[joebergeron]

I love Dostoevsky; for those interested in him, or in Russian literature, but who might find the "genre" hard to breach, I can't recommend Dostoevsky's "Notes From Underground" enough. It's a very quick read, and what initially convinced me to continue exploring Russian writing.

[jorgesborges]

Another great introduction is his short stories. I’ll add a link below to one of my favourites. A noble with a big, misguided heart and high, lofty head gets drunk with his aristocratic buddies and talks about humaneness and the people and blah blah, and on his drunken carriage ride home sees a wedding celebration at one of his subordinate’s home and invites himself in and ruins everything.

It’s such an amazing exposition of the gap separating our thoughts and ideals and reality, self grandeur and delusion, etc. It’s also very funny in The Office kind of way.

https://onemorelibrary.com/index.php/en/?option=com_djclassi...

[WHA8m]

I love Dostojewski (german spelling) as well. I just finished "A gentle creature" and once again Dostojewski caught me off guard. He has such a talent in describing human behavior and motive - especially the morally ill traits. I believe there is a piece for everyone of us that we can profit of and understand ourselves better. This recent story opened my eyes for some inner happenings that I feel and know of but couldn't really work out. This really set me on a trip forwards. Thanks Fjodor!

PS: To put this a bit in perspective, I'm in my twenties and always felt like an alien around my peers, family, etc. . I haven't had anyone to relate with before I started reading more. Yes, Hesse also did it for me ;)

[briliantbrandon]

I want to second the Notes From Underground recommendation. I took a class focused on Dostoevsky as an elective in college and the professor had us start with reading Notes From Underground. It did a fantastic job of setting the tone and expectations for the course. One of the few things I read in college that I actually have held onto my copy of.

[lordgroff]

One of the greatest works of all time (according to me) and also quite underrated among all his celebrated works, at least in North America.