EVERYONE Has Read This but Me - The Catch-Up Book Club discussion

Hello and welcome to the buddy read of The Brothers Karamazov by the one and only Fyodor Dostoyevsky.
Here we can discuss when and how we want to read together and, of course, the book.
Happy reading everyone!

Hi there Betsy! so excited about this TBK Buddy Read. TBH, I've been wanting to read this book since 1987, but I just found the whole endeavor too daunting. And it wasn't fun to read on my own. When will you start reading?

*or did you just help us set up this forum? Many thanks for this!

Looking forward to it too, never read Dostoyevsky before.

I have read Crime and Punishment. It is good. At present I am reading notes from the Underground. The Brothers Karamazovs is very lengthy that’s why it will be fun as a buddy read.

I’ve not read Dostoyevsky either that I recall, also looking forward.

Page count I think is about 850, not sure how everyone else’s schedule is, but I’ll probably need 2 months for this.

I have not read any of his works, but back in university in 1987, we studied a few pages from The Brothers Karamazov in one of my Philosophy classes. I thought back then how brilliant it was, and that I wanted to read the rest of the book when I found the time. BTW, there are several translations. Which one will you be reading? I will be reading the one by Constance Garnett.

I have the same translation. It was on iBooks, so I just downloaded it, I don’t think much of translation, this one is easy read.

Frances, I won't be joining this buddy read (although Crime and Punishment is one of my all-time favourite books), I just set up the thread for you guys.

When we are starting the book?

September

Ok. But I have to make a reminder because I am not a planner, I tried to plan my readings in the beginning of the year but this year everything went contrary to everybody’s plan.☹️

I am reading Letters Home by Sylvia Plath because after reading The Bell Jar, I wanted to know more about her. I did not know she did her thesis on Fyodor Dostoyevsky and one of the aspect of The Brothers Karamazov... it's a little bit of a coincidence that two authors I am discovering in 2020 have this link.

So excited to read this! Been crossed and told by many opportunity about this impactful book (especially to Christian doctrine), but just bought it now! Looking forward to read it together :)

France-Andrée wrote: "I am reading Letters Home by Sylvia Plath because after reading The Bell Jar, I wanted to know more about her. I did not know she did her thesis on Fy..."</i>

Which aspect of [book:The Brothers Karamazov did Sylvia Plath do her thesis on? I read The bell jar twice, but I don’t think I fully appreciated it. I would gladly join a buddy reads to find out what nuances I missed.

Has anyone started reading yet? How far along are you?

Hello , I am interested in joining your buddy read

We are reading this in september.

Sylvia Plath's thesis was on (view spoiler)[doubles in Fyodor Dostoyevsky, she used one of the brothers in The Brothers Karamazov (can't remember which one since I didn't want to remember it since I'm reading this for the for time with you guys and she also used The Double (hide spoiler)], not sure how much of a spoiler it is, but since I don't know the book at all, I prefer not to spoil anyone.

I'm interested in trying out the buddy read for this, Ive started this book a few times but always abandon it I might have a rough translation though. I find it takes me so long to read and fully understand some of the text that I get frustrated and walk away from it.

Hey guys I am new and have been wanting to read The Brother’s Karamazov for so long, I loved Crime and Punishment and Notes from the Underground. Looking forward to September.

Hi everyone
Look forward to reading this with you in September. I have also read crime and punishments and also Demons. It will be fun to read this as a buddy read, especially if there are such a big group of people here. (I have also read the bell jar and the unabridged journals of Sylvia Plath).

Hi fellow TBK readers. I posted a suggestion for future Buddy Reads of 2 more other Russian authors for the rest of the year in case you are interested: Anna Karenina and The Master and Margarita on https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

The Master... is on my list for this month. Anna Karenina is wonderful book, I will be following your discussions.

Am so looking forward to reading this in September. How long does it take us? 2 months?

gina wrote: "Am so looking forward to reading this in September. How long does it take us? 2 months?"

Hi Gina. This book is scheduled for just Sept as we have The Master and Margarita in October, then the bored housewife Anna Karenina 😄 afterwards. We could always adjust our schedule if we find that we are going slower than planned as we are all in the same group after all.

Oki:) only 2 days to go now! Excited.

Hi fellow TBK readers! I've taken the liberty of counting the chapters in our tome for the month. And by my count, TBK has 96 chapters. I couldn't find an actual count online, so I did it manually. If I'm wrong, please let me know. Based on this number, if we're to finish this book in 1 month (September), we should read 3.2 chapters a day. I checked my ebook, and based on my font size adjusted to my poor vision, each chapter is roughly 10-15 pages. That's 30+ pages/day???

We could all read at our own pace of course, but this gives us an idea of what our reading pace should be if we plan to actually finish by the end of the month. Personally, I don't think I can because based on my experience with War and Peace, I'll need to be writing a lot of things down just so I won't be overwhelmed.

