The Best Short Stories of Fyodor Dostoevsky (Modern Library)

Book Description

This collection, unique to the Modern Library, gathers seven of Dostoevsky's key works and shows him to be equally adept at the short story as with the novel. Exploring many of the same themes as in his longer works, these small masterpieces move from the tender and romantic White Nights, an archetypal nineteenth-century morality tale of pathos and loss, to the famous Notes from the Underground, a story of guilt, ineffectiveness, and uncompromising cynicism, and the first major work of existential literature. Among Dostoevsky's prototypical characters is Yemelyan in The Honest Thief, whose tragedy turns on an inability to resist crime. Presented in chronological order, in David Magarshack's celebrated translation, this is the definitive edition of Dostoevsky's best stories.

Customer Reviews:

great.......2007-01-08

Fyodor Dostoevesky is a brillant man. I sincerely regret all of the years I put off reading his work merely because I thought it'd be stiff and boring. His short stories are no exception. You should pick up this book, I am certain it will pique your interest.

As contemporary as ever - highly recommended!.......2006-04-21

This volume includes such superb works as the haunting 'White Nights" - perhaps more of a novella than a short story - and the disturbing "Notes from the Underground", a landmark of existential thinking and no slight work of genius. Although all of these date from the late 19th century, they appear as contemporary as ever and are a delight to read. Sometimes you have to trod a fair distance to get to the heart of the matter as Dostoevsky is notoriously long-winded. But the journey is certainly worth it.

It is an interesting biographical fact (presented in the introduction) that Dostoevsky himself at one point was condemned to death for political insurrection and even led before a firing squad before finally pardoned. This may shed some light on the source of his fascination with dark psychology and his unusual desire to explore the outer reaches of human experience. To this day his work stands unsurpassed.

Read it and enjoy!

So You Say You Want to Be an Existentialist?.......2006-02-23

If you say you want to be an existentialist, be sure to read this book first, just as you would read a warning lable on a bottle of medicine; there could be a lot of side effects if taken internally, like an unhappy life. I doubt that Doestoevsky meant it that way, but it came off that way to me.

Dostoevsky was a literary giant of the 19th or any other century. These short stories could be a good primer to his major works such as Crime and Punishment, and the Brothers Karamozov. His writings, some good examples in this book, fairly crackle with intelligence, dialogue, and drama, all of which are generated out of his view of existentialism.

Existentialism is the philosophy of existence, in that each person is free to make up his own mind about what truth is, based on his own personal experiences, and then must be completely responsible for his decisions. Essentially, your reality is what you sense life to be about at any given moment. A person is truly alive when going through extreme situations and suffering; and if all else fails, there is always suicide.

I got this view of existentialism from an encyclopedia; but I could have derived it from these short stories. The existentialist in each of these stories struggles with life and what it means, and seems to almost go out of his way to make an ordinary life precarious and hard. Often he is (at least in these stories) incredibly self-absorbed, and unempathetic, even mean-spirited and predatory to other people, in an effort to somehow experience life to the fullest. He seems to like to psychologically experiment in ways of treating himself and other people for his own benefit, to see what will happen. (An example in one story is the older man that marries a desparate 16 year-old and then stops talking to her just to see how she reacts.) Any happiness he gets from life seems almost accidental. All this makes for great drama, but does it make for a great philosophy? Subjective truth is a very slippery slope, depending on how closely it lines up with objective reality, and how connected the existentialist is with his vision of reality.

That said, believe it or not, I really liked the book and would recommend it to anyone who likes great literature. The philosophy behind the book is another matter all together, and should be taken internally only with caution.

Don't let the short ones fool you- this is the real thing.......2005-11-30

I've only recently begun to read 19th century Russian literature, lured there by a chance reading of 'Crime and Punishment' which floored me. Upon finishing that book I knew that Dostoevsky was the real deal and felt a smug assurance that I could go into the bookstore, buy another of his novels/collection of stories, and feel equally floored.

