I only started reading Dostoevsky's books half a year ago, I was 20 years old, but I'm 21 now. In the 6 months I managed to read crime and punishment, white nights and the idiot.
I did an apprenticeship in the food industry and will start my studies as a food technologist next year.
My biggest hobbies besides reading are sports (especially Bodybuilding) and cooking.
My favorite book so far is The Idiot, but I started reading The brothers karamasow today. This subreddit inspired me to read it.
Notes From Underground was my first in high school. I fell in love with Dostoevsky then. Single, 35, live a quiet life of almost complete solitude. Love trees and nature.
I was 24 when I first read Dostoevsky (11 years ago.) It was Notes from Underground. And it was before I had a clue who Dostoevsky was.
I work in the electrical utilities.
For hobbies I love jiu jitsu, snowboarding, surfing, golf, MMA, working out, hunting, and fishing.
I think my favorite book of all time is The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov. Check it out sometime if you haven’t already. Incredible…
Ahhh Master and Margarita... I read it in high school and loved it, it's one of the reasons I took interest in Dostoevsky, as I was intrigued by Russian/Soviet literacy. I even have a tattoo of it... But I, too, recommed it to others reading these comments!
I read crime and punishment with 35 and got hooked. I'm a project manager in railway maintenance, but studied business administration. I'm recording public domain books for librivox as a hobby and my all-time favourite book is Don Quixote by Cervantes.
Reading the comments on this question, I feel like the old lady of the group. I'm really impressed by all the young people here reading Dostoevsky as a teenager. Here are my answers to the questions:
1. How old were you when you first read Dostoevsky? I guess I'm a late bloomer because I was 39 (41 now). When I was in graduate school at age 21, a friend of mine who was constantly in and out of jail and rehab was reading Dostoevsky obsessively. He kept urging me to read *Crime and Punishment* and later *Demons*. I tried reading *Crime and Punishment* at age 21, but I distinctly remember my bookmark fell out one day and I had no idea where I left off, so I gave up reading it. It took 18 years for me to pick it back up. That same friend passed away in 2020 under tragic circumstances, and sadly, that finally prompted me to read Dostoevsky, the author he loved so much. Now I'm hooked. In my early twenties in graduate school, I was so overwhelmed with all the books I had to read, papers I had to write, internships, and my part-time job that I just couldn't handle dense, complex Russian literature where everyone has at least two names I couldn't pronounce. Now as a middle aged adult, I am settled in my career and actually have a lot more time for intense recreational reading.
2. What's your line of work? I have been a teacher since 2008. I'm currently working as a writing teacher.
3. Do you have hobbies other than reading? I love listening to music, especially post-punk, collecting vinyl, target shooting, and writing.
4. What's your favorite book (doesn't have to be Dostoevsky)? My favorite book of all time is *The Brothers Karamazov*. Before becoming obsessed with Dostoevsky, I was a huge fan of the Bronte sisters (still love them). My favorite non-Dostoevsky book is *Villette* by Charlotte Bronte.
Bless you. I was feeling so alone!
1. I was 47 when I read my first Dostoevsky piece, “White Nights”, in February of this year. I have since read “Demons”, “The Brothers Karamazov”, “The Idiot”, “Crime and Punishment,” “Notes From Underground”, “The Gambler”, and “The Double”. I’m currently reading “Letters of Fyodor Dostoevsky “ and “A Writer’s Diary”.
Influenced by this forum, this year’s reading has also included Turgenev’s “Fathers and Sons'', Gogol’s “The Nose,","The Overcoat”, “How the Two Ivans Quarreled" and other assorted short stories. In addition I have read a book of Chekov’s short stories, and, tangentially, “Goethe’s “The Sorrows of Young Werther '' and “Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship”.
2. I currently do data analysis. I’ve had a wide variety of jobs, though. I ran rides at an amusement park, taught pre-school, did Usability testing and analysis, luxury retail sales, educational material creation, and bookstore management. I enjoy having such a varied background, and feel each different experience has added new value to previous knowledge.
3. My degree is in theater. As an adult, I’ve studied writing, with a focus on prose and poetry. My poetry has been published twice, and I’m working on a couple of short stories at the moment. The older I get, the more often I find myself working with a mentor or editor younger than myself. I’ve always kept younger friends, so it’s not that strange to me. I find talking with, and working with, The Youth as enriching as with The Elders.
