To anyone currently avoiding Dostoevsky, let me just say I was afraid like you until recently. I told myself it would be an endless bullshit slog like Dickens.
In fact, no.
Reading Notes From Underground now and it's really surprisingly enjoyable and relatable. The themes are relevant to modern life, the style is pretty contemporary, the social situations are recognizable enough that I laugh and cringe and sympathize.
The only part that worried me was the beginning where the narrator rambles about philosophy. Don't worry, though, the rest of the book isn't like that. It's supposed to show you the narrator is sad and full of shit.
Definitely give it a try if you've been avoiding the russians- it's a quicker read than some modern writers.
Gr8 b8 m8
>>7492608
(I'm not OP)
This isn't bait you fucking reddit cuck.
>>7492608
>>7492619
Yeah, OP here I'm not baiting. I've been a reader most of my life but I always avoided the russians, I just had the idea that they were all boring 1000-page descriptions of rich people and table manners and I wouldn't get anything out of it (maybe this is true of Tolstoy? Dunno.) Anyway I gave Dostoevsky a try this week and Notes From Underground at least is really fun and easy.
I'm sure there are other people like me who enjoy /lit/ but somehow got the mistaken impression Dostoevsky would be boring. If you are one of them, give him a try. I was pleasantly surprised.
>>7492598
Not to shit on anyones parade, but Dostoevsky is pretty entry level. Profound, sure, but not impossible or even hard.
Oprah even used him for her plebclub.
>>7492630
>(maybe this is true of Tolstoy? Dunno.)
8/10, you nearly triggered me with your plebness OP.
>>7492632
(not op again)
So what? Does it being read by a lot of people make it shit? No you fucking unclubbable troglodyte. Go back to reading your 20,000bc cave drawings you pretentious fucktard.
>>7492630
If you're getting a taste for Russian literature, I'd heartily recommend Gogol. His short stories in particular are both entertaining and profound. I'd especially encourage you to check out The Overcoat and The Portrait. They're short reads, so it's not a particularly straining investment of your time.
If you like those, you could move on to Dead Souls. That's a bit more divisive. I personally rank it among my GOAT works of literature.
>>7492640
>Being illiterate on a literacy board
Try rereading my post mate :^)
>>7492640
>you pretentious fucktard
You just revealed your power level.
>>>/reddit/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLcsq-zuix8
>>7492598
Stop baiting, everybody who is into literature knows dosto is shite
>>7492649
Great counter argument! Sure took me off guard!
>>7492640
>you pretentious fucktard.
REDDIT!
REDDIT!
REDDIT!
>dostoevsky
>on my /lit/
>>7492662
Well meme'd my friend!
You got here from the top 100 list by any chance?
This "4chan" site sure seems cool right?!
>>7492666
I've been here for years boy; get used to it B)
Reading this right now. Just finished the 40 page philosophical dialogue. To be honest, it was a bit over my head. Would probably have to re-read it a couple times to understand it. Hoping that as you say, the next 100 pages aren't like that.
Why is this thread so meme'd? We can't have a discussion about Dostoyevsky on here without memes?
>>7492681
It's not the subject, /lit/ has been swamped with visitors this week. First we got recommended on reddit, then the black Hermione thing inspired a bunch of /pol/ and gamergate types to come here. They should get bored and leave soon I hope.
I'm pretty interested in philosophy and the first section wasn't my cup of tea either- wait till you get to the grade-A cringing at the fancy dinner or the scene where he emotionally tortures a woman for no reason.
>>7492681
Most of the memers here are meming against Dosto -- they are /lit/ regulars.
Dostoyevsky is a reddit thing. A claptrap journalist. He espouses his juvenile philosophy through dreary dialogues and uninspired straw-men. A literary nonentity; he means nothing to me.
Why didn't you like the first part, exactly?
>>7492632
I somewhat agree, Dosto isn't impossible but Notes is a pretty dense text
>>7492673
I would have posted memes that you understand but I don't know reddit culture.
>>7492666
I think most of us are just taking the piss out of OP, who is so excited of having reinvented the wheel
>>7492598
I got good news for you m8. Crime and Punishment is very similar in style, psychology and philosophy as the 2nd part of Notes, except it goes much more in depth and there are many more characters whose minds you can get into. I'm soon to start Brothers Karamazov, which I expect to be similar in style as well.
From the Russians you could also try Bulgakov, especially Master and Margarita. It is in no way a sluggish read but highly entertaining, enjoyable, and profound.
>>7492691
Nice meme, friend.
>>7492691
And who are you for us to care about what Dostoevsky means or does not mean to you?
>>7492853
More important than you.
>>7492897
O-okay, I guess I will leave now...
