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How to Read Dostoyevsky's The Brother's Karamazov (Introductory Lecture) (Patreon)

Published:
2023-03-24 20:32:18
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2026-06
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Content

It’s time to begin our journey through Dostoyevsky's masterpiece: The Brothers Karamazov.

Our reading will afford us the opportunity to explore faith vs reason, suffering, family, morality, free will, divine love, and the human condition. We will also, in meeting Dostoyevsky and his profound characters, meet ourselves.

Today we’re discussing how best to break into this magnificent novel and bring ourselves fully to one of the greatest works of literature ever written.

Video Timestamps:

  • 0:00 how to read The Brothers Karamazov
  • 1:41 the history of Dostoyevsky’s masterpiece
  • 2:23 Freud on Dostoyevsky’s novel
  • 3:09 famous fans of The Brothers Karamazov
  • 3:52 treat the novel as philosophical dialogue
  • 4:40 the characters of Dostoyevsky
  • 6:30 polyphonics & composing in voices
  • 7:41 how to converse with Dostoyevsky
  • 8:38 the theme of fathers & sons
  • 9:22 Dostoyevsky’s personal tragedy
  • 11:00 the social concerns of Dostoyevsky
  • 12:45 parricide at the heart of the novel
  • 13:40 all Karamazovs are the same
  • 15:21 the Golden Era of Russia Literature
  • 17:50 on Dostoyevsky’s exile
  • 18:37 learning about Dostoyevsky’s life
  • 19:07 Christ vs the Grand Inquisitor
  • 22:50 on the burden of free will
  • 25:00 the power of divine love
  • 29:00 reason vs religious faith
  • 33:11 treat the novel as spiritual vision
  • 34:40 Dostoyevsky’s biblical allusions
  • 37:10 on the King James Bible
  • 39:00 Dostoyevsky and religion
  • 41:30 novel as imperative to divinely love
  • 43:20 the best translation of Dostoyevsky
  • 45:01 pacing your reading of this novel
  • 46:50 share your reading with others
  • 47:45 meaningful reading & living great books
  • 48:10 thank you & questions for you

Recommended Resources:

As we journey through The Brothers Karamazov together, these posts will include recommendations for rich side avenues and extracurriculars (like scripture, music, art, philosophy, documentaries, books). You may wish to pursue these in order to deepen your appreciation of this masterpiece. 

To get started, here are a few resources to kick off our journey into the heart of this novel:

  • Recommended Translation: Throughout our guided reading, I will be referencing the excellent Pevear and Volokhonsky translation available in Vintage paperback, but do feel free to use whichever translation comes most easily to hand (or check out our translation companion guide here).
  • Recommended Biography: Joseph Frank's Dostoyevsky: A Writer in His Time is one of the greatest literary biographies, and will make a great companion to your reading of The Brothers Karamazov. 
  • Favoured line of journals: The Brothers Karamazov is definitely a work that deserves its own dedicated journal. I recommend the Leuchturrm1917 range of bullet journals with dotted paper (the favoured pen is Muji). We will have a guide to marginalia and journalling coming out shortly to help you with this part of the journey.
  • Reading Scripture: Dostoyevsky gives us an opportunity to deepen our appreciation of scripture. I highly recommend procuring a copy of the King James Version of the Bible as we shall explore the great writer's biblical allusions throughout our series. You may also find The Literary Guide to the Bible to make an illuminating complement to your reading. 

Reading Assignment:

Our next discussion will cover books one and two of The Brothers Karamazov, which takes us through the first 91 pages in the Vintage P&V edition.

So start making your way into the work, meeting those characters, and noting down any themes, ideas, or passages that personally resonate with you.

Questions for You:

1) What is your current relationship with Dostoyevsky? Is this your first reading or a rereading of this masterpiece?

2) What are you hoping to get out of your deep reading of The Brothers Karamazov?

3) What themes from your wider reading would you like to pull into Dostoyevsky?

Happy reading, everybody!

Files

Previews only

How to Read Dostoyevsky's The Brothers Karamazov

📚 Read Dostoyevsky with Hardcore Literature: https://www.patreon.com/hardcoreliterature ———————————— 🎙️ https://open.spotify.com/show/70IZA24... (Subscribe to the Hardcore Literature Podcast on iTunes & Spotify) 🏫 https://hardcore-university.teachable... (Hardcore University, Exam Preparation Courses) ✍🏼 https://benjaminmcevoy.com My Personal Website ———————————— Hardcore Literature Lecture Series ———————————— 📔Contents Page: https://cutt.ly/CmNhRY3 🎖️ War and Peace: https://cutt.ly/U3nzGma 🎭 Shakespeare Project: https://cutt.ly/B3nxHH7 🐳 Moby Dick: https://cutt.ly/K3nzVKf ☄️ Blood Meridian: https://cutt.ly/P3nz6Qp 🍂 Wuthering Heights: https://cutt.ly/N3nxxYt 🇮🇪 Ulysses: https://cutt.ly/x3nxQmN 🚂 Anna Karenina: https://cutt.ly/vmNhAWv 💀 Crime and Punishment: https://cutt.ly/rmNhFt5 ⚓ Persuasion: https://cutt.ly/amNhX7b ☕ In Search of Lost Time: https://cutt.ly/5mNh8oD ⚔️ The Hero’s Journey: https://cutt.ly/UmNjrE3 🌸 Siddharta: https://cutt.ly/YmNjuzi 🎠 Don Quixote: https://cutt.ly/cmNjoK4 ❤️Shakespeare’s Sonnets: https://cutt.ly/nmNlW7V 🇫🇷 Les Misérables: https://cutt.ly/J3YixoA 🕯️ The Turn of the Screw: https://cutt.ly/nToAQQ3 🖋️ Dickens Seasonal Read: https://cutt.ly/9ToAybt 📖 Middlemarch Serial Reading: https://tinyurl.com/45rv965c ———————————— 0:00 how to read The Brothers Karamazov 1:41 the history of Dostoyevsky’s masterpiece 2:23 Freud on Dostoyevsky’s novel 3:09 famous fans of The Brothers Karamazov 3:52 treat the novel as philosophical dialogue 4:40 the characters of Dostoyevsky 6:30 polyphonics & composing in voices 7:41 how to converse with Dostoyevsky 8:38 the theme of fathers & sons 9:22 Dostoyevsky’s personal tragedy 11:00 the social concerns of Dostoyevsky 12:45 parricide at the heart of the novel 13:40 all Karamazovs are the same 15:21 the Golden Era of Russia Literature 17:50 on Dostoyevsky’s exile 18:37 learning about Dostoyevsky’s life 19:07 Christ vs the Grand Inquisitor 22:50 on the burden of free will 25:00 the power of divine love 29:00 reason vs religious faith 33:11 treat the novel as spiritual vision 34:40 Dostoyevsky’s biblical allusions 37:10 on the King James Bible 39:00 Dostoyevsky and religion 41:30 novel as imperative to divinely love 43:20 the best translation of Dostoyevsky 45:01 pacing your reading of this novel 46:50 share your reading with others 47:45 meaningful reading & living great books 48:10 thank you & questions for you

Comments

ALEX LEMON

Excellent! I’m already well into the Avsey translation and enjoying it. I look forward to listening to the lecture after work. Thanks Ben!

Tatiana

That's tonight sorted :)

Brian O'Regan

Thanks Ben! Just started this week. Once again very surprised how funny this. I've been in stiches. The father is a hoot!

Jody Gover

I have a beautiful copy from Easton Press so I will not be writing in it, and unfortunately it is a Garnett translation ( revised). I always fell behind in War and Peace so I started this one early and am on Book 2, chapter 5. Quite the difference from War and Peace!

Jeffrey Jackson

1) What is your current relationship with Dostoyevsky? Is this your first reading or a rereading of this masterpiece? I first encountered Dostoyevsky in 1981 in a freshman class in college. The class was Introduction to Religious Studies, and in it one of the many reading requirements was Notes From Underground, which began my love for Dostoyevsky. I read Crime and Punishment in 1985, and then read The Brothers Karamazov in 1988. Dostoyevsky is one of those authors where I can remember exactly where I was and exactly when I read his novels. I recently read The Idiot for the first time, and felt like an idiot for not reading it much sooner. This will be my 4th read of The Brothers K. Yes, I’m getting older (61 in a few days). When I discover a great book I tend to reread it over time rather than try out something new. 2) What are you hoping to get out of your deep reading of The Brothers Karamazov? I’m going into my rereading of this great book knowing that I’ll get something out of it regardless of what I hope for. And that is what I’m hoping for. 3) What themes from your wider reading would you like to pull into Dostoyevsky? I’m not sure I completely understand this question, but I would like to better understand the existence of darkness in the world, specifically the human heart, and how that is reconciled with my belief in supreme goodness and love. The need to understand this seeming contradiction is greater in 2023 than it was for me in 1988 when I first read this book.

hardcoreliterature
>>104821805

Thank you, Alex! Very nice choice with the Avsey translation. I’m so happy you’re enjoying it so far :) I can’t wait to hear your thoughts!

Andrew Kiepek

1) This is my first time reading Dostoevsky, and I have a feeling, though I cannot explain why, that I will fall into the Dostoevsky camp (as opposed to Tolstoy). I’ll just have to wait and see 2) I have no expectations or hopes for this book other than to live it and enjoy the experience. I’m sure some growth and interesting insights will come and I’ll wait until I feel them. As you’ve said before, I believe we should let books read us. 3) I am very excited to bring the idea of faith vs reason immediately from Tolstoy to Dostoevsky. Also, I am looking forward to another great author’s belief regarding divine love. I can’t explain why but I’ve had a feeling for a while that this will be my favorite read of the year. I just feel it pulling me in. I look forward to diving into the second great work of my reading journey!

Tanya

Current relationship: I’ve not had a lot of experience deep reading Dostoyevsky, & am looking forward to the deep dive. Goals during the deep read: I’m looking forward to the discussions of human heart as spiritual battlefields, I think I’ll pull out the Screwtape Letters as a side read. Two vastly different books, authors, and time periods, but one timeless discussion. Of course, there’s always hundreds of mini goals while reading… Themes to pull into Dostoyevsky: I’m with Jeffery & don’t fully understand this one. I know that as I read (and teach) literature, I find the these books to be inexhaustible sources of a myriad of subjects. Free will, suffering, communion, fellowship, commiseration, mankind’s position in relation to God/religion, how this position has evolved, and how it has impacted these great works. These are only a few themes I’ll be reading into & more of while going through this book. There’s going to be a lot to unpack during this read, and I’m quite excited to get into it.

hardcoreliterature
>>104823276

Very nice, Jody! The Easton Press edition really is so gorgeous :) I wouldn’t want to write in that one either! And you’re so right on there being quite the difference between these works. I’d be keen to know which one you end up liking more!

Debbie Simon

I'm coming to this work with a blank slate. I have no idea what to expect, although I have read the first book and am enjoying the pace and humor. I suppose maybe I was expecting something similar in tone to W&P- boy was I wrong!😅. The religious aspects might be a struggle for me as I've really questioned Christianity over the last several years. I'm willing to keep an open mind and see things from a new perspective.

Kyle Smith

Alyosha is my favorite character. You’d think it’d be Dmitry or Ivan since I have such a penchant for sensualists and renegades in pious environments. But no, I relate to Alyosha the best. And now that I know that Doestoevsky had a son named Alyosha, who died as a toddler, it makes all the more sense why he crafted him with such live and made him so angelic.