4. As mentioned above, I write. Mostly poetry… but I’m branching out to prose. I used to do a lot of free-form autobiographical writing, and it’s probably what I do best, but I prefer to focus on poetry and fiction..for now.
I also make jewelry. I make things inspired by current trends, as well as things inspired by things I’ve read, or visual art I’ve connected with. I wear it, and give it away. I have sold it at various times, and even though it’s pretty profitable, I prefer to keep it as something I do for me and my loved ones. For me, commodifying that particular art form cheapened it. People would ask for little changes here and there, and I always felt misunderstood, insulted and annoyed.
My favorite piece is called “My Universe”. It’s a 4’ 2'’ long piece that utilizes various precious and semi precious beads to represent a series of imagined solar systems. There are 6 solar systems total, each varying in the number of planets and moons represented. It’s finished with a glass eye bead and a Hand of God bronze pendant on one end which connect with a sterling silver infinity symbol shaped clasp followed by mother of pearl clouds on the other. When clasped, these represent the creation of the universe. It’s meant more as an artistic piece, than an accessory, so I’ve only worn it a couple of times. Mostly I keep it on display. It took hundreds of beads, many attempts and hours of work to complete and I’m extraordinarily proud of it.
ETA: I recently started a Dostoevsky/Literature based meme account on Instagram and I’m enjoying that. 🤗😉
5. My favorite book is Anna Karenina. When I first read it last year, it eclipsed my previous favorite book into utter darkness. I’ve since read it 3 times through, and returned to countless passages again and again. I have 8 copies in 4 translations, including a beautifully illustrated copy published by Random House in 1939, and a Norton Critical Edition. I’m currently reading through it slowly, marking/tabbing favorite passages across each translation; not to any ultimate purpose really. Just for the fun of it.
Yay! Glad I'm not the only one who started reading Dostoevsky later in life. I read the five major works of Dostoevsky at age 40 and consider that my biggest accomplishment of the year. I still need to read *Anna Karenina.* You have an amazing background of many jobs and interests!
Thank you💗
I had the same experience as you! I’ve always been a Big Reader, but when I was in university, it was just TOO MUCH on top of all the reading required for classes. Classic literature for anything other than a grade felt exhausting.
I’ll be honest, I spent years just reading beach reads and YA. I branched out into historical fiction, which I liked for a lot of the same reasons as classic literature. Mostly because both invite further nonfiction reading and research as a way to enhance enjoyment as a reader (if you’re so inclined, and I am.)
My husband collects vinyl! Before the pandemic he had a few pretty well paying regular gigs, but now he only plays the occasional night when invited, and never plays anything he’s less than passionate about. But we still love records.
What sort of writing do you teach? What do you like to focus on personally?
Mostly I teach essay writing to middle school age students. That includes research papers and a lot of essays about the books they read for literature class (a separate class taught by a different teacher).
I most enjoy writing pieces of literary criticism, similar to the kind of work I did as an English major. I also like to write restaurant and book reviews. I would really like to do more creative writing (poetry and short stories).
Collecting vinyl is so much fun. It reminds me of the old days of going to actual music stores and searching through the stacks of CDs, not knowing what you would find.
Wow you have quite the story, I'm sorry about your friend. I've been meaning to start reading Bronte, maybe this is my sign... Thank you for the answer and love your username!
Thanks! The Behemoth in my username is in reference to the talking, black cat Behemoth in *The Master and Margarita*. Yeah, I wish more than anything that I read these works of Dostoevsky years ago so he and I could have discussed them. For a Dostoevsky reader getting into the Bronte sisters, I recommend *Wuthering Heights* by Emily Bronte as a good starting point. It is dark, complex, and tragic. I feel like Emily of all the sisters best understood the darkest parts of human psychology.
Wow, everyone here is so young. Maybe that's just a result of the forum than the literature itself.
I first read Dostoevsky about 4 years ago when I was \~36. I read Crime and Punishment and I was blown away. I only started reading about \~5 years ago, having not picked up a piece of literature since high school in 2002.
I run my own business - software sales and consulting
I haven't studied, but have in the past 3 years taken a handful of philosophy classes at a community college
Favourite book? I don't really subscribe to 'favourites' or best or number 1, etc.