So I bought this book. After purchasing it, I bought a cup of coffee, sat down and read 'The Peasant Marey'. I didn't like it. So I flipped to 'The Christmas Tree and a Wedding' and read that one. I didn't like it. I checked the cover. Yes, it still says 'The "Best" Short Stories of Fyodor Dostoevsky'. Hmmm...what is going on here? Is this the same guy that penned that brilliant novel that I just finished?

The fact is that yes, it is. Beyond those two stories, the rest found in this book are timeless masterpieces of the period of Russian literature. Though Dostoevsky might use very long paragraphs to express something (some of them go on for pages and pages), he is clearly trying to make sure that the character/concept is receiving its due attention, something that many writers do not seem to understand. From the protestations of (strange) love in 'White Nights' to the ravings to try to find justification for ones own behavior in 'A Gentle Creature', Dostoevsky is only taking his time to fully illustrate what he's talking about. Its a true pleasure to read.

The real treat in this book is the presentation of the novella 'Notes from the Underground'. The first half of the story presents a sort of philosophical dissertation, one that is less narrative and more pure technical writing (think Plato). It is not until the second half of the story that you begin to discover that the first has a heavy bearing on understanding the demented, depraved actions of the nameless anti-hero. By the time you have finished, you discover all over again why Dostoevsky is indeed (rightfully so) considered to be a master at his craft; he has taken someone whom the audience cannot help but to loathe and made a point with the character. It is a brilliant thing to do, something you don't often find.

Bottom Line: Just by itself, 'Notes from the Underground' is worth the cost of the whole book, though the fact that you get other tales with it is an added benefit. The whole of it is worth every penny you pay for it.

-NL

Not my style apparently...prefer Marquez and scenery.......2005-02-24

I tried to enjoy this book. I wanted to, because Dostoevsky is a great writer. But each story furthered my disappointment. His language seemed too harnassed. I wanted him to let go and let it rip. Set me on fire with vivid scenery, emotional characters, some sense of the author's passion towards writing this.

What I came away with was a view of the author as too frightened to put his heart into his work. The scenes were average. The characters lacked appeal, a pulse, or anything else of relevance. The plots were average and unfinished for the most part. Dostoevsky writes with a hesitancy in these stories. Almost as if he's terrified of allowing the reader to see within his soul. I had a sense of a man blending in with a monochromatic wall, reaching a hand out and hoping someone would grasp that hand and pull him out of his shell. There was no connect. No realism. Not even a hint of raw emotion.

I've never been so disappointed as reading this book. Even amateurs I've read stir up more emotion in their characters than Dostoevsky has done in this book.

The Best Stories of Fyodor Dostoevsky: Including "Notes from the Underground" (Modern Library Classics)

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The Best Stories of Fyodor Dostoevsky: Including "Notes from the Underground" (Modern Library Classics)
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Manufacturer: Modern Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0345481267
Release Date: 2005-07-26

The Best Short Stories of Dostoyevsky (Modern Library)

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Dostoevsky's Grim View of Mankind

The Best Short Stories of Dostoyevsky (Modern Library)
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Manufacturer: Modern Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0679600205
Release Date: 1992-09-05

Customer Reviews:

Dostoevsky's Grim View of Mankind.......2001-05-07

This collection of six short stories and the novella Notes from the Underground give the reader a glimpse into the mind of one of the 19th Centuries greatest authors. The collection literally covers the entire career of the novelist. The stories offer compact detailed descriptions of life in St. Petersburg at the end of the last century.

While the stories are certainly not happy they are worth reading. The selections include the following: White Nights: a love story between a dreamer and a woman he meets and loses in a time span of 4 days. This story hearkens to later dreamers in Dostoevsky's writings including the Underground Man.

In The Honest Thief we see a more mature writer grappling with the idea of guilt associated with a minor crime. The honest thief of the title is Yemalyan who may be the genesis for later characters who are unable to avoid crime that surrounds them

The Christmas Tree and a Wedding is a straight forward story with a twist that is almost O. Henry-ish in its finale. It is probably the most perfect story in the collection.

The Peasant Marey is a recollection from the author's youth which was written during a prison stay. The purpose is to show the nobility of the peasant class.

Notes From Underground has been reviewed earlier and needs no more discussion at this point.