Jeffrey Jackson

I love this quote from my copy of the Bicentennial Edition of The Brothers Karamazov. It’s in a brief note at the beginning by one of the translators, Richard Pevear. It supports why I’m reading this book for the 4th time. “Dostoyevsky’s life has been with us for two hundred years, and his work for nearly as long. The most remarkable thing about both is that they do not stay fixed in some period of the past; they keep reappearing alongside us, or even ahead of us.”

Kyle Smith

I came from a strict Roman Catholic background, and that’s a tradition that accepts Jesus as not only the son of God but as God himself, which always confused me. Another thing that confused me, and Ben mentioned both these things separately here: If Jesus (who, again, is God in the Catholic tradition) refused the devil’s dare to throw himself off a cliff and prove to all humanity that he is the messiah by being saved by a fleet of angels, then why did God (and again, in the Catholic tradition Jesus and God are on in the same, albeit in an arcane way) take the devil’s (or devil figure’s) bet in the Book of Job?—I’m neither a Catholic nor Christian anymore, and I personally view it as mythology (I respect that not everybody does), but none of the priests, not even the Jesuits, could sort this out for me. I think that’s why I love “The Grand Inquisitor.” It doesn’t address my exact question. But it does show Ivan deftly engaging in free thought. Like I said before, Alyosha might be my favorite character but I also love me a good renegade!

Angela

I have never read Dostoevsky. For some reason I was never assigned any Russian lit except One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovitch by Solzhenitsyn. I have read some amazing quotes from the Karamazov Brothers here and there that I absolutely loved . I hope to get a better sense of the background of the quotes I have loved in the past and also to appreciate an epic work from a literature tradition that now includes War and Peace thanks to this book club ! 🙏🏻thank you for running this book club !

David Wisehart

I'm re-reading this after a long absence, and I'm enjoying the P&V translation, which is new to me. As the eldest of four brothers, I sometimes identify with Mitya, but my personality is more Ivan, and I'd probably be a better person if I could fully integrate my inner Alyosha. As I've said before, this novel is one of my favorites. I feel like I'm getting more out of it with this reading. It helps that I'm older now, have more lived experienced, and am more widely read than I was during my first encounter with the Karamazovs. I once nominated this for a book club I belonged to years ago, but Dostoevsky was too intimidating for that group, so I've never had anyone to discuss it with, except for an ex-girlfriend who was a big fan of Russian lit. I'm looking forward to the video lectures and discussions here.

mariah schneider

This is my first read of any of Dostoyevsky's works though I've had a Constance Garnet translation of this book sitting on a shelf for awhile. I couldn't get more than a few pages into it so I'm glad that I now have a copy of the P&V. I'm well into the second book and I started it yesterday, so I'm going to take the time to go back through these first two books to write marginalia, journal, and get into the Bible. I've never read the King James version of the Bible and I'm not as familiar with the Bible as I would like to be. Like many people I wrestle with the concept of faith vs. Atheism so I expect that I'll have plenty to consider while reading this book. War and Peace was my introduction to reading Russian literature and I'm looking forward to continuing on in this journey. I really enjoyed War and Peace and so far I think that the Brother's Karamazov doesn't give us as much insight into what the character's are thinking. I'm not sure that Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky are comparable style wise, but perhaps someday I'll have to compare how they deal with questions of faith.

Julie Grimes

I first read BK as a 16 year old college Freshman. Much of the reading took place in the back of the Chemistry lecture hall because it was all balancing equations and I had learned how to do that in High School. I was reading BK for fun on the recommendation of a friend's uncle who was so passionate about D's psychological depth. But for my Humanities class I was taking at the same time, I had to read Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead. I was reading these two giant books concurrently; so when I got to Ellsworth Toohey's speech to Peter Keating towards the end of the novel, I gasped and said, "Wait, it's the SAME speech as the Grand Inquisitor." And so the idea for my summa cum laude thesis was born. I returned to the book again in my Junior year of college in my Russian Literature class. And during my Senior year of college, I lived this book, particularly the Pro and Contra and Lacerations sections. My thesis was on Grand Inquisitors in The Fountainhead (Toohey), Faulkner's A Fable (the Generalissimo), and Zamyatin's We (the Benefactor). Ben, you asked if I would have done something different now. Yes, I would have followed the line of Zamyatin solely and explored the Grand Inquisitors of dystopias since that would have made for a much more focused thesis. Nearly every dystopian novel has a Grand Inquisitor speech, whether it is Brave New World's Mustafa Mond, the Fire Chief in Fahrenheit 451, or even President Snow in Catching Fire. And they each have their own versions of "Miracle, Mystery, and Authority." As for the philosophical dialogue, it might be easier for readers to concieve of it this way: Ivan is who D wanted be BEFORE he was dragged to Siberia, Alyosha is who he wanted to be AFTER his spiritual conversion, and Dmitry is who he actually WAS. And he does emphasize continually in the first book, if you are attuned to it, that Ivan and Alyosha are two sides of the same coin and how easily one can turn into the other. And I am of the camp that believes that the reason Ivan's point is so much more attractive is for the same reason Blake states that Milton of being of the party of the devils "without knowing it"--though I think D DID know that his subconsious former desires were bubbling up and did not want it to be so. It is why he doubles down on Alyosha and treats Ivan--well, you know or you'll see. I will put in a word for the Bible. I was raised in one of those Protestant fringe religions where we read the Bible constantly and had church 3 days/nights a week. As I was walking out of my thesis advisor's office after a meeting, he stopped me and said, "I have never known a student that knows the Bible as well as you." I hemmed that I was raised very religious. He replied, "Yeah, but still." And though I am no longer part of that religion and would not even call myself a person of faith, I continue to read the Bible and particularly the Gospels because of how important it is to literature. Ben, I found it interesting that you recommended John and Luke over Matthew and Mark. John and Luke are certainly the more spiritual of them, where Jesus is finally dvine. In Matthew and Mark he is neither God (John) nor even the Son of God (Luke) but simply Son of Man, a term that had been used for over a 1000 years in Mesopotamia to mean "appointed by the gods," in other words, Messiah. Even ancient King Sargon was referred to as Son of Man. However, it is Matthew's version of the temptation that D uses. The order of temptations are different from those in Luke. Milton's Paradise Regained shows us how much of a difference that ordering can make in the emphasis of the temptations (and that was a whole other paper from Senior year). Finally, from my wider reading, I will be back to torture you yet again with the Six-Degrees-of-Lord-Byron and the Superfluous Man. And an interesting take on the GI--Fromm's Escape From Freedom.

Ellen M

Well I was convinced I’d read this but had zero memory of it, which seemed odd- turns out I read crime and punishment! (I went through a big Russian phase while in college and it’s all a blur now) Normally the deep religious aspect would turn me off, to be honest, but I’m looking forward to the challenge and keeping an an open mind, and reading with the group will open up way more than if I read alone.I’m very curious to get to the Grand Inquisitor chapter and see how I feel by that time. I just started book two so I don’t have a deep idea of the brothers yet, but from the lecture I definitely relate to Ivan. Time will tell if that changes.

Alex Hindes

Hey Benjamin, is there anyway I could ask you a few membership questions via email? Is there any location through patreon to find contact details?

Andre

I read and enjoyed Crime and Punishment in college, many years ago. This is my first reading of The Brothers Karamazov. I'm interested in Dostoyevsky's spiritual exploration. Also, as we deep read this work it will prepare me for a circle back to Crime and Punishment. I'm about 100 pages into the novel and a question occurred to me: are the brothers based in part on Dostoyevsky at different points in his life?

Tatiana

So Ben you said Shakespeare would have read the Geneva bible, what about Dostoevsky, as you mentioned his actual copy has been preserved? I just looked up what Bible the Orthodox use and for the Old Testament it is the Septuagint, the 3rd century BC Greek translation from the Hebrew bible. It includes the apocrypha. For the New Testament they recognize 'the Byzantine majority text of the Greek New Testament.' And they recognize specific Old Church Slavonic and Arabic translations. I would think Dostoevsky would therefore have read the Old Church Slavonic. Unless there was a Russian translation of that. Another layer. I do not know what textual differences there are. I do know that the Hebrew bible varies a great deal from the King James, which is several translations later.

Brian Wood-Koiwa

I have read Crime and Punishment almost 20 years ago now while I was in Peace Corps in the Republic of Congo. But, all I remember of it is that I really liked it - hence 20 years later and joining this book club so I can remember and incorporate what I have read. I am about 70 pages into Brothers at the time of writing this and the day this lecture dropped. I am just getting the personalities of the brothers and at this point am identifying with Ivan. Ben’s explanation of the Grand Inquisitor segment was quite interesting and looking forward to get to that point. It ties in with his segment on Dostoyevsky’s fear of atheism and how he deals with the strong arguments for it in the Grand Inquisitor and his own Orthodox Christian beliefs. To tell the truth, I was beginning to become a bit fearful myself when finding out how strong of a Christian Dostoyevsky was through this lecture (I did not know much about him beforehand). I am both the opposite and the same as him. I am an atheist terrified of religion (specifically Christianity because that is the tradition I grew up in). I need to constantly convince myself of my atheism by doing what Dostoyevsky did with trying to convince himself of his Christian faith. This means learning about the Bible - basically keeping an open mind about it throughout the novel and have little arguments in my head of how I can use Dostoyevsky’s journey of strengthening his faith to help me through my more Ivan-istic journey through the novel and strengthening - through questioning - my “atheistic faith” (if that’s a thing). This is what literature is all about - challenging and expanding ones mind.

Barbara Clary

This is my first time reading Dostoyevsky. I started the P&V translation today. After reading the Intro and the first chapter, I told my husband, I'm going to love this book...lol. I've read the 1st 4 chapters now and I just love the writing style.

Jonathon Glover

Hey guys, Is there an entry point into Dostoyevsky? I had read ‘The Death of Ivan Ilytch’ and ‘Anna Karenina’ before I read ‘War and Peace’ and felt ready for Tolstoy. I know I read some of ‘Crime and Punishment’ at Uni but that is 15+ years ago now. Are there any short stories or nonfiction that provide an in to him before I jump into BK?

Jenny
>>104829231

Alex, on my Patreon App there is an envelope symbol at the bottom of the screen that lets you message the Creator (Ben) directly. Im on an iPhone so others may be different.

Karen Beard

I already know I am going to identify with Dostoevsky as a writer. I was raised by a devout Catholic Mother but my father was an atheist. So my upbringing provoked much philosophical angst from my adolescence onward. I am very much looking forward to this read based on your lecture!

Tatiana
>>104833395

Jump, Jonathan! Throw yourself into the deep. That would be in the true spirit of Dostoevsky who of course was a Scorpio :)

Maryna Dmytrenko

Years ago when I moved across the ocean, I only brought a pair of jeans and a couple of shirts with me, because the rest of my fairly small suitcase was occupied by Dostoyevsky and some poetry books. Priorities :) Re-reading those precious books while getting used to a new country brought me so much comfort and support! My only regret is that I didn’t have a habit of journaling back then, and it could have been so much fun to compare my thoughts and insights now vs then. This time I’m better prepared. 🙂 I’m not exactly sure what I’m expecting to get out of deep reading of The Brothers Karamazov this time, but sharing this journey with HLBC is already such a rewarding experience. In the meantime, I’m reading through Joseph Frank’s Dostoyevsky (which is the first biography of Dostoyevsky by a non-Russian author in my experience) and I’m enjoying it immensely. Thank you for a great recommendation, Ben! Can’t wait for the lectures and discussions!