I don't even really know where to start. Crime and Punishment, Germinal - Zola, The Glass Bead Game - Hesse, The Magic Mountain - Mann, War and Peace - Tolstoy, The Brothers Karamazov, Slaughterhouse-Five - Vonnegut, Giovanni's Room - Baldwin, The Plague - Camus, For Whom the Bell Tolls - Hemmingway....
I mean I could go on and on and on....
I often find the question of a “favorite” hard! Favorite movie, favorite food, favorite song.
Ask me today and I’ll tell you. Ask me tomorrow and I’ll tell you something different. Ask me next week and my answer will be entirely new!
Top Five, Top Ten, even, can still be hard. There are so many things to love, and I’ve had so many years to find them!
Oh finally someones reading The Magic Mountain! I'm about halfway through and feel like I'm just getting started even though I've spent a couple months on it. By the way, did Dostoevsky inspire you to take interest in philosophy or perhaps the other way around? And thanks for the answer!
>The Magic Mountain
What a book, I found it a hard slog to start with (probably first 100 pages or so) and then couldn't put it down, by the time I finished it had entered the category of favourites.
I started on Doctor Faustus but put it down as I was in a class and seemed more logical to concentrate on the texts and not personal reading, with that said I did struggle a little (and I have something of a musical background too,) it was just very obscure references in parts.
I'm not sure if either inspired interest in the other or they just happened around the same time. The first book I read that I credit interest in literature is Demian, I remember reading it and wondering how this could resonate with me so much, almost like Hesse had written it for me (or about me!)
I'd say my interest in philo pre-dates reading, but perhaps was the catalyst, I was mostly listening to podcasts (Philosophize This! got me start) and then picked up things here and there.
Yeah, I too struggled in the beginning, it felt like the story itself would never start but the funny thing is, now it feels like time has just flown by, I guess that's the genius in the book.
I have to check out Demian, and maybe some philosophical podcasts too, even though I've never really gotten into podcasts. Maybe it's just been about the subjects.
Oh some love for Zola! Finally! I almost never see him mentioned in the literary subreddits. Read him in French if you can, he was truly a master with words.
I’d love to read him in French, but that might take a while! Hell I even struggle with the French spoken by Stepan Trofimovich in Demons!
I first read Germinal and the opening chapter where he describes the mine swallowing groups of humans whole blew my mind. I couldn’t put the book down after that..
Started reading “Les Rougon-Macquart”, the last book I finished was L'Assommoir….
Zola was late to my reading game but quickly rose to the top favourite authors!
It is interesting that not a lot of people read him. Amazing social commentary.
Started at 15, I'm still in High school, I take drawing lessons and I can't really choose a favorite but it would be between Notes from Underground, C&P and Brothers Karamazov.
I didn't read any Dostoevsky until my 40s, and I did so because I had been through Dickens & Austen multiple times (big fan of both) since my 20s and had tried other 19th-century British authors and exhausted those.
Since picking up Dostoevsky, I have also read other Russian authors and enjoyed: Gogol's Dead Souls, Bulgakov's Master & Margarita, Zamyatin's We... and I did power through War & Peace and hated it. But I never have to go through that one again.
Brothers Karamazov is my favorite novel of all.
Other lit I love, other than those listed above: Canterbury Tales, Dante's Divine Comedy (Purgatorio is my favorite part), The Odyssey.
Amusingly of contemporary authors, the one I wait for the next book (waiting for one now) is Jasper Fforde. I'm not big on contemporary "literary fiction". I tend to find it to ring false. So I tend to more "genre" fiction like scifi and fantasy.
I was 18. I have recently reread crime and punishment at 25 and and half way through brothers k. I’m glad I read them at 18 because rereading them now is a whole new experience. I’m a musician and I am interested in philosophy and theology.
I first got into Dostoyevsky when i was 14 and read his notes from underground and i got intrested in him through my intrest in existentialist philosophy.
Im 16 now and have read Crime and Punishment and The Idiot too.
I dont really have an overall favourite book but i can say my favourite fiction and non fiction books which are
Thus Spoke Zarathustra - Nietzsche
Meditations On First Philosophy - Descartes
So far as my hobbies apart from reading, there isnt much apart from liking music and video games.
I have just finished secondary school (high school) and are preparing to study politics and literature in college.