A Gentle Creature is an excellent example of realism. The story recounts the tortured thoughts of a less than perfect husband on the occassion of his young wife's suicide.

The Dream of a Ridiculous Man recounts Dostoevsky's final analysis of the human condition. Man is essentially good but can be corrupted bt reason and science.

On the whole this is a good introduction to the author's shorter works that with careful reading can be if not joyful quite meaningful.

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Best Short Stories of Dostoevsky
Fedor Mikha-Ilovich Dostoevski-I
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0394309669

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The Best Short Stories of Dostoevsky
Feodor (Dostoyevsky, Fyodor) Dostoevsky
Manufacturer: The Modern Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000PCC1QY

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The Best Short Stories of Dostoevsky
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Manufacturer: Modern Library, 1992
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000W4HXJA

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Best Short Stories of Dostoevsky
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Manufacturer: MODERN LIBRARY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000WDT52O

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The Best Short Stories of Fyodor Dostoevsky (Modern Library Classics)
Translator-David Magarshack
Manufacturer: Modern Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OXJVO4

Product Description

Sarah had to build something major, in her work and in her life. And Byron's searing kiss stirred wild longings in her no other man had roused. her future as an architect was in his hands. But he would trap her in a desperate passion- one never fulfilled by love. She fled to a glamorous assignment in Paris- to the embrace of an elegant Frenchman whose sensuous caress hid a dangerous ambition. Then destiny brought Byron into her life again, tempting her with new dreams, drawing her into the flames of the one unforgettable love that promised to consume her- body, heart and soul.

Promise Me Tomorrow (Rocky Mountain Memories #4)

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A Favorite
Lori Wick is wonderful
romancejunkie
Full of Imagination
Wonderful; as always

Promise Me Tomorrow (Rocky Mountain Memories #4)
Lori Wick
Manufacturer: Harvest House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0736918213

Book Description

Katherine Taggert—nicknamed “Rusty” for her curly red hair—shines like a ray of sunshine at her aunt and uncle’s orphanage. Unaccustomed to traveling alone in the pioneer West, Rusty is accompanied on her first orphanage placement trip by the kind but reserved widower Chase McCandles.

When Chase offers Rusty a position in his stately home as a companion for his young son, Quintin, Rusty accepts. But when she realized how little time Chase spends with Quintin, Rusty’s heart is torn. How can she convince Chase that his son desperately needs a father?

And can Chase learn to trust God to help him demonstrate his love and affection for Quintin—and for Rusty?

A heartwarming story of love, trust, and family.

Customer Reviews:

A Favorite.......2006-11-08

Though Lori Wick was once my favorite author, I find she's a bit too sentimental and sappy for me now, but this book still remains one of of favorites, and my mom's absolute favorite by her.

Rusty has liveliness and compassion enough to create just enough disruption in Chase's household when she comes to be a nanny to his young son, Quinton, for the summer, while his regular nanny takes a leave. Very well told as a much needed disturbance to get the caring but unaware, still-grieving father, a widower, to focus on his son's needs for more than materially. Rusty's fun personality balances out Chase's more sensible one, making them both enjoyable characters, and Quinton's just great. The problems in the book, such as Quinton having to adjust to Rusty's less strict, more fun personality, or Chase's realizations about his own aloof behavior, were well-placed.

I've had this book for several years, ended up giving it to someone because THEY enjoyed it so much, and I plan to get another copy, so I can have it on hand to read it again.

Lori Wick is wonderful.......2005-10-24

I really love this book. It is one of those stories that you can't put down. Lori knows how to get your attion and hold it. I read this book with my mom and we both loved it. You should read it today.

romancejunkie.......2003-08-19

Once again Lori Wick has written an incredible historical! I love the compassion of Katherine and the special love she has for all children. I enjoyed watching Chase grow and learn how God wanted him to care for his son. Great book!

Full of Imagination.......2002-08-08

This book I believed to be wonderful. The love between Rusty and Chase could have been more indepth, yet for those young romantics, I find this is the perfect book. It has a pretty good ending, being the last in a series. The negative I have to
say about this book would be it is not romantic enough for me. The positive is... inumerable.