GertyMae
>>104834901

Oooh this will be interesting Karen. I was sent to strict Catholic schools and was baptised and confirmed into the church - by parents who were both very committed athiests! Much adolescent philosophical angst for me as well. I am very much looking forward to this book.

Karen Bird

I read The Brothers Karamazov 2 years ago, after reading Crime and Punishment, and to be honest, at the time, I liked Crime and Punishment better. I want to see if rereading will change my mind. I have read and studied the Bible endlessly (as you would say), the New International Version, the Revised Standard Version, the KJV and I recently downloaded an app on my phone that enables me to listen to the Bible. It has a plethora of versions. So, I have been listening to the Geneva version, and I really like it.

David Brown

Thank you Ben I enjoyed the video - especially your suggestions to approach the book as a philosophical dialogue, a spiritual vision, and an imperative for divine love. I look forward to revisiting the Biblical allusions in the context of BK and Dostoevsky's perspectives. 2021 was my first experience of Dostoevsky, even though I have heard of him for years. Listening to the audiobook of Crime and Punishment was a cathartic experience. In 2021 my notes include "This was one of the most powerful audiobooks that I have ever listened to." I re-listened to it in 2022 (and enjoyed the back catalog videos). I also enjoyed BK in 2021 also as an audiobook. To fully appreciate his experiences in a Siberian prison camp I recommend reading/listening to House of the Dead, which was published in 1860, six years after his release from prison. I also have enjoyed Notes from the Underground, and the short stories White Nights, and Dream of a Ridiculous Man. For this re-read I am listening to two translations on Audible, , the McDuff and the Garnett. I'm rotating the chapters and seeing how the translations are different. I wanted to get the PV audiobook but the narrator has negative reviews, so I;m taking a pass. I'm excited about this deep dive experience again with the videos and group. I also ordered the Kindle edition of the biography - https://www.amazon.com/Dostoevsky-Writer-Time-Joseph-Frank-ebook/dp/B008GXHKU6

Mark
>>104830914

I just noticed at the top of the Notes at the back of the book it says "Biblical references, unless otherwise noted, are to the King James Version."

Jake Ballinger

I read Crime & Punishment right out of college and don't remember much about it other than liking it and finding it surprisingly breezy. I intended to read his other big books in publication order---The Idiot, Demons, and finally Brothers, but never did. I'm going into Brothers relatively blind and I've been purposely avoiding discussions of themes or plot, so I don't have too many expectations. I expect some religious/philosophical discussion. I'm still wrapping up W&P but I'll be joining soon with my P&V translation! (And then maybe some smaller books.)

River

Hi All, I read BK exactly 23 years ago (recorded it in a journal). It surely was not a deep dive, but I remember loving it and "using" it as a case for atheism. I had been suffering over how to raise my son, ie Catholic school vs public, Sunday mass or not, etc. Surprisingly (or not really surprisingly knowing my son!) he, as a second grader started making the the argument against religion. (My husband was raised in a strict Seventh Day Adventist home and had rejected all religion at 15 years of age.) I too had a very suffocating experience with Catholicism. I studied Buddhism for a long time and incorporated some of that into our lives. Ultimately, I only believe in Love. I believe that man is, and would have been capable of being Christlike over the many thousands of years of his evolving existence, to be loving in the highest sense, if he had not kept relying on the crutch of this savior idea of Christianity. In other words, right now, I reject both the Grand Inquisitor idea as well as the idea of needing a religion. Indeed, just listening to talk about reading the Bible and Christianity, gave me chest pain. But I will buy a Bible and try very hard to get into BK with an open mind. I truly do not understand the need to believe in immortality for man to be Good and Loving. It will be a difficult read, but I promise myself, as well as all here at the HCLBC to try. I welcome any comments and certainly NEVER intend any disrespect for others' beliefs. I love all of Mother Earth, including man.

Sid Collins

Hello, Ben! A fantastic video as always that has gotten me extremely excited to read The Brothers K. I have never actually read any Dostoevsky. I began to read Crime and Punishment only for other books to have swept me away (that is one that I will return to in time). As such, I am looking forward to being introduced to a new author and melding that with a reading of the KJV, my copy of 'The Literary Guide to the Bible' is on the way! From a deep reading of this classic, I am hoping to gain new ideas and concepts that I can carry around with me through my life and integrate into my psyche. Whether these are scenes, characters, or philosophical notions, I am simply looking to be affected by the book. I would love to continue the conversation that we started with Tolstoy regarding Free Will into The Brothers K. It will be very interesting to see how their opinions differ or what perspectives they come from.

Jenny

1) This is my first reading of any of Dostoyevsky but already by page 70 I know I’m going to love this masterpiece? 2) I am hoping to get a better understanding of religion from The Brothers Karamazov and looking forward to the contrast of his writing style with Tolstoy. I haven’t looked at a bible in decades but I am half way through Tolstoys The Gospels in Brief and will be getting a copy of the large print version of the St James bible. 3) The themes that I’m interested in delving into with this book are relationships between fathers and sons and the achievement of happiness. The Father and son relationships in War and Peace were diverse from Pierre who had very little to do with his father, Nikolai with his indulging father and Andrey with his often cruel and overbearing father. It will be interesting to see what type of parent Fyodor is and if that changes over time as Tolstoys Fathers remain rather consistent. Happiness in my opinion is a fragile state. Even if we achieve it there are so many obstacles thrown at us to destroy it. It’s a surprise to me that anyone can sustain happiness for more than a few months or years. We are surrounded by worrying world events, the prospect of ill heath and general unkindness in the world. It seems the more intelligent we are the greater our propensity to question, anticipate and worry about anything and everything. Do Dostoyevsky’s characters find happiness I wonder?

Michelle Martel

I am reading a Constance Garnett translation revised by Avrahm Yarmolinsky. I had to laugh, because in his note to the text, Yarmolinsky wrote “No attempt was made to gloss over the imperfections of an author who, at his worst lumbers along in a helpless fashion, and whose very awkwardness is an earnest of his terrible sincerity, his need for utterance by any means. I read this book years ago, but I have to admit I don't remember it all that well. I remember it made me think about my religious and spiritual beliefs, and I enjoyed that aspect. I wonder, now that I am older, how different that experience will be.

Tim Trippel

1. This will be my second reading of "Brothers", first reading was years ago and I read it without any guidance so I know I missed much. Just re-read C&P and a first read of the Idiot at the end of 2022. Was hoping to get Demons in as well, but will probably try to get that work in right after finishing this one. 2. Deeper understanding - both intellectually and spiritually. 3 Theological themes as well anthropological themes especially as reflected by Shakespeare.

Hilary King

1) How could it be that I haven’t read The Brothers Karamazov before? I love the Pevear and Volokhonsky translation so far and am looking forward to reading more this weekend. Ben’s comparison of the translations makes me curious about the Avsey translation. I might get one to compare my favorite passages. It’s beautiful. 2) I hope to learn more about the Russian experience by comparing Tolstoy and Dostoevsky. But honestly, I really want to enjoy Dostoyevsky’s storytelling which touches on so many of the themes that are close to my heart. 3) I want to read about Love, Free Will and meaning found through Love and suffering. I’m also curious about how the brothers relate to each other individually and to the world as a group. I’m curious about this family of men.

Giulia Franzoso

So much Life has happened in the past few weeks which kept me away from the comment section of this book-club….but I managed to keep up with all the readings and now I cannot wait to start this new journey alongside this wonderful community! I call myself a well-read person, but (to my shame!) I have never read The Brothers Karamazov! Thank you for this introduction, which was intellectually, spiritually and culturally inspiring. I am an atheist living in Sin City (aka New York City), but I was born and grew up in a VERY Catholic family in Northern Italy. Religion has been such a pervasive element of my early life (and education given that all public schools in Italy back in the day had "Religion Hour" which was really "Catholicism Hour" where they taught you how to be a good Catholic kid) that I still remember with abundant clarity all the Christian Sacred Scriptures and the Roman Catholic Liturgy. I already feel that this is going to be a very meaningful experience for me and a precious opportunity to reflect about my past, present and future spiritual life. I am reading the P&V translation and will be consulting the Latin version of the Holy Bible (the pro Nova Vulgata editione used by the Vatican), but I think I will get the King James Version too in order to see how the two texts differ. That could be an interesting reading experiment. Btw – if anyone is interested, the Holy Bible approved and used by the Roman Curia can be consulted for free and in different languages at the following link https://www.vatican.va/archive/bible/index.htm

cliff freeman

Unlike War and Peace I'm going to try to not get more than a week or so ahead of the lectures on this one. So far I think I prefer Dostoevsky's writing style over Tolstoy's

shirley muhleisen
>>104836843

Thanks for the tip about the app. I appreciate literature the most when hearing it spoken by a great narrator while reading: making use of two senses.

shirley muhleisen

Thanks Ben for the insightful introduction and recommendations. My solid remembrance of Dostoevsky is from reading “Notes from Underground” (so clever) and “The Idiot” (so poignant). I loved your comments (paraphrased) about feeling great absence might indicate a search for the presence. And I can’t pass up Oscar Wilde’s comment that “A map without Utopia is not worth looking at.” I’ll definitely invest in the recommended biography.

Sean

I’m so excited to get started! War and Peace has been my first time reading Tolstoy and this will be my first Dostoyevsky. What a fantastic introduction to Russian lit! I look forward to diving deeper into more of their books and comparing the two. Tolstoy seems like the sociological yin to Dostoyevsky’s psychological yang.

Lindsey Smith

Loved this lecture. I'm really excited to re-read this book and I'm sure I'll get more out of it than ever before. Alexei Karamazov is one of my favorite charachters of all time. I also love Prince Myshkin. I felt inspired by the biblical themes you mentioned in this book and look forward to hearing more about them.

Chrissy

Thank you once again, Ben, for a wonderfully inspiring and satisfying lecture. Like everyone else, I am very excited to enter the world of Dostoyevsky. 1) What is your current relationship with Dostoyevsky? Is this your first reading or a rereading of this masterpiece? This will be uncharted territory for me, as I know virtually nothing about The Brothers Karamazov (apart from what I’ve learned from this lecture) and have never read Dostoyevsky at all. I have both the P&V and Avesy translations, but have yet to make up my mind which one will be my companion. 2) What are you hoping to get out of your deep reading of The Brothers Karamazov? Quite simply - personal growth. I enjoy having my beliefs challenged, the door to my comfort zone left hanging from its hinges, and my intellect poked out of its self satisfied complacency. I am almost at the close of W&P, and am ever so slightly stunned that I have (almost) finished this literary Everest (to labour the exploration metaphor). I am holding those characters close to my heart, and much as I am looking forward to a new adventure, I don’t want to say goodbye.

Chrissy
>>104827355

Ivan Denisovich is such a wonderful book, isn’t it. It was so powerful, it made me cold and hungry!

Tatiana
>>104849674

I love Prince Myshkin too. The Idiot is the only book I have read more than twice. Now that you mention him, it would be interesting to keep a comparison in mind as we read, how are these two saintly figures different, why?