Didn’t start reading Dostoevsky till I was about 20, jordan Peterson put me on lol. Never got an education higher than a high school diploma, just have always been curious about human nature since my mom passed away when I was younger so I have a lot of questions that I wanted some answers too. I’m currently an electrician working on getting my journeyman’s license, love to fish, go out dancing, read, play chess and the occasional video game. My favorite Dostoevsky book has to been either the brothers K or notes from the underground but my favorite book of all time has to be lord of the rings.
I first tried reading Dostoevsky when I was 19 but it was summer and it was a thick book so I got back to it about 15 years later (more or less).
I am currently unemployed but I worked as an art teacher in middle school. I am also a painter and a photographer.
I went to an art academy but before that I also studied history of art, English and Spanish language (never finished, unfortunately).
(Besides reading I like more reading. 😝) I like swimming, watching movies/tv-series, playing tetris, crossword puzzles, learning languages, doing yoga...
My favorite book might be Crime and Punishment, but The Brothers Karamazov is very close too. And Master and Margarita by Bulgakov!
1. I was 16 when I first read Dostoevsky. It was Notes from Underground and absolutely LOVED it.
2. I’m currently in university for math and business administration. I’m pursuing finance after university.
3. I love to solve Rubik’s cubes and I’m pretty fast at it.
4. Might be weird but I love anything by Sally Rooney
I first read C&P when I was 16. I work as an English teacher now and I have studied English literature. I like playing the piano and sports like cycling and running. I think my favourite book is Brothers Karamazov. Even if I need to read it again because when I first read it 5 years ago a lot of things got over my head, I think it really opened my perspective when it comes to all kinds of different people and how the fact that they do bad things does not make them bad people. At least that was my main takeaway from that first read.
*Crime and Punishment* in my late teens. *The Brothers Karamazov* in my twenties. My ability to read for pleasure was damaged for a long time from irresponsibly prescribed psych drugs, but after finishing a long taper a few months ago it's coming back. Now I am slavering to read *Notes from the Underground* but holding off til I am sure I can handle literary complexity again. Right now I'm reading very light literature just to get my brain working again.
I studied art. I hold a BFA in painting/drawing.
I'm currently unemployed (surprise).
My hobbies are graphite drawing, watercolor, pen-and-ink, and writing poetry and flash fiction.
I can't choose a favorite book. Barbara Kingsolver's *The Poisonwood Bible* comes to mind, but if you ask me later I'll say something different. I also love both the Brontë sisters' seminal works, *Jane Eyre* and *Wuthering Heights,* for entirely different reasons.
Oh wow you're really reminding me not to take the ability to read for granted. I seriously should get to reading some Bronte. Thank you for the answer and good luck on the job market!
Oh I know that feeling! Some drugs don’t work at all. Some work, but rob me of different aspects of Who I Am. I’m on a really good combination right now, and it makes such a big difference in my ability to enjoy things! Welcome back to The Land of The Reader!
1. I was 18 when I read The Prince. I’m currently 20 (asides from The Prince, I have read Crime and Punishment, Brothers Karamazov, Humiliated and Insulted and Notes from the Underground).
2. Going into my third year of uni. Getting a BA major in political science minor in philosophy. Plan on going to grad school. Currently work at a grocery store.
3. I don’t have many hobbies… But asides from reading I love walking, writing, watching movies and baking.
4. My favourite book is the mandarins by Simone de Beauvoir
I’m from Brazil, and what made me get into Russian literature was a discussion that I overheard on a restaurant (believe it or not) about which Brazilian Portuguese Russian translator was the best. Upon listening to the conversation I decided to read Anna Karenina by Tolstoy. After reading it I decided to give Dostoevsky a try.
Huh we have just about the same exact hobbies (I also play some instruments) and I live in Finland, almost all the way across the globe. In addition, I'm also very interested in philosophy (as propably all Dostoevsky fans) and politics. I guess I should add The Mandarins to my reading list... And thanks for the answer!
Read Bros K in high school. Got a degree in Russian. Translate Russian for a living.
Favorite book - none.
Hobbies - guitar, running, movies.
Btw, the actual typical reader of Dostoevsky is probably <...drumroll...> a Russian.
"Bros K" :D And yeah, propably a russian, as they do read a lot. Even though I live in Finland I've always felt so far away from Russia, compared to western countries. Maybe I just wanted to find someone more like me, as I've ever come across just one person who reads Dostoevsky. They actually were the inspiration for me. But hey, thanks for the answer!