Wonderful; as always.......2002-07-28

From a younger readers point of view I adored the book. Rusty had an award winning personality and Lori played her out wonderfully. I have heard many a good word about this book from my family and friends and here I am to pass it on. Another of Lori Wick's finest.

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Promise Me Tomorrow
Nora Powers
Manufacturer: Pocket Books (Mm)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 067145062X

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Didn't finish it
Good second book in this trilogy, 3.5 stars
The series gets better with book two
Promise Me Tomorrow
Another great book by C Camp

Promise Me Tomorrow (Mira)
Camp
Manufacturer: Mira
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 1551666073

Customer Reviews:

Didn't finish it.......2007-08-20

I'm a little confused. This book is being touted as a new release, but has a 2000 copyright. I'm thinking it was out before. Anyway, that isn't the reason I didn't like it.
Candace Camp has always been a little iffy for me. Sometimes I like her stuff and sometimes I don't. This time I didn't. I'm not a fan of the poor little girl who grows up to be a thief. She robs the people who looked down on her while she lived in the orphanage. Enter the handsome lord who sees through her widow's disguise and loves her for who she is. I don't know, but I'm tired of those stories. Most lords are going to treat her the way Daniel did. He was the other reason I didn't like this book. I prefer my romance novel leads to be unfettered. Oh, they can have some bad luck or heartache in their past, but I didn't like the baggage Marianne came with. Come on, it's a romance novel. The hero and heroine are always beautiful and we know that isn't always the case. So, make their stories perfect, too. If I want to read about some woman who was raped, I'll read the newspaper. Don't put it in a romance novel. There might be some women who don't mind stories like that, but I think there are a lot of women who want to escape into a good story and not feel depressed.
I'm sure this story had the requisite happy ending. Unfortunately, I didn't stick around long enough to read it. This book had lost my attention long before then.

Good second book in this trilogy, 3.5 stars.......2007-08-01

This is the story of Marianne and the man she falls in love with Justin, Lord Lambeth. Marianne works as a pick pocket, she also goes undercover as a widow, and attends some of the ton's balls in order to find the ins and outs of the house, to make it easier for the others in her family to break into the house to steal, later.

Marianne grew up in harsh conditions and thus was forced after a horrible experience to leave the house were she worked as a housekeeper (she was raped by her employer's son). Now she has a little girl which she must take care of, and if stealing is the only way to give her daughter a proper and good life, then so be it. Marianne will do it to keep her daughter safe.

I thought that Justin's character needed some more depth, not enough background was given about him. I also didn't like his willingness to turn Marianne into his mistress (but of course at the time he viewed her as a thief and adventuress) and him being the son of a duke (future duke), he knew he would have to marry one of his station. It wasn't until later in the book that he realized that his feelings for Marianne ran deeper.

However Justin won me completely over when he pursued Marianne and was adamant about marrying her, even when she protested telling him of all the reasons why they couldn't be together. He didn't care that she was but a pick pocket and he a duke.

I liked how Marianne made it clear that she would not be his mistress or any other man's. But after Marianne's experience with men, I found it a bit farfetched the way she was so ready, and directly melted at Justin's kisses without any trace of apprehension, or at least some hesitation due to what she went through before.

The suspence wasn't strong in this book. However, this was a tender, enjoyable, and good love story, with flawed and yet likable characters. A good read.

The series gets better with book two.......2004-07-31

Book one, Stolen Heart, was a good book (3 to 3 & 1/2 stars), but Camp follows it up with a better book. Although I liked Alexandra and Thorpe better than I like Marianne and Justin, the book as a whole was better, with a better-paced plot and fun new background characters. Repeat characters from book one add an enchanting familiarity and continuity.

Occasionally the rehash of events from book one are onerous if you've just read that book; readers attacking the series one after the other may want to skim over those areas. But the suspense is improved in this work.

Camp needs to work on her endings; they don't pack much wallop and leave me feeling as though something's missing. This is really a 3 & 1/2 star book for me, but it's enough of an improvement over the first one to bump it up a notch.

Promise Me Tomorrow.......2001-07-05

This is the second book of a 3-book series. The first one is "A stolen heart" and the third book is "No other love". The characters of her books are vividly written and seemingly alive. I have read all three and this book is just incredible. The story of the series is about three brother and sisters who were separated since they were young. Will they find each other? Read the whole series and find out for yourself.

