What are You Reading Now?

[ssjones]

I haven't figured out this new crime release yet.

The Stolen Coast: A Novel: Murphy, Dwyer: 9780593653678: Amazon.com: Books

The Stolen Coast: A Novel [Murphy, Dwyer] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Stolen Coast: A Novel

www.amazon.com

 

[anantaandroscoggin]

Dixie Gun Works 2023 Catalog.

That's 592 pages of muzzle-loading goodies, tips, and how-to articles.

 

[brooklynpiper]

The balance of the rest of August

 

[bluegrassbrian]

 

[puff_not_snuff]

I started The Idiot recently. Haven't read Dostoevsky since I was a teen and for some reason I didn't remember his books being so easy to read. I thought they were a bit more "difficult". Before that I had been reading Celine's Journey to the End of the Night for like 2 years. Love the prose but it gets a bit much after a while and became like a bit of an albatross so I decided to move on... Anyways, I'm very much enjoying The Idiot and find it rather humerous at times.

 

[warren]

The Prague Cemetery, Eco.

 

[makhorkasmoker]

 

[brian64]

I started The Idiot recently. Haven't read Dostoevsky since I was a teen and for some reason I didn't remember his books being so easy to read. I thought they were a bit more "difficult". Before that I had been reading Celine's Journey to the End of the Night for like 2 years. Love the prose but it gets a bit much after a while and became like a bit of an albatross so I decided to move on... Anyways, I'm very much enjoying The Idiot and find it rather humerous at times.

I'm a Dostoevsky fanatic...love all of his stories. His major novels are all masterworks (and there are so many treasures in his shorter stories as well). The Idiot is absolutely wonderful in so many ways.

 

[crashthegrey]

After getting sidetracked by shorter novels for a summer reading challenge at the local library, I am back on The Dark Tower series by King. Book Seven, The Dark Tower.

 

[puff_not_snuff]

I'm a Dostoevsky fanatic...love all of his stories. His major novels are all masterworks (and there are so many treasures in his shorter stories as well). The Idiot is absolutely wonderful in so many ways.

Well, I'm going to have to revisit Crime & Punishment at some point but I might actually read a different translation after I finish this one as it's not what I've read online as being one of the better translations. Might you have a recommendation in that regard? And... what are your favorite Dostoevsky novels not mentioning the two above?

 

[brian64]

Well, I'm going to have to revisit Crime & Punishment at some point but I might actually read a different translation after I finish this one as it's not what I've read online as being one of the better translations. Might you have a recommendation in that regard? And... what are your favorite Dostoevsky novels not mentioning the two above?

The only translation I've read of his major novels is Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky, so I can't personally compare with others...but one of the foremost Dostoevsky authorities, Joseph Frank (I've also read his 5 volume Dostoevsky biography) considered their translations to be the "closest to Dostoevsky's Russian as possible".

It's hard for me to compare or rank the major novels because I like them all so much (I've read them all twice and Karamazov 3 times) but if I had to pick, I'd probably put them in this order (with The Idiot and C&P really tied for third):

The Brothers Karamazov
Demons
The Idiot
Crime and Punishment
The Adolescent

 

[milk]

I’ve been reading a series of British novels to my 5-year old called “The Famous Five.” Being an American, I hadn’t heard of these. They’re a kind of kids’ mystery series written starting in the 40’s. Unlike The Hardy Boys, they have the advantage of being written by one author. I wonder if anyone here has heard of these? My son loves them, although he gets a bit scared sometimes. They’re pretty well-written and it’s fun and funny reading this “old world” view of life - lots of pipe-smoking amongst the adults. Apparently, this was made into a successful TV series though I’m not telling my son that yet.

 

[Sam Gamgee]

The only translation I've read of his major novels is Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky, so I can't personally compare with others...but one of the foremost Dostoevsky authorities, Joseph Frank (I've also read his 5 volume Dostoevsky biography) considered their translations to be the "closest to Dostoevsky's Russian as possible".

It's hard for me to compare or rank the major novels because I like them all so much (I've read them all twice and Karamazov 3 times) but if I had to pick, I'd probably put them in this order (with The Idiot and C&P really tied for third):

The Brothers Karamazov
Demons
The Idiot
Crime and Punishment
The Adolescent

I need to read some Dostoevsky at some point. Of the Russians, I’ve only read some Tolstoy, and all those books were from his post-conversion period. He stated then that his earlier works (like W&P) weren’t even worth reading.