Mirjam

Great lecture Ben and thanks also for the practical tips about pacing and how often the lectures will drop, that really helps to work out a schedule :) For me this is the first time I read Dostoevsky. I alway felt intimidated (likewise with Tolstoy) but now I find it so enjoyable that I cannot for the life of me understand what I was so afraid of. I have read up to and including the Inquisitor (which I found extremely powerful but also has some very disturbing images) but will go back to the first two books over the next few days and do some journaling/underlining. A very different reading experience from Tolstoy btw. So far I mostly indentify with Ivan, but I hope to get closer to Alyosha (both in the book as in real life). Like quite a few of the members of the club I too grew up in a Roman Catholic family, though not a very strict one (I guess that is quite common in the Netherlands where I come from). I am not a religious person, very rational actually, and I always was very comfortable with that. But over the last few years I have begun to explore more spiritual paths and realizing that not everything can (or even should) be explained by science / the human intellect. Though I will never believe in heaven and hell and an interventionist God, I can believe in the power of love and in an connection with the living world. I will get back to the bible and read the recommended gospels and I look forward to what that will bring me.

Clare Shepherd

Mark, my partner is out of the woods according to the consultant and they are reducing his oxygen as his lungs are recovering. He's on a ward with visiting restricted to 2 hours in the afternoon. So I have chosen to keep the evening for eating dinner and reading, leaving the TV silent in its corner. I have started my first read of BK and am reading "The Gambler Wife" by Andrew D Kaufman in the interim until my copy of Joseph Frank's biography arrives. I also have an introduction to Dostoyevsty in the Brief Lives series, if the biography is slow in coming. Although I have read the Bible through several real-time before I was 21, I have read a lot of other things since and shrugged off fundamentalism, so feel that a read of the bible along with this group will be interesting so will read Luke tonight and schedule in John , Job and anything else Ben suggests. I have the Guide on order. Happy reading everyone and thanks to Ben for the stimulating introduction to Dostoyevsky, a writer I have several books by, unread. I am reading the same translation in the Everyman edition. The only difference seems to be the introduction in my edition is by Malcolm V Jones.

Tatiana Chicareli

Hello everybody I've already read The House of the Dead, The Idiot and The eternal husband. I also have the biography you recommended. I read those other books and I really liked Dostoevsky's stile and how it sounds to me. I am sure I will get a lot from this lecture, mostly because it's a guided lecture and so many people are reading together with so interesting and good comments on it. Not only that, but I am looking forward to getting the psychological and family themes out of this book.

Orc Pilled

Super excited for my first book in the club. I think I’m going to relate to the atheist brother a little too much.

RachelEvelyn L
>>104859688

Clare it is such a relief to hear your partner is on the mend, and I hope his recovery goes smoothly. Excited to be reading this book with you and looking forward to your thoughts/comments. Take care :)

Laura Smith

I’m so excited to start BK! W&P was my first ever deep read and I could never go back to my old ways! Through HLBC I feel like I’m learning to read properly for the first time - I didn’t realise how much I’d been missing! I read Crime and Punishment a few years ago but can’t remember much, although I know I enjoyed it. I was raised relaxed-Muslim but my dad always talked about different belief systems and different religions, and now I’m agnostic. I love hearing about the different ways we all see the world! I’m looking forward to the lectures and discussions and once again learning so much from all of you!

Julie Grimes
>>104840019

As someone who grew up in an extremely toxic religious environment (patriarchy, homophobia, shunning, no birthdays, no holidays, no fun), I can attest that approaching the Bible without the trappings of dogma is extremely rewarding. When the religion isn’t cherry picking verses to prove it’s point, you can appreciate the actual STORY of the Bible more.

Peter F

Thank you Ben! Looking forward to re-reading with your guidance

Peter F

A thought. The PV Picador edition is quite good. It also has excellent reviews on Amazon. The Vintage edition does not have many good reviews on Amazon. Same translators. Not the be all end all, but just some input.

Dan Eades

I have read The Brothers Karamazov at least three times, but not for many years. When I was in Russia, I was asked who I liked best, Dostoyevsky or Tolstoy. I replied I liked them equally. My questioner was puzzled. He said that most people preferred one or the other. I maintained my opinion. Upon reflection, and after I had returned to the States, I realized that I had read War and Peace more times, and much more recently than I had read The Brothers Karamazov. Perhaps I had a preference after all. So I am curious to once again read Dostoyevsky and The Brothers Karamazov. Nice that I have just read War and Peace again. So the contrast will be fresh. I am also reading the P&V translation for the first time. I have enjoyed the ironic tone of the narrator in this translation, apparent in the first two or three chapters, something I don't recall from my prior readings. I am not a believer, however. And I am no longer searching for belief. So I shall, in all likelihood, remain somewhat of an outsider to the chief concerns of the book. But I look forward to relishing the tones of voice of the many voices P&V assert as keys to Dostoyevsky's presentation.

Laura Smith
>>104868217

Good to know! I find it confusing figuring out which publishers have which translations. The Vintage doesn’t have much space for marginalia unfortunately

Mike DiMartino

Great intro to the book. This is my first read. I read C & P years ago maybe in college. Just from book one, I can tell I’ll like Brothers Karamazov. The writing, characters, themes… the symbolism of the brothers representing body/mind/spirit is fascinating so I’ll be looking for ways that’s expressed on the page. I’m also a writer so I’m looking at these classic masterworks as a way of bettering my craft.

John Ward

Thanks for another great intro Ben. I have already started my second reading of this book and have taken care to get my head round the multiple Russian names used in relation to each character. My main interest with this read is to compare Dostoevsky and Tolstoy and in particular their influence on John Cowper Powys. JCP wrote evangelically about Dostoevsky and was famous for his lectures on him that he toured America making to great acclaim, but he remarkably did not include a single work of Tolstoy in his top 100 books! Yet he was obviously influenced by both these great Russian writers. . I have listened to several talks on JCP on YouTube by Colin Wilson and must read the book of his you mentioned in your lecture. I will then look forward later to rereading A Glastonbury Romance by JCP as Colin Wilson referred to it as "Possibly the greatest novel of the twentieth century, and one of the great mystical masterpieces of all time."

Rebekah Sunday

I’m limping to the finish line with W&P (currently reading the epilogue and wishing it… hadn’t been written? Anyone feel the same way?), but I think I’ll have no trouble keeping up with the pack on TBK! I’m so excited about this one. I’m definitely more of a Dostoevsky girl than a Tolstoy one. Dostoevsky just moved something in my soul so deeply. I’ve read almost all of his works, but it’s been a while since I’ve revisited them. I have a feeling it’ll be like seeing an old friend and picking back up immediately as if no time has passed. I’m looking forward to it as a homecoming!!!

Rebekah Sunday
>>104870138

Also, Ben, I noticed you included a frame from Bodch’s Garden of Earthly Delights, and I just wanted to plug another creator here on Patreon!! MJ Dorian does podcasts on creativity and has a phenomenal series on Emily Dickinson, but he also did a 3-part on the Garden of Earthly Delights, which is a work to which I’ve always had an extreme aversion. But I found the series to be fascinating. Everyone interested should check out his page!!

Matthew Annable

Looking forward to joining you all with this. I did read BK a long while ago (more than 30 years I think) and while I can recall the experience of reading it - it was during a period when I had quite a long, but reasonably civilised, uncrowded and peaceful train commute into work and I can see myself sitting on the train with it - I can’t remember much about it. So I think this will be like a first read for me, although I expect bits of it will come back to me when I get into it. I did warm up by reading/listening to Crime & Punishment earlier this year, which I’d also read before a similarly long time ago. Although I know I enjoyed the book sufficiently to finish it when I last read it, I’m hoping that this time around will be an even more enriching experience. I don’t recall being conscious of many of the allusions that Ben has suggested lie within it - I suspect I just read it as a story and that many of its deeper ideas passed me by. So I’ll be getting started on it this weekend with great anticipation and look forward to checking in with everyone in 91 pages time!

Adrienne

Hello. This is my first time reading Dostoevsky so as it is a new experience I am looking forward to the adventure. I am intrigued to ponder the idea of suffering, as the concept of why would God (if there is a God or any other similar) have some people suffer so deeply has always bothered me. As an adult, I consider myself non-religious, but I was raised in the Christian faith and my family would consistently say that everything that happens whether good or bad was part of God's plan. This family belief never sat well with me as a child, so I am curious about what my thoughts will be as I read this new book.

cliff freeman

Hi Ben, it looks like The Literary Guide to the Bible isn't available in kindle format, do you have another recommendation available for kindle (one preferably oriented towards non-believers)?

Ann Lowe

Wonderful inspiring lecture. I had tried to read this book in my 20’s but was unable. I actually have finished already. I am looking forward to the supplementary readings. Now that I’ve finished I’m going to go back & read parts again.

hardcoreliterature
>>104823350

Your introduction to Religious Studies class sounds like it was epic, Jeff. Religion was my absolute favourite area to study at school (twinned with psychology). I’m so keen to hear what you make of your fourth reading of Dostoyevsky’s masterpiece almost four decades on from your first encounter! I completely agree on just how important the themes at the heart of this work are in 2023. The book seems more relevant than ever. I’m so excited to hear your insights as we make our way through it!

hardcoreliterature
>>104823913

It’s so exciting that this is your first reading, Andrew! I think we definitely do get premonitions of how much we’re going to love an author before we read them. I can’t wait to find out how Dostoyevsky stacks up against Tolstoy in your personal canon. I have a feeling, and a hope, that The Brothers Karamazov will be a favourite read of the year for many of us. It’s a life-changing work!

hardcoreliterature
>>104824533

I’m filled with joy to see you wanting to bring in the Screwtape Letters, Tanya! This is one of my personal favourite works. It’s very special to me and I have tried to internalise a lot of the wisdom packed into it. Such a beautiful one to bring into your reading! 👌

hardcoreliterature
>>104825317

Coming to this work with a blank slate is so perfect, Debbie! I can’t wait to hear what you make of it was we go through. You’re so right! A very different work from War and Peace indeed, and very funny :) I love whenever Fyodor Pavlovich is in the scene!

Susan

I'm a first-time reader. I'm a bit uncertain because so many people say that if you love Tolstoy you will likely not enjoy Dostoyevsky. I thoroughly enjoyed Tolstoy. Ninety_two pages in, and I am very much enjoying Dostoyevsky. Dostoyevsky is fiddling with my mind more than Tolstoy. We shall see.

Joe Beaulieu

If anyone is interested in what philosophers have said about the problem of evil, I recommend Susan Neiman's Evil in Modern Thought: An alternative history of philosophy. Her thesis is that a great deal of philosophy can be understood as philosophers trying to fix the problem or somewhere between accepting to reveling in it. She also has an essay on the Book of Job that can be found here: https://www.abc.net.au/religion/philosophical-reading-of-the-book-of-job/11054038 I've already read the BK, and so I can answer the question whom I identify with. Like Hedda Gabler my gut demand that it's Dimitri. My heart aches that it's Alyosha. But, my brain tells me, sadly, that it's Ivan. You ask what I hope to get out of a reread. Same reason I'm here in general. To hope to see the face of God is folly. To kiss the hem of the Mother's veil is too ambitious. But, to see the curtains rustle as God passes just out of view would be a miracle. I'm looking for miracles.

Susan Graham

I read Crime and Punishment on my own about five years ago and must admit that I struggled a bit. I needed a community to discuss it with and feel like I missed a bunch. So I’m very excited to reading this one. Brothers K has come up a lot in the last few years. A lot of the people I follow and whose content I listen to discuss this book a lot. I’m so excited to experience it.

hardcoreliterature
>>104825631

Alyosha is such a great character. Although I take something from each of the brothers, I personally relate to him in a big way too. It’s so heartbreaking that Dostoyevsky named him after his son.

hardcoreliterature
>>104826096

That is such an extraordinary quote. The idea of the visionary Dostoyevsky appearing ahead of us is profound and so true!

