September {2018} Group Read -- NOTES FROM UNDERGROUND by Fyodor Dostoevsky

[Charity]

The discussion is open.

[George P.]

Here we go- I get "the floor" first! This is the fourth Dostoevsky work I've read, the others being Crime and Punishment (which I read first, long ago), The Brothers Karamozov, and the novella or short story White Nights. Of these four, Notes from Underground was the second written, Karamazov was the last. I'm not a literary expert so I won't try to give it any kind of deep examination, but I think "Notes" is the least structured of these, though all of them have a fairly loose, rambling structure. As far as how much I liked it, I gave Karamazov and White Nights a better (4 star) rating, as I found the first part of "Notes" rather tiresome. The later 2/3 or so was of more interest.

[George P.]

I hesitate to mark a rating for myself on Crime and Punishment because it was so long ago that i read it, but probably four stars also.

[Sammy]

I'm beginning to think the Russian greats are just not for me. Having said that, Notes from Underground is my highest rated to date, with 3/5. It amused me in parts (which I'm fairly certain it wasn't supposed to), whereas Dostoevsky's The idiot just bored me to tears. I was similarly unimpressed with Lermontov, and am currently fighting my way through War and Peace, and so far it's not looking good for the rating. This surprised me, as I read Anna Karenina about 20 years ago, and loved it!

But back to Notes from Underground. I think the main problem is how forgettable it is. I read it a couple of months ago, and the only part I can remember is him planning to bump into someone in the square to show himself the man's equal. I believe he had to sell his coat too?

[George P.]

Sammy wrote: "I'm beginning to think the Russian greats are just not for me. Having said that, Notes from Underground is my highest rated to date, with 3/5. It amused me in parts (which I'm fairly certain it wasn't supposed to)..."

I think Notes is supposed to be amusing with how neurotic and misanthropic the main character is. Especially his dealings with his servant were funny I thought.
I have yet to read War and Peace, though I liked Anna K also. I watched the new film of W & P recently (with Paul Dano) and thought it very good and I felt encouraged to read it sometime soon. Maybe watching the dvd or streaming it would help inspire you to complete it.
I was just checking out the Goodreads "Best Russian Literature" list and see that Dostoevsky has the 1st and 2nd places in the voting with Crime & P and The Brothers K.

[Tatiana]

I am Russian and I grew up on Russian literature, but I do not remember reading "Notes from underground" before.

If you ever felt miserable and shameful, the book will bring it up. Reading this book is similar to watching someone close to you humiliating himself. Painful.

I want to quote the review of this book on Goodreads I tremendously liked: you do not 'get' Dostoevsky, but Dostoevsky 'gets' you. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Enjoy.

[George P.]

Tatiana wrote: "I am Russian and I grew up on Russian literature, but I do not remember reading "Notes from underground" before.
If you ever felt miserable and shameful, the book will bring it up. Reading this bo..."

I enjoyed reading that review you referenced, thanks. I agree that we probably see a little of ourselves in the "Notes" main character, so can be uncomfortable if you take yourself very seriously.

[Amanda]

I read this one years ago and I remember enjoying it quite a bit. I love how the book draws the contrast between deep internal monologue and external failure. The points this brings up about initiative and action being crucial to realized genius, and the degree of delusion common to many misanthropes were interesting to me for sure.

[Nicola]

I've been unable to get past the first past. I find the rambling narrator so boring I'd rather read anything else. I also tried it via audiobook and was so uninterested my ears shut down and I realised it had been running for half an hour without me paying the slightest bit of attention.

This will be a chore!