So two things:

1. Do we stick to finishing TBK in Sept, or can we extend to Oct? Would it be good to decide now (so that we know what Buddy Reads we can commit to in other groups) ? Or do we wing it?

2. Can we have a volunteer host who can maybe guide us through our reading? Be a mother hen?Remind us what chapters we should be at?

So sorry for the long post. I've been sooooo looking forward to this book since, like the year 1987! Omgosh! And it's finally happening!!! 🥳

I can go with either or.
I have never tried it where it’s a set amount of pages a day, or
week but I’m on board if that is what suits most of you best.
I am very excited to read this one too, although maybe not
since 1987, definitely about 10 years or so.

I’ll be on board with whatever you all decide, but I also will be
needing to concentrate and write stuff down with this one.
War and peace had a lot of information (characters, maps, notes etc.) in the back of it to help me along the way,
but this one doesn’t. So I’ll have to be writing down
names and take notes. Maybe?

I’m kind of also leaning towards doing it over 2 months instead of stressing to finish it in 1, but I’ll see what the rest of you think before deciding.

I do like to read lots of things at the same time (depends on my mood) and I think sept.-oct. for this one would suit me better, I do have to finish War and Peace (just taking a break of audios).

I know that in Dickensians! we do a chapter a day with great summaries by Bionic Jean (the moderator), I think with work I couldn't do that, but I wouldn't mind reminding people of where we are in the books, posting images (if any available), stuff like that. I confirm what Helene said there is 96 chapters, so two a day with maybe a couple of days with extra would bring us to the end of october.

I am also looking forward to this one and I think we would enjoy it more if we don't rush through it.

France-Andrée wrote: "I do like to read lots of things at the same time (depends on my mood) and I think sept.-oct. for this one would suit me better, I do have to finish War and Peace (just taking a break of audios).

..."

So, if I understand correctly: what France-Andrée and Helene are saying, we start on September 1st at a pace of approximately 2 chapters a day, but with no pressure (read at our own pace). France-Andrée has volunteered to help guide us as necessary. We wont be rushing so likelihood of being done mid-end of October. *This also means that next Russian read of The Master and Margarita will be pushed back to November, and Anna Karenina to January. I'll update the Buddy Read page.

*Other TBK, please feel free to add comments and suggestions. 🤗

I've started my readings today, and I've written notes because these Russian reads with their complicated names I find are overwhelming. I've got 1 page of notes per chapter. That's why I'm a slow reader. And I'm juggling 2 other Russian reads. So I've got 3 notebooks. I'm having loads of fun though! 🥰

My guiding will be very light for today because I will be reading the book after work so very late for the Europeans in our group, I will try to do tomorrow's reading today too so I can put more in for tomorrow.

September 1

Part 1, Book 1: The Story of a Family

Chapter 1: Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov

Chapter 2: (view spoiler)[The eldest son is packed off (hide spoiler)]

I started with the preread yesterday. I am reading a translation by Ignat Avsey and I skipped the intro since I haven't read this before, then read the short bio of Dostoevsky and his chronology (sounds like a fascinating life) then the list of principal characters, skipped the Time Chart (will be reading the skipped parts after I have finished the book). Next, I'll be reading "From the author" and really start the book.

Very excited!

I think 2 months is good for me too. I’m reading in a translation from Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky. It’s apparently award winning.

First, have to say I realized yesterday it wasn't about acrobats, I think I've always mistaken this for (I really don't know what! maybe The Greatest Show on Earth?), but reading the synopsis it makes way more sense with it being darker. I thought it was dark acrobats... no, no acrobats at all, not even a little trapeze.

Edit: I’m not so confused... The Flying Karamazov Brothers are real life juggling and comedy troupe! They chose their name because of the book. I knew I had a reason to think that.

In the “From the author” Dostoyevsky makes it quite clear this was the first novel of a two Novels series, I don’t know if that means the ending will be open ended because then he says this (the current novel) relates things from the 13 years ago and the second novel would have been later events, more recent. I’ve read another book that was (I guess by the ending) supposed to be the first of a series To Serve Them All My Days by R.F. Delderfield, completely another style, but I did really like it.

The first 2 chapters are really an introduction to the father and first son, don’t want to simplify too much... but they’re not very nice, are they?

Wow! Where to start! Thank you for all that France-Andrée!

1. We have the same translation!
2. I read the author's bio instead of skipping it bec you said his life is fascinating. I recommend the others read it too. I wonder how his relationship with his parents, and their early deaths influence what transpires in this book. And the hard life he lived at a young age...
3. I was a bit confused about your reference to acrobats until I looked them up. I've never heard of them before 😁
4. Oh gosh, that second chapter!!! It's straight out of Dickens! Or is it more of a Bronte novel?

