The Idiot by fyodor-dostoevsky
By fyodor-dostoevskyThe Idiot by fyodor-dostoevsky
Fyodor Dostoyevsky's The Idiot is an immaculate portrait of innocence tainted by the brutal reality of human greed. This Penguin Classics edition is translated from the Russian by David McDuff, with an introduction by William Mills Todd III.
Returning to St Petersburg from a Swiss sanatorium, the gentle and naive epileptic Prince Myshkin - the titular 'idiot' - pays a visit to his distant relative General Yepanchin and proceeds to charm the General, his wife, and his three daughters. But his life is thrown into turmoil when he chances on a photograph of the beautiful Nastasya Filippovna. Utterly infatuated with her, he soon finds himself caught up in a love triangle and drawn into a web of blackmail, betrayal, and finally, murder. Inspired by an image of Christ's suffering Dostoyevsky sought to portray in Prince Myshkin the purity of a 'truly beautiful soul' and explore the perils that innocence and goodness face in a corrupt world.
David McDuff's new translation brilliantly captures the novel's idiosyncratic and dream-like language and the nervous, elliptic flow of the narrative. This edition also contains a new introduction by William Mills Todd III, which is a fascinating examination of the pressures on Dostoyevsky as he wrote the story of his Christ-like hero.
Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky (1821-1881) was born in Moscow. From 1849-54 he lived in a convict prison, and in later years his passion for gambling led him deeply into debt. His other works available in Penguin Classics include Crime & Punishment, The Idiot and Demons.
If you enjoyed The Idiot, you might like Anton Chekhov's Ward No. 6 and Other Stories, also available in Penguin Classics.
'McDuff's language is rich and alive'
The New York Times Book Review
'[The Idiot's] ... narrative is so compelling'
Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury
Book details
- Paperback
- 784 pages
- English
- 014044792X
- 9780140447927
About fyodor-dostoevsky
fyodor mikhailovich dostoevsky was a russian novelist, short story writer, essayist, and journalist. his literary works explore human psychology in the tro Read More about fyodor-dostoevsky
More Books By fyodor-dostoevsky
White Nights and Other Stories by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
New Book
People who bought this also bought
23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism By Ha-Joon Chang
New Book
How to Talk to Anyone: 92 Little Tricks for Big Success in Relationships book by Leil Lowndes
New Book
Once a Catholic: Prominent Catholics and Ex-Catholics Discuss the Influence of the Church on Their Lives and Work
Used Book
The Bhutto Dynasty: The Struggle for Power in Pakistan book by Owen Bennett-Jones
New Book
The King of Oil: The Secret Lives of Marc Rich book by Daniel Ammann
New Book
Jewish Identity and Palestinian Rights: Diaspora Jewish Opposition to Israel book by David Landy
New Book
The Grandparents Handbook : Games, Activities, Tips, How-Tos, and All-Around Fun
Used Book
Direct from Dell Strategies That Revolutionized an Industry book by Michael Dell
New Book
Ivuku Rio Uvoro Mwaro [Kiembu Kimbeere Bible Dark Brown Vinyl]
New Book
Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die book by Chip Heath , Dan Heath
New Book
Valley of the Casbahs: A Journey Across the Moroccan Sahara book by Jeffrey Tayler
New Book
Lioness: Golda Meir and the Nation of Israel book by Francine Klagsbrun
New Book
The Pilates Powerhouse : The Total Body Sculpting System for Losing Weight and Reshaping Your Body from Head to Toe
Used Book
How to Run a Country: An Ancient Guide for Modern Leaders book by Marcus Tullius Cicero
New Book
The Jenn-air Cookbook: Recipes, Tips, and Techniques to Bring the Best in Convection Cooking
Used Book
Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity book by Katherine Boo
New Book
Daughter of the East: An Autobiography book by Benazir Bhutto
New Book
Powershift: Transform Any Situation, Close Any Deal, and Achieve Any Outcome book by Daymond John
New Book
The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream book by Barack Obama
Used Book
Clark Howard's Living Large in Lean Times: 250+ Ways to Buy Smarter, Spend Smarter, and Save Money
Used Book
Ahmadinejad: The Secret History of Iran?s Radical Leader book by Kasra Naji
New Book
Approval Addiction: Overcoming Your Need to Please Everyone book by Joyce Meyer
Used Book
The Principal Teachings of Buddhism (Classics of Middle Asia)
Used Book
Think Like a White Man book by Boulé Whytelaw III
New Book
Writing a Woman's Life book by Carolyn G. Heilbrun
Used Book