Constance Garnett Books

The final masterpiece from the celebrated author of Crime and Punishment and The Idiot... This extraordinary novel, Dostoyevsky’s last and greatest work, tells the dramatic story of four brothers—Dmitri, pleasure-seeking, impatient, unruly . . . Ivan, brilliant and morose . . . Alyosha, gentle, loving, honest . . . and the illegitimate Smerdyakov, sly, silent, cruel. Driven by intense passion, they become involved in the brutal murder of their own father, one of the most loathsome characters in all literature. Featuring the famous chapter, “The Grand Inquisitor,” Dostoyevsky’s final masterpiece is at once a complex character study, a riveting murder mystery, and a fascinating examination of man’s morality and the question of God’s existence. Translated by Constance Garnett Edited and with a Foreword by Manuel Komroff and an Afterword by Sara Paretsky

Oscar Wilde claimed that Humiliated and Insulted is not at all inferior to the other great masterpieces and Friedrich Nietzsche is said to have wept over it. Its construction is that of an intricate detective novel, and the reader is plunged into a world of moral degradation, childhood trauma and, above all, unrequited love.

Saintly Prince Myshkin returns to Russia from a Swiss sanitorium and finds himself a stranger in a society obsessed with wealth, power and sexual conquest. He soon becomes entangled in a love triangle with a notorius kept woman, Nastasya, and a beautiful young girl, Aglaya.

Fyodor Dostoyevsky was born on November 11, 1821, and was introduced to literature early in life, with his mother teaching him to read and write using the Bible. His literary immersion was profound, fueled by his parents' nightly readings. Tragedy struck in 1837 when his mother died of tuberculosis, and he and his brother were enrolled at the Nikolayev Military Engineering Institute, where Dostoyevsky found little interest in military studies, preferring drawing and architecture. His father's death in 1839 may have triggered his epilepsy, yet he persevered, eventually becoming an engineer cadet. His first completed work, a translation of Balzac's "Eugénie Grandet," was published in 1843 but failed commercially. He then wrote "Poor Folk," which was a success, followed by "The Double," which received poor reviews and exacerbated his health issues. Involved in socialist circles, Dostoyevsky faced arrest in 1849 for distributing banned works, leading to a death sentence commuted to four years of hard labor in Siberia. His prison experiences inspired "The House of the Dead," published in 1861. He later completed "The Gambler" in just 26 days. Despite continued health decline, including a diagnosis of pulmonary emphysema, he published "Demons" in 1873. Dostoyevsky died on February 9, 1881, after suffering multiple pulmonary hemorrhages.

Nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read Raskolnikov, a destitute and desperate former student, wanders through the slums of St Petersburg and commits a random murder without remorse or regret. He imagines himself to be a great man, a Napoleon: acting for a higher purpose beyond conventional moral law. But as he embarks on a dangerous game of cat and mouse with a suspicious police investigator, Raskolnikov is pursued by the growing voice of his conscience and finds the noose of his own guilt tightening around his neck. Only Sonya, a downtrodden prostitute, can offer the chance of redemption. This vivid translation by David McDuff has been acclaimed as the most accessible version of Dostoyevsky’s great novel, rendering its dialogue with a unique force and naturalism. This edition also includes a new chronology of Dostoyevsky’s life and work.

A collection of one novella and six short stories - The Gambler, Bobok, The Dream of a Ridiculous Man, A Christmas Party and a Wedding, A Nasty Story and The Meek One.

"Anna Karenina" is perhaps the greatest novel of all time. It tells the story of Anna, married to the dull, cold Karenin in 19th century St. Petersburg, Russia. She falls in love with a handsome young soldier, Vronsky. At first Anna is happy, but the story ends in despair, and death. -- from p. 4 of cover.

The novel explores the tumultuous relationship between 19-year-old Arkady Dolgoruky and his father, the notorious landowner Versilov, as Arkady returns to St. Petersburg after years at boarding school. As he navigates the complexities of his family's scandalous affairs, the story delves into deep psychological, emotional, and moral conflicts, reflecting the intricacies of the human condition. Dostoyevsky's rich characterizations and themes make this work a significant contribution to literature, showcasing the author's profound understanding of human nature.

Presented here in a masterful new translation by Michael Pursglove, this landmark collection established the literary reputation of the author, who considered it his most significant contribution to Russian literature, and is universally regarded as a milestone in the Russian realist tradition.

A rich and idle man confronts his dead mistress's husband in this psychological novel of duality. Powerful and accessible, it offers a captivating and revealing exploration of love, guilt, and hatred.