Notes from Underground

This version seems to be an illegal “publication.” No publisher info, no copywrite info, translation inform or anything. Seems like someone just copy and pasted from the internet.

Not all of this book is easy to read -- despite being more of a novella-length. Its sardonic, sarcastic, yet cautionary tone is told by a unreliable narrator who has been damaged by his experiences and it has changed him profoundly, making him sometimes contradictory or hypocritical, or simply as non-committal and flippant as those he criticizes. It's very interesting. We are forced to assess Dostoevsky's narrator's veracity as such a tainted individual, within the context of his often keen insights -- equally -- while wondering if his own mindset is that of a societal victim or a wise prophet of future doom with him as the example. Add in his anti-nihilist societal commentary as well, while he's sounding much like a nihilist at times too -- or is he being sarcastic -- or cathartic? It's very, very good, but one has to be willing to take the dive into it.

Certainly, Crime and Punishment is easier to read, has some of the similar themes, and has more narrative foundation and flow, but Notes from Underground cuts straight to the brain-stem, eliminating much storytelling in lieu of mostly pure thoughts. Ambitious.

A must if you are a reader. Simple and short and yet weeks of processing still.

The book is translated well. I really enjoyed it.

I FOUND IT EXTREMEMELY GOOD...WISH I HAD READ IT AT AGE 17...

Good to understand

One wonders how a book like this becomes a classic. It is unintelligible and mind-numbing boring. Don’t waste your time.