 

[makhorkasmoker]

I need to read some Dostoevsky at some point. Of the Russians, I’ve only read some Tolstoy, and all those books were from his post-conversion period. He stated then that his earlier works (like W&P) weren’t even worth reading.

I am not alone when I say the great Tolstoy was wrong when it came his rejection of his earlier novels

 

[makhorkasmoker]

The only translation I've read of his major novels is Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky, so I can't personally compare with others...but one of the foremost Dostoevsky authorities, Joseph Frank (I've also read his 5 volume Dostoevsky biography) considered their translations to be the "closest to Dostoevsky's Russian as possible".

It's hard for me to compare or rank the major novels because I like them all so much (I've read them all twice and Karamazov 3 times) but if I had to pick, I'd probably put them in this order (with The Idiot and C&P really tied for third):

The Brothers Karamazov
Demons
The Idiot
Crime and Punishment
The Adolescent

I like Constance Garnett, but I’m old school

 

[Sam Gamgee]

I am not alone when I say the great Tolstoy was wrong when it came his rejection of his earlier novels

I want to read W&P mainly to see what all the fuss is about, and also it seems like for one to be considered educated, he would need to read most of what’s considered classic. I read Moby Dick for this reason. Did not enjoy it _at all_ but it fed my vanity/ego to have “read it.” CS Lewis says somewhere that reading a book once hardly settles the matter.

On Tolstoy, I found some of his post-conversion books/stories _very_ powerful. They had a big impact on me. I read from his calendar most days. I find his strict vegetarianism and pacifism hard to fully understand, but he has taught me a lot.

 

[makhorkasmoker]

I want to read W&P mainly to see what all the fuss is about, and also it seems like for one to be considered educated, he would need to read most of what’s considered classic. I read Moby Dick for this reason. Did not enjoy it _at all_ but it fed my vanity/ego to have “read it.” CS Lewis says somewhere that reading a book once hardly settles the matter.

On Tolstoy, I found some of his post-conversion books/stories _very_ powerful. They had a big impact on me. I read from his calendar most days. I find his strict vegetarianism and pacifism hard to fully understand, but he has taught me a lot.

View attachment 243644

I love his post conversion non fiction. And I liked Resurrection, a post conversion novel, but for me (and many others) there’s no topping Anna karenina & War and Peace.

 

[PipePint&Cross]

I like Constance Garnett, but I’m old school

I agree, it retains some of the stylization (to my English language ear) that I associate with that time period. And I just find P&V's translation very awkward. I plan on re-reading Dostoevsky with updated and annotated Garnett translations, like the Norton edition of The Brother Karamazov.

 

[brian64]

I need to read some Dostoevsky at some point. Of the Russians, I’ve only read some Tolstoy, and all those books were from his post-conversion period. He stated then that his earlier works (like W&P) weren’t even worth reading.

I haven't read any Tolstoy...I may at some point. I don't pretend to be well read in the classics...I do read a lot but the vast majority of it is non-fiction. The two fiction authors I've read the most are Dostoevsky and PKD...and then of course Tolkien as well.

From what I've read regarding the differences between Tolstoy and Dostoevsky, my impression is that the reasons I love Dostoevsky are precisely the reasons why I'm not overly motivated to read Tolstoy.

 

[brian64]

I like Constance Garnett, but I’m old school

I agree, it retains some of the stylization (to my English language ear) that I associate with that time period. And I just find P&V's translation very awkward. I plan on re-reading Dostoevsky with updated and annotated Garnett translations, like the Norton edition of The Brother Karamazov.

I've thought of reading the Garnett versions as well, but I so deeply loved the P&V that I'm not sure I want to experience it any other way. I may at some point read the Garnett Karamazov.

I didn't start reading Dostoevsky until the '90s. I don't remember what initially drew me to it, but so glad I did...there's just so much that resonates deeply with me. His life with the near execution experience and the Siberian prison and how his views changed and evolved interest me a lot as well...Frank's biography is fascinating.

Regarding the translations, I've read some various things regarding the differences, and the P&V approach seems more appealing to me. Below is an interesting piece that includes commentary on Garnett and P&V.:

The Translation Wars

How the race to translate Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky continues to spark feuds, end friendships, and create small fortunes.

www.newyorker.com