Mahmoud

I first read TBK almost a decade ago and so this will be a re-read for me. I have been so looking forward to a group reading of TBK since it was announced, and have been craving more Dostoevsky since reading C&P last year. I feel my first read of TBK didn't do it justice, as I was a casual reader then and simply wanted to say I had read it. I recall grappling with the story and themes, but also being quite confused throughout. I'm excited to see how my growth over a decade, deep reading great books and especially Shakespeare over the last year and half with the HLBC shall inform and reward my second read of TBK. I'm also currently doing a slow reading of W&P over the year, and so I'll be happily steeped in great Russian literature for the next while.

Constance Stanton

(I am writing this before listening to Ben’s lecture.). I read BK, C&P, and Notes from the Underground over 50 years ago, but remember very little except the Grand Inquisitor section and the paragraph from Notes from the Underground: “I am a sick man...I am a spiteful man. I am an unattractive man. I think my liver is diseased. Then again, I don't know a thing about my illness; I'm not even sure what hurts.” What I remember is that these works spoke to my young adult self, but I don’t remember the details. I’m looking forward to seeing from the perspective of 50 more years on the planet. (But the Vintage edition has a small font and there are some looooong paragraphs, so I’m going slowly.) I am currently revisiting Christianity and reading works of the desert fathers and Eastern Orthodox theologians (as collected in the Philokalia) and the Bible in various translations, including especially many of the non-canonical works like the Gospel of Thomas. How this parallel journey melds with the BK will be fun to explore.

Signe Kopps

I have to put The Brothers on hold. I’ve been waylaid and held fast by Don Quixote. I read the first chapter and realized that Cervantes reminds me of Tolstoy, with the same sly, jabbing wit and undercurrent of affection for his characters. I thought it was a great book to add to Benjamin’s future list. Then I looked at his previous lectures and there it was, starting on July 24, 2021 with, “How to read Don Quixote by Cervantes (10 tips).” My cup runneth over. Edit to add that I should have listened to the July 2 lecture on which translation of Don Quixote is the best. Instead I went to my favorite neighborhood bookstore* and riffled through six or so editions until I found one by Samuel Putnam. I chose it because the font was easy on my eyes and the larger book felt comfortable in my hand. I’m interested in looking through the Grossman edition to compare the translations. * Powell’s City of Books is advertised as the largest new and used bookstore in the world. It helps us Portlanders get through Oregon’s long and rainy winters.

jack walsh

This will be my third reading of this novel, but I already know that, although I thought I was giving it a deep reading before, I wasn't, at least in comparison to the vision I now have of how we here at HLBC are about to read it. Through two listenings of the lecture, I know already that I missed much of what the novel penetrates on the questions of faith and the limitations of the intellect. I have a strong feeling that some of the most pressing existential questions that burden me almost daily will be addressed in this work; I couldn't be more tuned in or hopeful!!! Ben, I'm reading the McDuff translation. It was unusual and challenging for the first thirty pages or so, but I feel I'm in the flow now and like it. As a young man I read most of the major works of this author, but though I was fascinated with the characters at the time, I remember little of them now except for the characters and story of Crime and Punishment, which I taught for a number of years to senior year AP students, who each year embraced it intellectually and emotionally, though maybe not spiritually. There is no doubt that they loved it, as each year on my final I would ask which work they enjoyed most, and C&P often came out on top for the number of students who chose it. I do love that novel as I do Dostoyevsky!

Hazel Sun

I read Crime & Punishment back in my late teens as part of my English class. I really loved it because of how real the inner monologue of the characters felt. I am overdue for a reread and might do that after we finish BK. As for Brothers Karamazov, it’s my first ever read so I am really excited to dive into it. I have the recommended edition on my shelf as well as a Russian edition and will be starting tomorrow. Since I grew up in Poland in the 80’s when Poland was part of the eastern bloc, learning Russian was required. It’s been a long time (I’m in my mid-40s now) so I have forgotten a lot but I remember the basics, including reading the Cyrillic alphabet. In addition, there are similarities between Polish and Russian and I have purchased a Rosetta Stone membership, so hoping this will be an opportunity to refresh my Russian and experience at least part of this masterpiece in its original language. And it sounds like this is a book about meaning, about faith, and much more - can’t wait!

Jonathon Glover

I had a few hours to spare this morning so listened to the audiobook of ‘Notes From the Underground’. It reminded me very much of Albert Camus ‘The Stranger’, as well as ‘The Rape of Lucrece’ from Shakespeare. In fact, those three texts would be a wonderful comparative study with a focus on the unreliable narrator and the development of existential ideas. To a lesser extent, and I may be off here, it also reminded me of James Baldwin’s outstanding ‘Giovanni’s Room’, with the outsider, and somewhat selfish, narrator. I can see that BK will explore the depths of human consciousness. I may need to partner it with a lighter read. Any suggestions?

Laura Smith
>>104862611

I also find I’ve missed a lot that Benjamin and other book clubbers pick up on! I’m getting better with practice too :)

Jack King

In case anyone is interested in watching a Russian language film made in 1969 of Brothers Karamazov on YouTube. I think there are 3 parts - about 1.5 hrs each. I read it was the most popular movie in Russia when it was released. It's in Russian but has subtitles - you can choose "autotranslate" under the video settings to select English subtitles. Just watching the actors, especially the father Fyodor Karamazov's sarcastic and sanctimoniously exaggerated expressions is amazing, as well as Alyosha, Ivan's and Dmitri's reactions - intense tension with Miusov and the monks - amazing filming all around. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_U-juAzXik&t=181s

David Campbell

A writer friend of mine has always been a big advocate of the themes of the Brothers Karamazov, and wrote his own sci-fi novel based on the same premise -“if God doesn’t exist, anything is permitted”. I had always liked the idea of Dostoevsky, but had only half read Crime and Punishment 20 years ago. Intrigued by my friend’s novel led me on the path to reading the Brothers Karamazov this past autumn, and this in turn led me down the path into more classic literature and ultimately the HCLBC. So it is exciting to get to re-read this book again with the club and Ben’s guidance and insight. I had wanted to dive back into Crime and Punishment, so I am going to be reading some double-Dostoevsky as I plan to read both of these books over the next couple of months. I am excited to dive into the Dostoevsky world after having been immersed in the world of Tolstoy since December, reading Anna Karenina and War and Peace back to back. I’m looking forward to reading together with the club and joining in the discussions

June.

Notes from the Underground and Crime and Punishment are somewhere in my past,though my memory is sketchy.The Brothers will be the first reading.Really looking forward to it and perhaps I will reread the above.I have been listening to the Brothers on you tube audiobook. Lovely reader.He sounds like a Canadian-"talk" and "walk" are distinctive. My English son has promised to read the Brothers at the same time.We are 7,000 miles apart so our zooming will be fun.Thank you Ben for all your support without which,I doubt if I would have dived in !

Tone Løwe
>>104875573

Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky are very different, but as it is possible to enjoy different things, there is definitely possible to enjoy both of them. Have a wonderful first-time reader of Dostoyevsky and prepare for a new literary "friend".

Tone Løwe

I have read the Karamazov brothers twice with quite a few years in-between. In my younger days I intensely identified with Ivan and I was in awe of his novel of The great Inquisitor which I thought had to be written by an atheist (which it is since it is Ivan who is the author;) Then came Sosima and his story - and I was certain a profound christian had to have written that. It is for me proof of the polyphonic character of the novel - I do believe in all of these characters and their different perspectives. I am looking forward to reread again - and this time with Ben and the rest of you - and for the first time I am planning slow-reading and journaling along the reading. I am eager as a young girl entering a new adventure.

Caroline

I have never read The Brothers Karamazov. It was a favorite of my late grandfather, so I am very excited to get to this one myself. The introductory lecture was wonderful. I'm looking forward to reading with all of you!

Michael Dobos

1. This is my first reading of Dostoyevsky. I have heard him mentioned in plenty of talks about philosophy and discussions of self-help dialogues.

Michael Dobos

2. What I'm hoping to get out of the BK is the same as any novel: enjoyment. But this time I also hope to get something about religion out of this book. I think I'm going to enter in as if I'm first hearing of Christianity and am in the book to make the choice of whether to be a believer or not. I think having an open mind in that sense will enrich the reading. 3. I am definitely looking forward to reading the Bible selections that you mentioned in this video. I love reading The Bible. Not because I am religious, but because I consider it to be perhaps the greatest piece of literature of all time. The Bible has every type of story within it that you can imagine, and the King James version is so eloquent (though perhaps not the most trustworthy translation) in its language that reading it is like entering a dream state. Sometimes I liken Tolkien's The Silmarillion to a book of The Bible.

Ellen M
>>104893241

Jack how interesting that you don’t remember your earlier readings of D’s other works. I could swear I read a few back in what I refer to as my Russian phase. Tolstoy stood out and Anna K & War & Peace never left me but I have zero recollection of any Dostoyevsky, and realized I never read Brothers K. But I’m into book 2 now and Alyosha seems very familiar to me. Will have to keep going to see what put me off, or didn’t make an impression- I’m very curious!

Steven McVicar

This was an inspiring lecture, Ben. I’m excited to get my teeth into The Brothers Karamazov. I’m going to start tonight. 1) What is your current relationship with Dostoyevsky? Is this your first reading or a rereading of this masterpiece? Dostoyevsky is a literary hero of mine and I hope to read everything he has written. I read The Brothers Karamazov a few years ago and thought it was masterful. The characters are among the most complex and well-drawn that I’ve encountered. I read it as a plotted novel and let the momentum of the story carry me forward so this re-reading will give me an opportunity to spend time exploring the underlying themes. 2) What are you hoping to get out of your deep reading of The Brothers Karamazov? I know I'm going to enjoy the novel so I want to engage with the psychological and spiritual themes with this deep re-read. I think I’ll get a Bible and supplement my reading by referring to it. Also, this will be the first deep reading of a book I’ve already read so I’m very interested to compare this experience with my first reading. 3) What themes from your wider reading would you like to pull into Dostoyevsky? I wasn’t ready for the discussions on free will in War and Peace and found them intrusive. I’m more open to that discussion now and to exploring other spiritual themes. The fact that Dostoevsky lets the characters wrestle with these themes in contrast to Tolstoy’s didactic approach in War and Peace is much more interesting and accessible to me. I’m not interested in a neuroscientific perspective on free will right now but the spiritual perspective is one I’m fascinated to explore and therefore will read the sections of The Bible you’ve recommended.

Steven McVicar
>>104922555

Hey Michael, I hope you’re well! I love your idea of pretending to discover Christianity for the first time and using the book to make the choice of whether to be a believer or not. That’s such a cool way to approach it and it will be fascinating to hear your thoughts as you progress. I’m not really a religious person and I haven’t picked up a Bible for years but I’m genuinely excited to delve into it again. I’m hoping to borrow one from someone today if not I’ll buy one. All the best man Steve

hardcoreliterature
>>104849041

Thank you, Shirley :) That idea of absence pointing to presence is one I’m quite obsessed with at the moment! And the Oscar Wilde quote is a personal favourite of mine. He always puts these grand truths in the best ways!

Gavin Duffy

I’ve read this decades ago so looking forward to it. Was my favourite book for ages What is the time line for reading this Ben or anyone ? Thanks 🙏

Laura Smith
>>104904366

Thanks for sharing this! Fyodor looks very similar to how I had pictured him!