Another great book by C Camp.......2001-01-02

Promise Me Tomorrow is an absolutely wonderful book. The storyline is great and the characters are well developed. You will fall in love with them! Once again Ms. Camp has told a story about a young lady who can stand on her own. It is so nice to read about a woman who is not weak or timid. Marianne has a mind of her own and uses it well. I don't want to tell too much of the story because I don't want to give anything away. This is definitely a must read book by a wonderful author. This is a fast-paced read that will keep you up at night until you're finished!

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totally different for Nora, but excellent in it's own way...

Promise Me Tomorrow
Nora Roberts
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0671470191

Customer Reviews:

totally different for Nora, but excellent in it's own way..........2002-05-20

While Promise Me Tommorow is a departure from her norm, but still a wonderfully well written book. I wouldn't have missed it for the world, and for those of you who get the chance, grab this baby! Nora swears she won't let it be reprinted, so if ever you see this book, snatch it right up!!

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The book is just so, so...
A little boring
Absolutely excellent

Promise Me Tomorrow
Lori Copeland
Manufacturer: Ivy Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0449147525
Release Date: 1993-08-04

Book Description

"Lori Copeland's joy in writing is infectious. What an utterly wonderful, delightful read. Not to be missed."
ROMANTIC TIMES
When the three McDouglas sisters were accidentally saved from the gallows by three men, Anne-Marie was saved by Creed Walker, a Crow warrior. But it was hate at first sight. Then they landed in jail, tried to hide a cache of gold and were on the run from Mexican bandits. Like it or not, they needed each other now. A bargain bordering on blackmail ensured Anne-Marie that she'd get back to her lovely larcenous sisters at Mercy Flats and that Creed would deliver the gold to the Union army. And along the way, if they didn't kill each other, the untamable warrior and the inscrutable thief might just discover love....

Customer Reviews:

The book is just so, so..........2004-08-23

This is one of thost that I found on the library shelves and didn't recognize the author or realize the pub date so I thought I would give it a try. I did finish the book but wouldn't highly recomment it. The story starts out with 3 women, the McDouglas Sisters, dressed up like nuns in a jail wagon being chased by indians. The driver's been shot and it doesn't look good for them. Three men coming from different directions decide to get involve and save each woman separately. This story focuses on Anne-Marie being saved by Creed Walker, a Crow warrior who has been raised in civilization and has been hired by the Union Army with another man to deliver gold furnished by supports for the cause to win the war. Now Creed has to add delivering Anne-Marie to Mercy Flats to join her sisters to his "to-do" list. And Anne-Marie being head strong and independent has her way of thinking how it should be done. Personalities clash but over time both start carrying for each other. There are some fun and cute parts to the book - but a good part was slow and boring. Anne-Marie wasn't that bad to me and I did like Creed. The story just didn't hold my attention.

A little boring.......2002-07-29

A mediocre work barely even worth commenting on. Anne-Marie is a little annoying and not too terribly bright.

Absolutely excellent.......2002-05-01

I read this book in 4 days. It was funny, charming, and absolutely excellent. I would read this book more than once. Definitely one of the best I've read from Lori Copeland. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.

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Promise Me Tomorrow (Rocky Mountain Memories #4)
Lori Wick
Manufacturer: Harvest House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

ASIN: 1568654456

Product Description

A heartwarming story of love, trust, and family...from the author of the bestselling Where The Wild Rose Bloms

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Diamond Promise Me Tomorrow
Catriona Flynt
Manufacturer: HarperCollins Canada / UK Fiction Pb
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0261664980
Release Date: 1994-09-28

Promise Me Law: A Preview of a Brighter Tomorrow

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Promise Me Law: A Preview of a Brighter Tomorrow
Anna Van Gogh
Manufacturer: Lucy Mary Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Promise Me Love: A Preview of a Brighter Tomorrow

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Promise Me Love: A Preview of a Brighter Tomorrow
Anna Van Gogh
Manufacturer: Lucy Mary Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0913829196

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