Notes from Underground in Never too Late to Read Classics

Apr 16, 2014 Chrissie rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: philo-psychol, soviet-union, audible-us, 2015-read, classics

I liked this book for one reason. Dostoyevsky understands people. This understanding is revealed in the book's lines, not in the plot. Neither can I say I appreciated how he tied together the different elements of the story. The central character is an unnamed anti-hero. The book starts with chapters expressing the anti-hero's thoughts. They are ugly but true expressions of how people behave and what motivates us. The next part details the events that led up to why he now is where he is and why I liked this book for one reason. Dostoyevsky understands people. This understanding is revealed in the book's lines, not in the plot. Neither can I say I appreciated how he tied together the different elements of the story. The central character is an unnamed anti-hero. The book starts with chapters expressing the anti-hero's thoughts. They are ugly but true expressions of how people behave and what motivates us. The next part details the events that led up to why he now is where he is and why he has these sentiments. The thoughts are all negative. The anti-hero is psychologically unbalanced. He has an extreme inferiority complex. For me it is a weakness that these truthful observations are spoken by a person who is so very unbalanced. By presenting these thought in this manner the truths proclaimed are weakened. In addition, they are exaggerated. People are not just stupid, vengeful, dishonest creatures seeking aggrandizement. We are this way sometimes, but not always, as the story so portrays us.

But there are such wise statements made in the book's lines, about all sorts of human behavior and emotions. All readers will recognize their own ridiculous behavior in the irrational behavior of the anti-hero. Should I give just one example of a silly behavior I recognize in myself, an episode that plays out exactly as what I myself have done? There is an episode where the anti-hero decides he will NOT move out of the way of another man. He will NOT do it. Well, I once acted similarly. I was sick and tired of always getting out of the way of teenagers who totally occupied the sidewalk when they left or started school. Their number gave them strength. They never said excuse me or diverted their path in the slightest. They hogged the whole sidewalk. I walked there every day at that time. The pattern repeated itself every day. I determined I would not change my direction. I would stand there immovable; they could move out of my way for once! This is exactly what the anti-hero does. I recognized in his silly behavior my own ridiculousness.

Simon Vance does an excellent narration of the audiobook. He speaks quickly, and yet as he spoke every word melted into my head and I comprehended it.

Read this book for the lines therein. Dostoyevsky so well understands people. ...more

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Apr 23, 2011 Laura rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: novellas, gutenberg, 1001-books-you-must-read-before-you, mtbr-challenge-2015, philosophy, e-books, russian-fiction, fiction-19th-century, read-2015

Free download available at Project Gutenberg.

5* The Brothers Karamazov
4* Crime and Punishment
4* The Idiot
4* The Gambler
3* The Christmas Tree and the Wedding
3* The Village of Stepanchikovo
3* White Nights
3* Notes from Underground
TR The Insulted and Injured
TR The Gentle Spirit: A Fantastic Story
TR Devils
TR The Eternal Husband
TR The Grand Inquisitor
TR The Double
TR Poor People
...more

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Feb 14, 2022 Hollyy rated it it was ok · review of another edition

OK, Some really great observations. Not my jam.
I was amused by Underground Man.
I hated Underground Man.
I do not like Underground Man, I am

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Nov 16, 2012 Natalie rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: classics

Read this with my daughter as a school assignment. She likes the book. It is an interesting mix of narrative and internal dialogue. But the author is so narcissistic and petty I felt angry at him. He is a poor but intelligent worker in Russia who is obsessed with proving himself to those around him. He spends all his money trying to feel superior to a stranger, then to impress his former schoolmates. Finally he lectures a prostitute who then discovers he is pretty pathetic himself.

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