Skip to main content

Book Review: Fyodor Dostoevsky

Fyodor Dostoevsky (Christian Encounters Series)

I have read the novels of only two Russian authors so far.  Neither was Dostoevsky.  Reading this autobiography by Peter Leithart has whet my interest and I will be downloading one or two to my kindle soon.

As for this autobiography, I have to say it was a very good read.  The author, Peter Leithart teaches theology and literature at the college level and his familiarity with his subject was very apparent.  The purpose of this book, I believe, is to show the ways that Dostoevsky's religious beliefs aided him at the best and lowest moments of his life.  Leithart doesn't try to hide his subject's vices.  He just documents them and how Dostoevsky was able to overcome these vices as best he could with the help of his family and his faith.

Dostoevsky was raised a Christian but his faith became deeply embedded during his imprisonment in Siberia.  This is where he came to really understand the the human condition and the suffering and need of the innocent and lower classes in Russia.  This understanding formed the basis of most of his writing.

The author's portrayal of Russian society and culture is very detailed and adds to the flow of the story, making actions of various characters easier to understand.

Definitely a good read.
Labels:

Comments

  1. tapeheadsOctober 24, 2011 at 11:34 AM

    Hey Pam, have you ever read 'Reading Lolita in Tehran'? http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Reading-Lolita-Tehran-Memoir-Books-Azar-Nafisi/9780812971064-item.html?ikwid=reading+lolita+in+tehran&ikwsec=Books
    It's an excellent read. I think you'd really enjoy it!

    Joyce (tapeheads)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Taste of Canada ~ Fiddleheads

I do enjoy fiddleheads.  They have a green bean-y, asparagus-like, pea-ish taste and they are just fun to look at. From Chateline Magazine: HOW-TO It’s Almost Fiddlehead Season! Here’s How To Cook This Springtime Veggie Properly Fiddleheads are a Canadian delicacy, but undercooking them can lead to food poisoning by Amy Grief  Updated Apr 9, 2019 Fiddlehead season is short, so when you see the adorable green curlicues at your grocery store or farmers’ market, buy them while you can. Before chowing down on these little springtime delicacies, there’s a few things you should know first since fiddleheads can cause food poisoning if they’re not cooked properly. What are fiddleheads? These tightly curled coils are ostrich fern fronds. They start appearing in late April and early May in Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and are usually found in forests, marshes and by rivers and streams. Taste-wise, fiddleheads, which are popular amongst food foragers, are...
Post a Comment
Read more

Week #2 Challenge: Paper . . . and I mean ALL of your paper.

Annual Organization Challenge Week #2   How did you make out with last week's challenge? Did you find your work table? Here's this week's challenge: Your challenge this week is to  S.P.A.C.E.  your paper - - and I mean ALL of your paper: cardstock, patterned paper, specialty papers, and all those SCRAPS! SORT:  Bring all of your paper to one area. Sort it all into piles: KEEP, SELL, DONATE, TRASH PURGE:  bag up, and assign a price to paper bundles that you want to SELL at a garage sale or online, and put the bags in the garage sale box. Throw out the TRASH pile. Bag up the DONATE pile and immediately make arrangements for drop-off/pick-up or put  in your vehicle. ASSIGN:  separate your paper into categories that make sense to you. For example, you may want to divide it simply into cardstock and patterned paper. If you have a huge stash of paper, you may want to divide it by colour, theme, or manufacturer. **Another way to...
Post a Comment
Read more

Journal Prompt ~ One Thing You Do Really Well

Name one thing you do really well . . .  One thing I do really well is solve crossword puzzles.
Post a Comment
Read more