Carol Keller

Thanks I needed this! I loved War & Peace and jumped right into BK. I’m STRUGGLING. I have P&V translation, but have considered Avsey. I think I’ll slow down, restart and stay with the group. I’ve read some Dostoyevsky short stories and I’m looking forward to deepening my understanding and love of the Russians.

Vickie Kokkalenios-Prieto

Sadly, I am really not enjoying TBK. I know it's because I'm still in a dreamstate from War and Peace and essentially anything would result in my feeling a little let down. I am also not in the mood for such a religion-heavy text. That said, I am also of the Eastern Orthodox faith so, ok I confess, that's pretty cool. In addition, I read a piece by Harold Bloom that was helpful, and I just ordered his collection of others' interpretive works from the library. It should be available in two days, so I'm excited about that. Really, I can't wait for Ben's lectures on this massive classic!

Helen Brady

I sympathize with those who are having a difficult time starting TBK..

Helen Brady

Dostoyevsky’s style is very different to Tolstoy. I found I could disappear into War and Peace, becoming engrossed in the characters and their development. Dostoyevsky’s use of the narrator feels like a barrier to becoming immersed. I definitely get how that leads more to a dialogue with the author/ book than Tolstoy’s style.

Helen Brady

I apologize every time I hit return my comments are posted. So a disjointed style! I’m looking forward to Ben’s lectures. On the point of religion, I was raised Roman Catholic in Ireland. Purchasing a copy of KJV of the Bible felt like an act of heresy. Growing up we were taught that it was a Protestant bible and so not to be contemplated. My faith and spirituality has developed a lot throughout my life but I felt my childhood parish priest watching in horror over my shoulder as I did my Amazon order. Also, would Dostoyevsky have read the KJV or the Septuagint?

Tatiana
>>104934588

There is a Church Slavonic version of the Septuagint, I am guessing it would be that. I would be shocked if it were KJV.

River

Hi Helen, I had to smile when I read your post about how you felt as you ordered your KJV of the Bible. I was also raised a Roman Catholic and went to a school with a lot of first generation Irish Americans. Of course, we only ever used the New Testament, but at Mass, there were Bible verses read sometimes. I don't remember any specific conversations , but the connotation was that the Bible was not really for Catholics. I never understood why or had any interest in finding out. But here's the thing - I just went to Barnes and Noble yesterday to buy my Bible and I felt a sense of embarrassment when I went to the cashier to pay! What the heck was that?!!! Thanks for sharing.

Tatiana

River, too funny. You must not live in the south (US), where buying a Bible and going to weekly Bible study and quoting from it ad nauseam are badges of honor. I have a number of family Bibles, KJV, which various relatives gifted to each other, for example one from my great-grandparents to my mother. I also have a Catholic version that my mother used when she was studying with a Jesuit. Then I have a Hebrew OT that I got when I was studying with Orthodox Jews. But the one I prize is the one they told us to use at Princeton - the Jerusalem Bible. There is also, believe it or not, a study of the NT by a member of one of the greatest rabbinical dynasties, the Soloveitchiks. (They are purists, I think he was ostracized by the rest of the family for touching this.) Because the Bible was originally written in Koine Greek by Greek speaking Jews, it is filled with Hebraisms that non Jews would not recognize which add a whole new level of meaning. It is fascinating, you can get it on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Bible-Talmud-New-Testament-Soloveitchiks/dp/0812250990 I have never seen an Orthodox (Church Slavonic) Bible. Which is what I presume Dostoevsy used.

Yoby Henthorn

It philosophies were actual people, Dostoevsky put them in a boxing ring, not even knowing himself how it would turn out. Great stuff.

Helen Brady
>>104943322

Hi River, I totally identify with your remarks about Roman Catholicism and the Bible. We definitely only studied the New Testament. I was shocked when I moved to the USA and discovered how important the Book of Revelation is to Christian’s here. It was never discussed in any Christian doctrine class I attended as a child but you definitely got the vibe that it was viewed by Catholic Church as kooky and suspect.

Tatiana

From the sublime to the ridiculous: there is a 1958 film version of TBK in which, mirabile dictu, Alyosha is played by young William Shatner, yes, Captain Kirk of Star Trek. I could not possibly watch that with a straight face.

River
>>104945229

Yep, I lived in the northeast and New England my whole life. One of my High School friends moved to North Carolina. When I visited her, she told me that she was going to Bible Study and when we went to Barnes and Noble together, she kept showing me all these religious books that she recommended. I kept thinking, "Who is this person?" since she was raised Catholic-light. But the real introduction to the Christian religion vs the Catholic religion (something I had no clue about) was when my mother-in-law 7th Day Adventist, meanly told me that she always wished that her son would've married a Christian. I remember just completely naively looking at her and saying, "But I am a Christian!" to which she replied, "No, you're a Catholic!" Later, when I developed a little courage, and the subject re-surfaced, I told her that God must be hysterical up there with all these different categories, to which she gave me the silent treatment:)) No wonder why I'm a definite Agnostic/Atheist!

Aaron Marion

Current relationship: I first read Dostoyevsky for the first time last winter (Nov-Feb so just finished). It was Crime and Punishment. I have to admit that I was not impressed. But the again, it was my first time reading any of the Russians. Currently finishing my War and Peace and enjoy Tolstoy more. I was going to skip Brothers K because I’m so far behind in War and Peace (almost to p 900.) I’m currently in school (M. Div.) and that has taken up most of my free time. I found out, though, that next semester I’ll be taking the class “Religion and Fiction”. The two authors we are going to cover are Dostoyevsky and MacDonald. Particularly Crime and Punishment (what are the odds I’ll be reading it again this year?!) and Lilith. So, now that I’ll be rereading the only Dostoyevsky books I’ve read I decided to go all in on this project and take War and Peace at a slower pace (another month and school is over so I’ll play catch up). Goals: I want to take this book slow, following about 10-15 pages a day, and journal through it. I have degrees in preaching, spiritual formation, and currently receive Church History. My plan is, after another big paper or two, to focus on Russian orthodoxy in the 19th century as a whole. Dive deep into it and the religious writings of that time period. I’ll also be smattering my days with journal articles and essays on Dostoyevsky, 19th century Russia, Brothers K, Crime and Punishment, and Russian Orthodoxy. I have the dual purpose of doing this as a passion project that I also know will pay dividends next fall.

RachelEvelyn L

Dostoyevsky was my first foray into Russian literature, so he’ll always hold a special spot in my heart for that! A few years ago my roommate urged me to read Crime and Punishment, and the rest is history. I didn’t love it as much as she did but it opened up a new world of world literature for me. I read TBK about a year ago while on vacation, and it is now apparent to me now that I must have only skimmed the surface then because I am finding it much more dense this time around. My pace has definitely been slower going through Books 1 and 2 thus far, relative to the even the driest bits of W&P. I am also noticing that previously unmarked passages are making an impression on this second read - I take it as a positive sign that I have grown as a reader (partially thanks to this club) over the last year or so! I would also like to read some of Dostoyevsky’s short stories as companion pieces as we make our way through TBK, I always meant to but would get sidetracked; currently reading White Nights and will try to fit Notes from the Underground in too, if possible. I am so jazzed for all the lectures and discussions to come!

MaryEllen McLaughlin

1) What is your current relationship with Dostoyevsky? Is this your first reading or a rereading of this masterpiece? I read some of the comments above and noticed that some mentioned having a hard time getting into this novel. That was my experience in the past - though back then I had the Magarshack translation and never finished it! I started the P&V and am getting into the story MUCH better this time. The translation makes all the difference. Back in the late 80's I studied Russian and we spent a semester working through Crime and Punishment. It was difficult (also because I was simultaneously taking advanced grammar) but it was a very rewarding course. I've also read Notes from the Underground and other shorter works. So I am happy to be tackling this one with the club! 2) What are you hoping to get out of your deep reading of The Brothers Karamazov? I am hoping to immerse myself in these sweeping themes and philosophical/spiritual questions. I'd also love to get the biography and chip away at that as well.

Jamie Newman
>>104889952

There is so much material here! I struggle too with choosing to stay with the group or dive into what has past! Also...I have MAJOR bookstore envy. I used to live in the Seattle area and LOVED to drive down to Powell's. It's a gem. I miss it and the area greatly!

Jamie Newman

This will be my first experience with TBK. I have read (and enjoyed) C&P. I am so impressed with everyone's Dostoevsky experience! I'm really looking forward to reading the commentary on this one. I do have some trepidation around the religious themes (I see I'm not alone there!). I was in the discernment process to be an Episcopal priest and it didn't end well. I've sort of shelved everything since...so this will be interesting! I didn't pick up a KJV...actually as I'm typing this I'm wondering if my family's bible is KJV. I'll have to dig that out and check. Anyway, I'll be knocking the dust off my NRSV. I'm hoping to just learn. Always. I want to get as much as I can out of this experience with you all! As I get older, I seem to have less and less expectations for experiences. People keep asking me what I hope to get from this thing or that thing and I'm always befuddled. I hope to get out of it what I get out of it :) I don't mean that in a cheeky way, but this reading thing is my thing and as long as I can, I'll keep turning pages and keep being surprised, delighted, and challenged! PS. I just found the family Bible and I actually squeaked. It is KJV, but it has these beautiful paintings and pictures throughout. It's a beast though. I'll have to clear off some space on my desk!

Helen Brady

I’ve just finished book 1 and I’m struggling with an uncomfortable awareness of antisemitism. Particularly in Chapter 4 where it says that FPK has become acceptable to some “respectable Jews” and in the next sentence it refers to him making money by fair means or foul. It wasn’t the first hint of antisemitism that I perceived but it was the most overt. Has anybody else been struck by this? So far I adore Aloysha. I identify with so much of his personality and his idealism.

cliff freeman
>>104962216

There were some throwaway antisemitic lines in War and Peace as well, it was just part of Russian (and European) culture at the time.

Karen Werner

I am still finishing War and Peace and haven’t yet purchased the book. I am glad I watched this lecture first because I will be able to get the proper version. I am a little behind but will be able to catch up as I have made more time for reading since I am really enjoying it. I love listening to the lectures and love to read all the comments. I feel I am learning so much.

John de Vignolles

1) I read 'Crime and Punishment' when I was about 22 or so when I was in my 'obsessed with all things Russian' phase of my life, but I've not read TBK yet, I bought it a couple of years ago before I discovered HLBC from a recommended video on YouTube. My favourites at the moment, are still 'The Master and Margarita', and short stories 'The Bet' and 'The Queen of Spades'. Both those short stories I first heard on my beloved Radio Moscow many many years ago (I still have the QSL cards!). 2) TBK is often mentioned in the Theism vs Atheism debate. 'If God does not exist, all things are permitted'. I've been meaning to read this for years. I am dubious about the alleged 'knock-down argument in favour of Atheism' contained therein. IMHO, the arguments supporting Atheism are very poor and usually fallacious. Dicky Dawkins's argument for Atheism in 'The God Delusion' would embarrass a schoolboy! Extra reading I have set myself includes The Master of Petersburg by J M Coetzee: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Master-Petersburg-Coetzee-2-Sep-2004-Paperback/dp/B013ILSTDC/ 3) The last intelligent and well-known Atheist was Friedrich Nietzsche. I would not dare knock Bertrand Russell's Mathematics, but his Atheism is laughable. There are a couple of intelligent Atheists around at the moment, Dr Daniel Came and Dr Stephen Law but they're not really very high profile. So, I'm hoping that I can bring in some J P Moreland and William Lane Craig into my reading of TBK. I have loads of Bibles including most of the OT translated by Robert Alter. And 'Genesis' remains, IMHO, the best book ever written.

