Notes from Underground & the Double

Peak shiii...one of the masterpieces of dostoevsky.

Always a fan of penguin publisher. As usual book was in good condition with fine quality of pages and delivered timely in good condition.

Binding quality is disappointing, specially from penguin. Can't complain about the content.

I mean it is a masterpiece in itself from the way of story telling to the discussion and presentation of most complex ideas is just insane. It might be a little difficult for you to understand if you're just starting the collection of Dostoevsky, I would recommend to read Poor folks first to get familiar to his way of writing and then you can start this book. It's not too long it took me 1 week to finish it's its first reading and I don't read have time to read much, so You can easily complete it. All the best and keep exploring.

I received the book in a good condition, the text print is also good no misprints and according to the price the book is overall good🎀

The stories are of course good. The book was of decent quality, nice printing.

It's not damaged but there's something already written and scribbled on the cover which is unethical. The page quality is just alright.

Expected a better translation from penguin. The double especially is horrible. Couldn't get myself to read it. Still readable though, if you persist.

This is not a character study. It is a confession wrapped in barbed wire. The Underground Man does not speak to entertain you. He speaks to unravel you. He whispers things you’ve thought but would never admit. He contradicts himself. He despises himself. He picks apart his own thoughts like they are scabs. And he dares you to keep reading. There is no plot. No clean moral arc. Just a mind in full collapse, walking you through the slow death of pride, intellect, and meaning. What makes it devastating is that it is not a performance. It is sincere. Pathetic and terrifying and utterly human. Dostoevsky knew exactly what he was doing. He stripped away every excuse, every defense mechanism, and handed us something raw and alive. The Underground Man is not likable. That is the point. His voice has no filter. It drags you through humiliation, fantasy, rage, and isolation with brutal clarity. You are meant to squirm. This book is short. But it leaves a long echo. It forces you to sit with the parts of yourself you’d rather avoid. The ones that sulk, sabotage, overthink, withdraw, lash out, then beg for forgiveness without deserving it. You don’t finish this book and feel better. You finish it and feel seen in a way that makes your stomach tighten. Five stars. Not for comfort. For truth.

I have not read the book but I am excited. The book's paper and cover quality feels solid. The font/text inside is a good size and easyily readable

This book was wonderful, it is a precursor of existentialist novels and it offers a deep insight of "the man from the underground" to read before crime and punishment and the brothers Karamazov !

I'm pleased👍🏼

Notes From Underground is easily my second favorite among Dostoevsky's works (behind Brothers, obviously). It has become more and more relevant as generations pass into the modern era, where now the "Underground man" has become almost commonplace. A truly prescient look into and critique of the philosophy of modern liberalism/rationalism. The translation by Ronald Wilks is very good as well, I think he chooses better wording for certain phrases compared to other translations, while maintaining readability. He maintains a balance of the Underground man being intelligent and well spoken while also being unhinged, while other translations make him sound a little too stupid, when he clearly isn't. Overall 10/10, a great introduction to Dostoevsky (I have not read the Double yet)