent and discerning official who is charged with investigating the murder -- both of whom compel Raskolnikov to feel the split in his nature. Dostoyevsky provides readers with a suspenseful, penetrating psychological analysis that goes beyond the crime -- which in the course of the novel demands drastic punishment -- to reveal something about the human condition: The more we intellectualize, the more imprisoned we become. "Dostoyevsky gives me more than any scientist, more than Gauss." --Albert Einstein "Dostoyevsky wrote of the unconscious as if it were conscious; that is in reality the reason why his characters seem ''pathological'', while they are only visualized more clearly than any other figures in imaginative literature... He was in the rank in which we set Dante, Shakespeare and Goethe." --Edwin Muir "The greatest crime novel of all time." --Thomas Mann "''Crime and Punishment'' remains the best of all murder stories, a century and a third after its publication. We have to read it -- though it is harrowing -- because, like Shakespeare, it alters our consciousness." --Harold Bloom