John de Vignolles
>>104955082

With the other two played by Kojak and the bloke from Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea? Yes, I'm trying to avoid seeing that film completely. I understand there is a re-make with Sean Bean, Nicholas Cage, and Chr.istop.her Wal,k.e.n.

John de Vignolles
>>104956854

I'm struggling with W&P at the moment too. I find the Napoleon and the War parts of it to be a bit tedious. I've put that on slow-track to finish, and picked up TBK to keep up with the lectures.

John Ward

In my first reading of TBK I enjoyed the story but did not allow myself to fully empathise with these 'mad' Russian characters. But inspired by a brilliant essay of John Cowper Powys on Dostoyevsky I hope to read more deeply this time as JCP states: "Dostoevsky's Russians are cruelly voluble, but their volubility taps the evil humour of the universal human disease. Their thoughts are our thoughts, their obsessions, our obsessions. Let no one think in his vain security, that he has a right to say: "I have no part in this morbidity. I am different from these poor madmen. ... Certainly the Russian soul has its peculiarities, but the chief peculiarity is that it is not ashamed to express what all men feel and this is why Dostoevsky is not only a Russian writer but a universal writer. He writes with human nerves upon parchment of human tissue, and "abyssum evocat abyssum," from the darkness wherein he moves. ... All that one has felt, but has not dared to think, all that one has thought, but has not dared to say, all the terrible whispers from the unspeakable margins, all the horrible wreckage and silt from the unsounded depths, float in upon us and overpower us."

Adnan Chowdhury

1) What is your current relationship with Dostoyevsky? Is this your first reading or a rereading of this masterpiece? I'm a distant admirer of Dostoyevsky. Had read through Notes From Undderground, and have started/stopped with the Garnett translation of The Brothers Karamazov a few times in college, so he's always been an intimating force for me. The times where I felt as though I getting a feel for the characters and their motivations (particularly the whole sequence of Zozima and the funeral sequence) made such an impression on me. I'm hoping to get further into this work as part of this deep reading exercise. 2) What are you hoping to get out of your deep reading of The Brothers Karamazov? My perspective I think on The Brothers K is interesting as I am culturally Muslim, but not a practicing one, so Christian idelology has never really been foregrounded in the way that I've grown up. I'm hoping through this deep reading to get a better understanding on my own faith and get a grasp of the Christian faith through this long-form discussion.

Patrik Bergman

I have read and re-read BK several times and even just created my first video series on it to meet a need I have never seen elsewhere: Someone who first summarises a book, and then analyses it. All others act as if the viewers have read and understood the book and just need the analysis. The first part here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVdgz_hFg2w&list=PLaDt1aAOJGhDKsWl8sh974BUapKbcI75C&ab_channel=PatrikBergman And for translations, I will go for MacAndrew any day of the week. I wrote about it here: https://www.patrikbergman.com/2017/07/23/choosing-best-karamazov-translation/ Looking forward to this book club!

Patrik Bergman
>>104984726

Yes, indeed one of the first existentialist books. And not a reference to the human self, but instead to the human heart.

Hélène B

Hello from France, this will be my first read with the club and my first read of russian literature but for Gogol's Tarass Boulba and Pouchkine's The queen of spades (I watched it at the theater years ago). I tried to read Tolstoi and Dostoyesky when I was young but I was lost : too many names, surnames, nicknames! I am used to reading fast and they all mixed up. I hope I'll be able to pace myself with the help of Ben's contributions. I picked up the Bible; Frank's biography is available at my library, so I am ready to dive.

Jack King
>>104828721

Thank you for writing such an very, very interesting post. I've never read the Bible ( raised Catholic ) but I can tell already I'll get so much more out of reading BK if I understood the NT passages better. I had already 150 pages into reading it when I found out Ben had it on his 2023 reading list so I joined his Patreon group immediately. I've also been reading some of it in Russian since I'm at a 3rd year college level with the language. I never knew Zamyatin's "We" has a Grand Inquisitor. I read a very interesting, practically unforgettable short story by him in a collection of dual language Russian- English short stories. Zamyatin has an amazing way of making Russian winters sound like Science Fiction world building if that means anything. Although he can be viewed as one of the "pioneers" of modern dystopian writing leading practically directly to Aldous Huxley and George Orwell the general consensus is ( in the Sci Fi, speculative fiction world at least ) is that he had been overtaken and there was no need to go back and read "We." My only reason for putting "We" on my reading list was to have a fairly interesting book to read in Russian. But now you have surprised me by sharing your ideas explored in a senior thesis no less as well as a perspective looking back of how you would have stayed with Zamyatin as a starting point. I listen to several Sci-Fi, speculative fiction BookTube channels so this topic interesting to me. Speculative fiction world building, entire collection sets of books with avid readers who don't have to be concerned so much if sci-fi is actually good literature at all.

Daven Salmi

Hello from Dallas, Texas. This will be my second reading of the Brothers Karamazov. It was assigned for an Introduction to Literature class I took way back in 1984! I remember having a difficult time reading the book and keeping track of the characters. I think I used those yellow-covered Cliff Notes for help on assignments! I had a chance to live in Russia in 1997-98 teaching English as a second language so I know a bit of the Russian culture and language. I started reading this weekend and I'm finding this book more interesting than War and Peace. I like that we are getting the perspective of the brothers who have been through some hardships rather than learning about the rich upper class. It's amazing how the philosophical ideas are being discussed by the characters as it flows well. There's much to ponder so I'm looking forward to Benjamin's videos to see what I'm missing as I read! When I lived in Russia, I remember that my name changed based on the "case" in the language. When I played soccer with my students (football), it was "pass me the ball 'Davena'" so the added "a" was one of the ways the Russian Language used an add on for different linguist reasons. And the students all had formal names and names of endearment. For example: Alexander was "Sasha". Regards, Daven

Jack King
>>104833009

I can relate with what you are saying when it comes to being apprehensive being "exposed" to Christianity or at least to reading someone with powerful human faculties for weighing various points of view in the "atheist vs faith" boxing ring. I have been reading and listening to quite a bit of church history the past several years and at this point I don't really feel that there is a risk of being pulled into or swept along some adolecent "awakening" or "road to Damascus" moment where I suddenly imagine I'm seeing the cross in the sky and I'm going be born again and start getting puzzling looks from people when I tell them "I'm a Christian." Eventually I became most comfortable when I started listening to religious history from a Jewish point of view. Some will argue ( fairly convincingly I think ) that Jesus lived and died as a Jew and whenever he spoke he was speaking as a Jew to other Jews. There a fairly comprehensive Jewish history YouTube channel by Henry Abramson who starts all the way back at the earliest historical records. He approaches the subject trying to determine how accurate the Bible probably is historically. Interesting how there isn't this strong emphasis on Bible "inerrancy" with Jewish people and when you stop think about it the Old Testament should really be thought of as the writings of Jewish history, thought, poetry, theology etc. Even some the New Testament is still Jewish history such as it is. And of course it's not even called the "OLD" Testament in Judaism.

Jinnie Roes

This will be my first read through and I am looking forward to it. Also, my first time posting as I am relatively new to the book club. So hello to all.

Jack King
>>104835785

I'm reading the Joseph Frank biography as well. I have the first 2 volumes which brings me up to the point where Dostoevsky goes to Siberia then is released and just starting to write his major world famous books. Glad to see a native Russian speker here as a member. Interesting how your "comfort zone" was rereading Dostoevsky as a Russian expatriat in a English speaking country. Just curious which Russian poetry you brought as well. I've been reading some Lermontov and Pushkin poetry in Russian as well as "A Hero of Our Time" by Lermontov. I've been studying Lermontov's Demon in Russian. I have Lermontov dual language Russian - English reader.

Linda Williamson

1) What is your current relationship with Dostoyevsky? Is this your first reading or a rereading of this masterpiece? This will be my first exposure to Dostoyevsky. I know nothing of this author, or of these works; so, forgive my ignorance as I read through the comments and do my best to participate in the conversations. 2) What are you hoping to get out of your deep reading of The Brothers Karamazov? As this is my first reading, and exposure, to this author. I have no expectations. I bought my copy from a locally owned bookstore in February and glanced through a few pages and then expanded by voyeurism through the translation and "How to Read Dostoyevsky" lectures. I am intrigued and excited. It appears that this book can promote strong feelings and responses; probably much of which is kept private. However, Benjamin's lecture and the comments already left have engaged my curiosity. I am looking forward to more comments, discussion, and the thoughts of the other HCLB members, as well as the lectures. I always enjoy Benjamin's seemingly inexhaustible knowledge of these authors and books. I also value his personal insights and reading experiences. 3) What themes from your wider reading would you like to pull into Dostoyevsky? I read scripture everyday. I do this because of my own personal faith and because of my desire to know more about God, scripture, its origins, and due to my career path. I already view the Bible as literature due to The Bible Project. https://bibleproject.com/explore/how-to-read-the-bible/ I spent many months going through the videos, podcasts, and blog writings regarding Bible as literature. It is a faith based project that points to Jesus, but I believe it easy to follow and get a brief introduction into the composition and writing of scripture in the Bible that is fascinating and educational. I am looking forward to reading this book and having a familiarity with scripture (the Bible) already. I anticipate the conversations and appreciate the opportunity to read of other's experiences, perspectives, and discussions.

Jennifer S

Initially the novel was confusing for me. I read half of it, and because of the buffoonery of the father I thought it was what we call today a Dramedy. Wow, was I ever sailing off-course ! Re-navigating, I started to re-read from the beginning. I am taking extensive notes on Dostoyevsky's manner of character description. (For War & Peace my extensive journaling notes had been aimed on storyline/plot development, chapter by chapter.) ***Now with this re-read I do comprehend the development of spiritual questioning in the novel; and keeping in mind, also, Dostoyevsky's loss of his 3 year old child (Also, My Long Pause for thought at "Did humans create the devil?" in Book V Chapter 4). A dear friend lost a child years ago and I was with her, so this matter, loss of a child is close to my heart because that particular loss and grief does not leave. Ever. Dostoyevsky asks very important questions and the characters spend a lot of time discussing, railing about, bitterly rejecting, and/or accepting our human relationship with God, our propensity for violence, the idea of choosing a moral path in life, and that horribly bad things do happen to innocents. May I add, also, on another topic, that I find Dostoyevsky's regard of women to be reprehensible albeit archaic, and perhaps that is why his work is neglected or ignored by many today.

Jennifer S
>>105029540

I am so glad you shared your impressions. I have read the Bible, King James version, several times also. Ivan as a character has really been developed deeply by Dostoyevsky. When he opens his heart to Aloysha (IV/3,4) and the two brothers bond, those are indeed profound chapters. The condemned prisoner story affected me deeply. Although I am not an atheist, I do recognize that atheists can and do lead moral lives and I believe that our co-existence should be one of respect. Nonetheless, a bit of me very much enjoyed Aloysha's bedtime prayer :-)

Tatiana

The Joseph Frank biography Ben recommended: thanks, Jack, for noting that it includes a lot of cultural history. I do not think it is possible to really understand what is going on in either Tolstoy or Dostoevsky without knowing some Russian history and culture, in particular the Slavophile movement. You would not understand what Andrei and Pierre were doing or why or the lifestyle choices Tolstoy assigned to Nikolai and Natasha in the Epilogue, and you would have no context for the theological debates of the brothers K. After Orlando Figes' Natasha's Dance I picked up The Story of Russia. It is excellent. As soon as I am done I will find a copy of Joseph Frank.

