I was overpowered by the mere sensation of that dream and it alone survived in my sorely wounded heart.
— The Dream of a Ridiculous Man
Fyodor Dostoevsky was a Russian philosopher, novelist, short-story writer, essayist and journalist, regarded as one of the greatest novelists in Russian and world literature. His work explores the human condition in the troubled political, social and spiritual climate of 19th-century Russia.
His most acclaimed novels include Crime and Punishment, The Idiot, Demons and The Brothers Karamazov, and his novella Notes from Underground is considered one of the first works of existentialist literature. Born in Moscow in 1821, he studied at the Nikolayevsky Engineering Academy and worked as an engineer before his first novel, Poor Folk, gained him entry into the literary circles of Saint Petersburg. He was arrested in 1849. The Brothers Karamazov and Crime and Punishment are his most quoted works in our library.
His most acclaimed novels include Crime and Punishment, The Idiot, Demons and The Brothers Karamazov, and his novella Notes from Underground is considered one of the first works of existentialist literature. Born in Moscow in 1821, he studied at the Nikolayevsky Engineering Academy and worked as an engineer before his first novel, Poor Folk, gained him entry into the literary circles of Saint Petersburg. He was arrested in 1849. The Brothers Karamazov and Crime and Punishment are his most quoted works in our library.
I believe he was feeling a bit nervous. Possibly it was my costume that took him aback. I was dressed quite well, even elegantly, and looked as if I belonged to the best society.
— The Gambler
Can you blame me, my dear, for looking on this attachment as a romantic folly inspired by that cursed Shakespeare who will poke his nose where he is not wanted?
— Uncle's Dream
What does reason know? Reason only knows what it has succeeded in learning...
— Notes from Underground, White Nights, The Dream of a Ridiculous Man, and Selections from The House of the Dead
— The Brothers Karamazov
Everything which is of use to mankind is honourable.
— Crime and Punishment
How good life is when one does something good and just!
— The Brothers Karamazov
At that time I was only twenty-four years old. My life then was already gloomy, disorderly, and solitary to the point of savagery.
— Notes from Underground
Education has nothing whatever to do with moral deterioration; and if one must admit that it develops a resolute spirit among the people, that is far from being a defect.
— The House of the Dead
A complete atheist stands on the next-to-last upper step to the most complete faith (he may or may not take that step), while the indifferent one has no faith, apart from a bad fear.
— Demons
If you want to be respected by others, the great thing is to respect yourself. Only by that, only by self-respect will you compel others to respect you.
— The Insulted and Humiliated
Be not forgetful of prayer. Every time you pray, if your prayer is sincere, there will be new feeling and new meaning in it, which will give you fresh courage, and you will understand that prayer is an education.
— The Brothers Karamazov
I am a dreamer. I know so little of real life that I just can’t help re-living such moments as these in my dreams, for such moments are something I have very rarely experienced. I am going to dream about you the whole night, the whole week, the whole year.
— White Nights
You must know that there is nothing higher and stronger and more wholesome and good for life in the future than some good memory, especially a memory of childhood, of home. People talk to you a great deal about your education, but some good, sacred memory, preserved from childhood, is perhaps the best education.
— The Brothers Karamazov
The soul is healed by being with children.
Above all, avoid lying, especially lying to yourself. Keep watching out for your lies, watch for them every hour, every minute. Also avoid disgust, both for others and yourself: whatever strikes you as disgusting within yourself is cleansed by the mere fact that you notice it. Avoid fear, too, although fear is really only a consequence of lies. Never be afraid of your petty selfishness when you try to achieve love and don’t be too alarmed if you act badly on occasion.
— The Brothers Karamazov
You said just now, "Don't be so ashamed of yourself, because that's the root of your trouble"––with those words, you seem to have reached right into my innermost soul. What I mean is, when I visit people, I always feel that I'm really the lowest of the low, that everybody takes me for a buffoon, so I say to myself, why shouldn't I act the fool, I'm not afraid of what any of you might think, because every single one of you is even worse than me. That's why I'm a buffoon, I'm a buffoon born of shame, great starets, of shame. It's anxiety pure and simple that makes me so unruly.
— The Brothers Karamazov