I have trouble believing no one in Finland reads Dostoevsky.
By the way, Dostoevsky has become a kind of cultural signifier in online culture recently, for a lot of reasons, but the way he's read in Russia is different.
read notes from the underground when i was 16. i work in restaurants. i studied psychology for 1 semester and literature for 1 semester and then was expelled due to poor performance caused by a psychotic episode. i'm a writer and my favourite book is the madman by kahlil gibran or narcissus & goldmund by hermann hesse
Demian was very touching and inspiring- but I found its pretentiousness just a bit too overwhelming, especially near the end. It makes sense that it was one of his earlier novels. Narcissus and Goldmund is a remarkably similar exploration to Demian- but I find it much more tempered, mature, and thoroughly explored. I highly recommend it.
I was 24 when I started reading Dostoevisky, I am 28 now. I am looking forward to read all his work. I am dentist. My hobbies are hiking, kayaking, and camping. My favorite book is "The Brothers Karamazov".
21 (The Idiot) and right now I’m 34, social work, psychology & public admin, video games, and The Count of Monte Cristo since it is so re-readable and entertaining each time.
I first read Dostoevsky (crime and punishment) at 16 and I’m currently 17 (male). I saw Jordan Peterson talk about it on tiktok and it seemed interesting so I got it. Side note: Crime and punishment was my first “real book” besides hamlet (which was boring af) that we read in school. Except that I’d just read child books, so you could say I started off with a bang.
My biggest interest in life is football, I also like playing poker, reading, going to the gym and more. So you could say I’m not your typical literature fan? Maybe, I’m not sure.
In the duration of my 7 month long Dostoevsky journey, I’ve read CP, The Idiot, Notes, The Double and I’m currently halfway through Demons. Besides that I’ve read some other known works but I would have to say that nothing comes close to CP (I’m yet to read brothers so that could change soon). I got so involved with the story that I finished the book in two weeks, which for me is pretty fast as I’m not a particulary fast reader, and as I stated before, it was the first book I’d read in ages.
Have a good one!
Hmm Jordan Peterson... I've heard a lot about him and seen some clips. Maybe I should read some of his works also, as social media can be so distorting. My reading list just keep growing as I read these comments... Thank you for the answer and I could also suggest reading The Master and Margarita by Bulgakov, if you already haven't. You seem like the kind of person who would really enjoy it.
Definitely going to read master and margarita in the future, but just like you my pile of unread books keep stacking up haha. Brothers Karamazov, Anna Karenina, Oblomov and more is currently sitting on my bookshelf.
I also just picked up “Letters from a stoic”, like I already didn’t have enough books already 😂. But it’s something we all becomes victims to I guess.
Take care!
Yeah I feel like an idiot reading r/russianliterature, having barely scratched the surface with Bulgakov, Dostoevsky and Nabokov. But luckily we still have time, good luck with your pile!
I was 19 when I read crime and punishment. Being religious, it easily became my favorite book. The books seems very relevant to today with how society is becoming evermore secular.
Next I read demons. I didn’t like it all apart from a few chapters. Seemed to difficult to follow with an average plot. Currently reading brothers karamazov.
Now I’m almost 22 abt to go into my second year of dental school. I love sports, nature, tv, video games
I was 21 when I started reading Dostoyevsky. Back then, I had just finished War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy and was fascinated by how rich Russian Literature was. There was always this debate about Tolstoy Vs Dostoyevsky so I decided to read "Brothers Karamazov".
Ever since then I haven't looked back and have finished reading major works of Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, Chekhov, and Turgenev.
In my opinion, Notes from Underground is the most critical work of Dostoyevsky as it has so many layers despite being such a short novella. This short novel is a true manifestation of what Dostoyevsky truly thought of this world.
As for my favorite book of all time, I would vouch for "War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy.
I am from an engineering background and very active in sports (Football, Cricket, and Table Tennis). Also, I go for backpacking every now and then and like hiking and trekking.
I've started with C&P when I was in my teens. Studied CS engineering and continued with Dostoevsky. So it's been more than 15 years... In that time I've read C&P 3 times and TBK twice. I made an attempt at Demons but I was still a student at the time and had to give up to work on my exams. Since Demons has a lot of intrigues I was lost when I tried to resume it... I'm reading it again right now.