My summary is a bit spoilerish to read if you have read the chapters.

September 2

Part 1, Book 1: The Story of a Family

Chapter 3: Second marriage, second brood

(view spoiler)[Fyodor Pavlolvich find another innocent girl who's guardian don't approve of him and elopes with her. Once married, he carries on with his debauchery. The marriage last 8 years and gives him two sons Ivan and Aleksei, the wife dies, he neglects the children and they are taken in by his late wife's former guardian and at her death by Yefim Petrovich Polyonov.

Ivan grows up very conscious that he his a charity case, works his way through his first two years at university because his inheritance from his mother's guardian is not readily available. Is ready to go abroad after his university, but his suck in by his older brother to intercede to their father. Dmitry is suing their father so the relationship has further deteriorated. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 4: The third son, Alyosha

(view spoiler)[We get to know Aleksei the "hero" of the story (per the author). He is adored of everyone and can flow through life in a way that others can't.

He goes to meet his father when he is 20 and is very loved by him, Aleksei doesn't like his father's ways, but he closes his eyes to the acts he doesn't approve of. He stays with his father for a while, but then enters a monastery. (hide spoiler)]

I agree Frances, the second chapter was very typical of 19th Century literature, not all children got an equal start in life, Fyodor Pavlovich gets to neglect not only one son, but three and they all want to meet him as an adult (for different reasons), it feels they would have been better off not knowing him, but the search for our roots is not a new thing and I think that might be a motivation here especially for Aleksei who has a flimsy excuse to go to his father's house.

Only on the fourth chapter and already we have a complex family dynamic.

Chapter 3. (view spoiler)[At least the 2 younger boys grow up with a good father-figure, which is better than Mitya had. I admire Ivan for wanting to be independent early in life. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 4. (view spoiler)[I actually laughed so hard at the end of this chapter. I didn't expect to because I thought Dostoevsky was going to be boring and depressing (he was -3 chapters and already talked about 2 attempted suicides + 1 nervous breakdown + child neglect x 3). The part about the hooks!!! That got me guffawing! I'm looking forward to more pearls like this in the book. (hide spoiler)]

I laughed too reading chapter 4, it's really not something I was expecting from Dostoyevsky, he doesn't have a reputation about lightness.

In the foreword of my copy of the book it says its a lot of Dark in This book. Coming from the evilness. But equally its a lot of light, coming from the humour of his writing.

France-Andrée wrote: "First, have to say I realized yesterday it wasn't about acrobats, I think I've always mistaken this for (I really don't know what! maybe The Greatest Show on Earth?), but reading the synopsis it ma..."

Haha, ok this was funny to read.

I don't really know much about this one, other than that it is said to be a very good book.
Sigmund Freud "The most magnificent novel ever written".
Have started it, but getting more into it now.

Previously having read Dostoyevsky I have not really found a lot of humour in his books. They have been dark, but I find this one a bit different. I am taking my time with this one though. The others I have plowed right through them.

I am reading a penguin classic version (pocket) translated by David McDuff. Anyone else got this one?

I wonder what role the «author» is supposed to have. And what meaning.

Gina, I was just wondering the same thing. It seems to be building up to something, and I can’t wait to see what that will be.

ha ha! i was wondering that too!

Yesterday while reading today's chapters, I was trying to place who the narrator/author was... he says "our" town, "our" monastery; is he a monk or just a town dweller?

...or just a nosy busy-body. ha ha

Part One

Book One: The Story of a Family

Chapter 5: Startsy

A chapter where the role of a starets (pl. startsy) in the monasteries and in their relationships with their followers. Once a young man is attached to a starets, he has to say and do exactly what his "master" says, his freedom is forfeited and that goes beyond mortal life.

How Alyosha feels about his starets and what his faith is about is briefly explained.

Book Two: An Unseemly Encounter

Chapter 1: They arrive at the monastery

(view spoiler)[The Karamazov family prepares with friends to meet the starets, some are there by curiosity, some are their to seemingly ask the starets about reconciling Fyodor to Dmitry. There is a bit of bickering and Dmitry is late, he doesn't show up in this chapter. The family are not really happy of the reception they get at the monastery, but they go further on to the hermitage (where the starets live). (hide spoiler)]

He seems to know a lot of juicy tidbits and gossip....

He knows an awful lot to be just a nosy gossip? He seems to know all about their whole upbringing and inner thoughts. Very mysterious

France-Andrée wrote: "Part One

Book One: The Story of a Family

Chapter 5: Startsy

A chapter where the role of a starets (pl. startsy) in the monasteries and in their relationships with their followers. Once a young m..."

Nice summary. I really like this way to buddy read. Helps to stay on track. :-)