a lifestyle blog for book lovers
Menu
Crime & Punishment
I don't like to throw the word "should" when it comes to reading, but everyone should at least consider reading this classic-for-a-reason. Raskolnikov wonders whether it’s possible to murder someone without remorse and concludes it’s possible for an important person to kill someone they deem unimportant. And he sets out to do exactly that but he doesn’t count on a growing conscience or pursuit by an investigator. You could read it every year for the rest of your life and discover something new every time. My preferred translation is by David McDuff.
About the Book
Publisher’s description:
One of the supreme masterpieces of world literature, Crime and Punishment catapulted Dostoyevsky to the forefront of Russian writers and into the ranks of the world’s greatest novelists. Drawing upon experiences from his own prison days, the author recounts in feverish, compelling tones the story of Raskolnikov, an impoverished student tormented by his own nihilism, and the struggle between good and evil. Believing that he is above the law, and convinced that humanitarian ends justify vile means, he brutally murders an old woman — a pawnbroker whom he regards as “stupid, ailing, greedy…good for nothing.” Overwhelmed afterwards by feelings of guilt and terror, Raskolnikov confesses to the crime and goes to prison. There he realizes that happiness and redemption can only be achieved through suffering. Infused with forceful religious, social, and philosophical elements, the novel was an immediate success.
Other books in "A Book in Translation"
Look Inside