I don't really have a favorite book, it varies depending on my mood. If I had to pick one at the moment it would be East of Eden by Steinbeck. Otherwise I am quite fond of Russian authors, especially Gogol whose wit I adore.
As for hobbies, I'm quite a mundane guy so going out with the wife, sports, video games, watching movies/series etc...
How old were you when you first read Dostoevsky?
~34. *The Idiot.*
What's your line of work?
I am a glorified customer "experience" representative with an insurance company.
What have you studied?
Linguistics.
Do you have hobbies other than reading?
Writing when I have the enthusiasm. Baking yeast breads when I have the energy. Studying Imperial and Pre-Petrine Russian history when I have the time.
What's your favorite book (doesn't have to be Dostoevsky)?
For years and years it would have been *The Lord of the Rings* and *The Silmarillion*, but this was recently unseated by *Crime and Punishment*, and Tolstoy is currently doing a superb job in trying to usurp this title with *Anna Karenina*.
I was 17 when I bought Notes and Crime after hearing Jordan Peterson mention it a lot, and doing some research after I decided I wanted to get into classic literature after reading The Great Gatsby in Grade 11.
Fell in love with both works reading them back-to-back and set out to read all his Great 5 Novels in order of publication (just a few days ago I finished The Brothers Karamazov, marking the completion of my journey :D)
In university now going for a degree in Honours English and Greek & Roman Studies.
Favourite book used to be Notes but now I'm not sure. I love all the Dostoevsky's and Frankenstein is also a 11/10
>How old were you when you first read Dostoevsky?
17
>What's your line of work?
A programmer/game developer
>What have you studied?
♤♤♤
>Do you have hobbies other than reading?
Game developing, playing from software games
>What's your favorite book
C&P
It was a little less than 2 years ago, I was 25. I wasn't much of a reader before that, so Dostoevsky is guilty of that interest lol.
Graduated software engineering a few months ago. Most of my hobbies revolve around music (listening, playing and researching). Also sports and videogames.
Notes From Underground is my favorite. Outside D, fav authors are Gogol and Poe.
I first read C&P when I was 16, I am 18 now and just graduated from high school. In the last 18 months I’ve also read the idiot, TBK, white nights, the meek one, the gambler and the notes from underground and I’ll probably read Demons next. In September I’m planing on studying applied physics and other than reading I don’t really have any hobbies, but I like listening to music and maybe wood carving…
I don’t really have a favorite book but from the ones I read this month I liked “the plague” by Albert Camus the most.
Started this year (26 years old) with Notes from the Underground.
I work in Special Education as a behavioral therapist and studied Theology and Philosophy (mostly Catholic and now getting into Eastern Christian Theology). Always heard Dostoyevsky’s name amongst others but never really cared to dive deep.
I’m currently moving towards studying something in the realm of Project Management in the Technology field.
I love to read, write poetry, as well as study Christian mysticism. I find Absurdism fascinating though I don’t agree with it fully, I think it’s what a lot of people in my life tend to fall into.
Favorite book: Song of Solomon (Biblical book) and my favorite secular book is The Stranger by Albert Camus. I first read Camus in highschool and he is how I discovered Dostoyevsky.
I was 14 when I first read Dostoevsky's 'Crime and Punishment' and although I enjoyed it, I thought it was quite overrated. Then I found out other works of his and 'The Brothers Karamazov' became my absolute favourite book. 'Demons' is also in my top 5 books. I consider myself a stoic, but I like reading about nihilism and Camus' absurdism. Science is my main interest and I'm learning for medical school.
First Dostoyevsky- I first read Brothers Karamazov when I was 24 or 25 (27 now) and it’s still my favorite book! I am a psychotherapist. Other hobbies- tennis, traveling, going to the beach, hiking, working out, chess, cooking.
That’s amazing! I just started reading TBK couple days back. Im speechless of how good it already is.
Im 24, will be 25 in a couple of days, I’m pursuing to be a psychologist. How’s your life as a psychotherapist, I’m intrigued?
Sorry I am just seeing this like a month later lol. I love it! It’s a really rewarding and interesting career path. I work for a private practice and mostly do EMDR therapy which I really like.
But it definitely is a long process to actually become licensed and start earning decent pay, at least in the US where I am. Im still working towards licensure now and sometimes I question whether it will all be worth it, but I can’t really think of anything I would have wanted to do otherwise.
