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Notes From Underground

Series: Canons
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( 214,367 ratings, 19,507 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Notes From Underground by Fyodor Dostoyevsky delves into the mind of an unnamed narrator, a former civil servant living in St. Petersburg, as he grapples with consciousness in an irrational and chaotic world. Through stream-of-consciousness monologues, he explores themes of free will, societal norms, and the human condition, presenting a powerful philosophical critique while offering a glimpse into his often contradictory and conflicted worldview.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This classic novel may appeal to you if you enjoy exploring the depths of human psychology and existential themes. It delivers a profound exploration of an individual's cynicism and isolation, offering thought-provoking insights into the human condition. Ideal for readers fascinated by complex characters grappling with their place in society and the contradictions of their inner life.

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A groundbreaking new translation of Dostoyevsky's most radical work of fiction. Introduced by DBC Pierre.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

I am a sick person. I am a spiteful person. An unattractive person, too...

In the depths of a cellar in St. Petersburg, a retired civil servant spews forth a passionate and furious note on the ills of society. The underground man's manifesto reveals his erratic, self-contradictory, and even sadistic nature. Yet Dostoyevsky's disturbing character causes an uncomfortable flicker of recognition, and we see in him our own human condition.

Series: Canons

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Dostoyevsky's Notes from Underground is celebrated for its deep psychological insight and its pioneering exploration of human motivation, masterfully combining elements of comedy and tragedy. The protagonist, often considered literature's quintessential unreliable narrator, delves into self-loathing and existential angst, themes which set the stage for modern existential writing. Renowned for its stylistic prowess and intellectual irony, the book remains a potent study of human behaviour and a cornerstone of world literature.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781786899002

Publisher: Canongate Books

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 02 April 2020

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Canongate Canons

Edition: Main - Canons reissue

Contributors:

  • Translated by Natasha Randall
  • Introduction by DBC Pierre
  • Translated by Natasha Randall

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 10.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 118g

Pages: 160

About the Author

Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky was born in Moscow in 1821. He has written many works of fiction including Crime and Punishment, The Idiot and The Brothers Karamazov. He died in St. Petersburg on 9th February 1881.

Natasha Randall is a writer and literary translator. Her translations include We by Yevgeny Zamyatin and A Hero of Our Time by Mikhail Lermontov. Her writing has appeared in the Times Literary Supplement, New York Times, Los Angeles Book Review and more.

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