Tatiana
>>105080173

Jennifer, I note that Dostoevsy shows several aspects of the male character: Dmitry the sensualist, Ivan the intellectual and Alyosha the spiritual, whereas so far I only see two women, the lady and the whore. So to answer which character I would identify with I would have to pick a male character, and I cannot imagine there is a man who would pick Katerina or Grushenka!

Shelley Riden
>>104960275

I thoroughly enjoyed your post, and I love your approach ("just to learn" and "I hope to get out of it what I get out of it" and just keep turning pages and...being surprised, delighted and challenged."). Lovely. And ...I think your family bible may be the same as mine, huge and full of pictures. I haven't opened it for ages (years?) and will now do so.

Jack King
>>104893962

Interesting perspective being Polish. I'm reading the Joseph Frank biography of Dostoevsky. For some reason he had serious conflicts with Polish prisoners in the Siberian labor camps. I haven't finished reading all of it - I sense that Dostoevsky is strongly anti Roman Catholic. Apparently the Poles became big defenders of the Roman Church after the Reformation. Polish is quite different from Russian but you can tell they are both Slavic.

Jack King
>>105081451

By the way I love how you described TBK so far as "a theological telenovela" haha - that's actually an interesting way to decribe it - reading about Dostoevsky that's kind of what he wanted it to be - not high literature - but reading the average Russian could understand. I live in Baja, Mexico where I retired - I get more time to read - people always urging me to watch more Mexican telenovelas to learn actual Mexican spanish.

Lino Rosa

I need some help appreciating Dostoyevsky. I think it’s fair to say that Dostoyevsky’s characters are uniquely extreme with their emotions and change their minds quicker and more radically in comparison with most other writers, right? Assuming that’s an intentional stylistic choice, what’s Dostoyevsky trying to accomplish here? Personally this style drives me to interpret his characters more as archetypes rather than real people. That’s not necessarily a problem - I adored Blood Meridian and I don’t see those characters as real people either - but it’s a problem to me when the novel expects us to empathize with the characters. But how do you empathize with archetypes? Or are you in fact supposed to see these characters as real people despite of all the exaggeration? Do you do this by interpreting the exaggeration as hyperbole? Or do you actually take it literally, and those people are really on that heightened emotional state? Or does this boil down to a simple matter of taste, and Dostoyevsky is simply not my cup of vodka?

Tatiana
>>105121882

Slavs are in fact extremely emotional, and I think do not reason in the same straightforward, clinical way as Western Europeans, but you make a good point about archtypes.

julia roth

1) What is your current relationship with Dostoyevsky? Is this your first reading or a rereading of this masterpiece? I read Crime and Punishment last year, though I don’t think I really got everything out of it that I could have. That is actually part of the reason I joined this book club actually! This will be my first reading of The Brothers Karamazov 2) What are you hoping to get out of your deep reading of The Brothers Karamazov? As this is going to be my first deep reading of a classic outside of school, I really want to try and develop my skills of looking closely at the words, investigating the world, and living the story. 3) What themes from your wider reading would you like to pull into Dostoyevsky? Recently, for some reason I’ve read quite a few books that pull in questions of identity (Invisible Man, Count of Monte Cristo to a certain extent), so I’d like to look into the self identification of these characters. I know that each one is representative of a different world view, but I’d really like to delve deeper into the questions about their identity as brother, son, and citizen.

FrozenWaterfall

Hello one and all! This will be my first read with the bookclub! I am from Alberta, Canada, and I have a Bachelor of Arts, with my major in Philosophy and minor in English. I am a christian and love the classics! I have read a lot of Nietzsche (though not recently) and enjoy thinking and discussing deeply the core elements of living a good life and searching, lovingly, after wisdom. Some of my favourite authors are: Plato, Dallas Willard and Cormac Mccarthy. As for Dostoyevsky, I tried to make it through Crime and Punishment but could not finish it, but I have, enjoyably, read Notes from Underground. I am looking to find and deepen my thinking and emotional and spiritual intelligence in joining and discussing these books with you all!

Alan

1) What is your current relationship with Dostoyevsky? Is this your first reading or a rereading of this masterpiece? Most recently I did a deep read of “Notes from Underground” led by William Hollis at the Jung Center Houston. Holli’s blending of Jungian psychology and literary analysis was brilliant. I will dig out my notes from that class to refresh my memories. I read BK more than five decades ago. And yet, as I did in again for the second read, I am amazed at how much I remember after such a long distance in time. 2) What are you hoping to get out of your deep reading of The Brothers Karamazov? I am hoping to get some insights into evil humans. Since 2020 I have been re-watching the Discovery-Spielberg production of “Why We Hate.” I wrestled with Tolstoy and the Great Man theory. I would often get stopped in War and Peace wondering how Tolstoy would have handled the lethal tyrannies of the century plus after his writing, e.g. most currently Putin’s criminal invasion and full-on destruction of Ukraine, Stalin starving and murdering millions, Hitler and the Holocaust, Pol Pot in Cambodia, to name a few. 3) What themes from your wider reading would you like to pull into Dostoyevsky? I would like to see what Dostoevsky has to say about evil in the world. I studied Nietzsche’s “Beyond Good and Evil” with little success unraveling the puzzle of living with evil.

Alan

I am finally getting the rhythm of a more thoughtful and leisurely, and more reflective reading process. Perhaps I’m going over the deep edge of overly ambitious, but I am immersing into three translations: (1) hardback Modern Library of Garnett translation while simultaneously listening to the (2) audiobook of the McDuff translation and finishing off with (3) the ebook of the P&V translation. So far so good. I am half-way through this reading assignment and finding the reading times three to be very enriching and reinforcing what I most surely would miss on a single source read.

ALEX LEMON

Ben, did you know that Michael Katz has a new translation of the Brothers Karamazov coming out in July? I'm curious if you've read his other works and your thoughts?

Robert Cioffi

I’m finding it much more difficult than War and Peace , which I am just finishing , and which I absolutely loved. The long discussions in the elder’s room about Ivan’s theory were a chore. I’m looking forward to Ben’s lecture on this first part

Jaye Cee

I have never read any Dostoyevsky, so am excited to get started. Have ordered it, as I chose to go with P&V, only because it’s easier to follow the lectures with the same copy. I honestly don’t know what to expect. I know nothing about it apart from the fact that my brother had to read some of his writings as part of his theology degree, so I’m aware it deals with deep religious contemplation. I’m finding as I dig deeper into great books, that I could not predict what they will be, what worlds will open up, and that is both humbling and very exciting. In terms of big themes in my reading that it may interact with, I’m curious about expanding my knowledge of Russian literature, and Russian history as a consequence. It’s such a huge and impactful area and I feel I’ve had a gap in my knowledge. I generally love reading good literature from different countries and cultures. I’m also interested in the links or comparisons with Tolstoy and also other later Russian writers, Nabokov, Solzhenitsyn, Chekhov, as it seems I’m on the edge of an interlinked world and I don’t know yet how it all fits together.

Helen Lyons

I too have never read any Dostoyevsky - having just finished War & Peace I am not sure what to expect. My head is still with W&P ! Looking forward to Dostoyevsky though.

Bethany Thompson

Amazing lecture! Thank you so much for taking the time to make this. I recently bought a book Dostoyevsky’s Incarnational Realism by Paul Contino to go along with my reading of the novel. I’m very excited for this one!

Peter F

Look forward to your next post. Part I almost complete

Paul Hughes

Happened to finish this in December so it’s reasonably fresh still in my mind! Looking forward to following along with the lectures

Debra
>>104929091

I'm reading the Avsey and find it very readable, even page-turning.

Serena

I read Crime and Punishment in college, liked Dostoyevsky so much that I read The Idiot also. I' m fascinated with the Theodicy question, and am looking forward to delving deeper into the debate.

Vicky

Feeling really behind at the moment 🤣 have just started this and only about five percent through . It hasn’t immediately grabbed me but neither did crime and punishment and I ended up (kind of?) enjoying that ? 😄

Irene Jennings

I am loving it actually. I felt disloyal leaving 'War and Peace'. Somehow though, I am feeling mire connected to these characters than I did with the main characters in W&P.

Glenda Smith

This is my first reading of this work. So far it is a real slog. Tough to keep going. What I hope to gain by studying it is the ability to participate in the Great Conversation, as Mortimer Adler put it, of great thinkers through time. This book feels very anachronistic. Rather than "Faith vs. Reason", today the discussion would more appropriately be "Faith vs Science." Einstein and all the other geniuses that have come since have given us greater understanding of so many things.

Christine

Hello, Ben and all! This is my first read with the Book Club and my second attempt at Brothers K. I tried to read it a couple of years ago, but couldn't devote the time to it. This will be my first Dostoevsky novel as well. I'm intrigued by the theme of familial relationships and the importance of the health of the parent/child relationship to society as a whole. I'm struck by what you said about Dostoevsky losing his son and the impact that might have on this novel. I just finished reading Speak What We Feel Not What We Ought to Say by Frederick Buechner. In the book, he discusses four authors and how their greatest works derived from really dark moments in the authors' personal lives. The four authors are Gerard Manley Hopkins, Mark Twain, G.K. Chesterton, and William Shakespeare. I highly recommend! Happy to be here and to read and learn with all of you!

Jennifer S
>>106583002

Hello from Santa Barbara. I took TBK to Ireland, but couldn't get into it. This HCBC has led me through TBK. I cannot state that it is my favorite book of all time, but I deeply respect what Dostoyevsky put into words and his a bit symbolic story about a family. It's well worth deeply reading (very slowly reading, and noting important places in the margins and in a journal and by underlining in the book [you can get over the horror of marking a book]). Someone said it was a story of a strange yet not uncommon family, interrupted by three or four long, very long conversations on the meaning of life, on what humans perceive as God, faith, fate, existence.

Antoni Stojak

I don't know if anyone goes back to these old posts but is there any talk of translations?? I'm curios about the new Katz translation and also the Ignat one seemed good to me...

Andrew A

I may be doing a group read-along of one but I am committed to completing The Brothers Karamazov in 2024. I've read the first ~50% twice now but always hit a wall despite enjoying it. Want to get over the hump this third attempt and look forward to going back through the prior discussions.

Jaye Cee
>>125482031

I read the first half last year and got stuck because the group started other things I wanted to read and I left it. Reading from the beginning a chapter a day to revise, and am relistening to these lectures. Already enjoying more 2nd time round!

Josh LaMar, He-Him
>>175007025

I read Crime and Punishment last year and absolutely loved it. I started this because I needed something captivating to read and just from the first few chapters, I know I’m hooked!

Kathy

I first fell in love with Dostoevsky when I was in high school and The Grand Inquisitor just absolutely blew me away. In college I became obsessed with Ingmar Bergman and immediately recognized their shared recognition of the masses' need for "miracle, mystery and authority" or as Bergman expressed it in "The Seventh Seal," the thought that oblivion lies after death is too overwhelming for the masses to contemplate so they invent a god. I'm hoping to get a deeper relationship with Russian culture and identity. I did my graduate work in Russian Studies, lived & worked in Russia, studied the language, and the love of my life was "Russian to his bones." There could be no better guide on this journey than Benjamin so I feel blessed. I'd like to do a comparative study between Dostoevsky's literature and Russian contemporary literature of the 21st century that I follow closely.