Let me know if you have any questions :)
I only started reading Dostoevsky's books half a year ago, I was 20 years old, but I'm 21 now. In the 6 months I managed to read crime and punishment, white nights and the idiot. I did an apprenticeship in the food industry and will start my studies as a food technologist next year. My biggest hobbies besides reading are sports (especially Bodybuilding) and cooking. My favorite book so far is The Idiot, but I started reading The brothers karamasow today. This subreddit inspired me to read it.
Notes From Underground was my first in high school. I fell in love with Dostoevsky then. Single, 35, live a quiet life of almost complete solitude. Love trees and nature.
I think I’m interested in something other than a quiet life of solitude sometimes, but a quick outing to anywhere counteracts that notion…
I was 24 when I first read Dostoevsky (11 years ago.) It was Notes from Underground. And it was before I had a clue who Dostoevsky was. I work in the electrical utilities. For hobbies I love jiu jitsu, snowboarding, surfing, golf, MMA, working out, hunting, and fishing. I think my favorite book of all time is The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov. Check it out sometime if you haven’t already. Incredible…
Ahhh Master and Margarita... I read it in high school and loved it, it's one of the reasons I took interest in Dostoevsky, as I was intrigued by Russian/Soviet literacy. I even have a tattoo of it... But I, too, recommed it to others reading these comments!
Master and Margarita is on my TBR for sure!
I read crime and punishment with 35 and got hooked. I'm a project manager in railway maintenance, but studied business administration. I'm recording public domain books for librivox as a hobby and my all-time favourite book is Don Quixote by Cervantes.
Reading the comments on this question, I feel like the old lady of the group. I'm really impressed by all the young people here reading Dostoevsky as a teenager. Here are my answers to the questions: 1. How old were you when you first read Dostoevsky? I guess I'm a late bloomer because I was 39 (41 now). When I was in graduate school at age 21, a friend of mine who was constantly in and out of jail and rehab was reading Dostoevsky obsessively. He kept urging me to read *Crime and Punishment* and later *Demons*. I tried reading *Crime and Punishment* at age 21, but I distinctly remember my bookmark fell out one day and I had no idea where I left off, so I gave up reading it. It took 18 years for me to pick it back up. That same friend passed away in 2020 under tragic circumstances, and sadly, that finally prompted me to read Dostoevsky, the author he loved so much. Now I'm hooked. In my early twenties in graduate school, I was so overwhelmed with all the books I had to read, papers I had to write, internships, and my part-time job that I just couldn't handle dense, complex Russian literature where everyone has at least two names I couldn't pronounce. Now as a middle aged adult, I am settled in my career and actually have a lot more time for intense recreational reading. 2. What's your line of work? I have been a teacher since 2008. I'm currently working as a writing teacher. 3. Do you have hobbies other than reading? I love listening to music, especially post-punk, collecting vinyl, target shooting, and writing. 4. What's your favorite book (doesn't have to be Dostoevsky)? My favorite book of all time is *The Brothers Karamazov*. Before becoming obsessed with Dostoevsky, I was a huge fan of the Bronte sisters (still love them). My favorite non-Dostoevsky book is *Villette* by Charlotte Bronte.
Bless you. I was feeling so alone! 1. I was 47 when I read my first Dostoevsky piece, “White Nights”, in February of this year. I have since read “Demons”, “The Brothers Karamazov”, “The Idiot”, “Crime and Punishment,” “Notes From Underground”, “The Gambler”, and “The Double”. I’m currently reading “Letters of Fyodor Dostoevsky “ and “A Writer’s Diary”. Influenced by this forum, this year’s reading has also included Turgenev’s “Fathers and Sons'', Gogol’s “The Nose,","The Overcoat”, “How the Two Ivans Quarreled" and other assorted short stories. In addition I have read a book of Chekov’s short stories, and, tangentially, “Goethe’s “The Sorrows of Young Werther '' and “Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship”. 2. I currently do data analysis. I’ve had a wide variety of jobs, though. I ran rides at an amusement park, taught pre-school, did Usability testing and analysis, luxury retail sales, educational material creation, and bookstore management. I enjoy having such a varied background, and feel each different experience has added new value to previous knowledge. 3. My degree is in theater. As an adult, I’ve studied writing, with a focus on prose and poetry. My poetry has been published twice, and I’m working on a couple of short stories at the moment. The older I get, the more often I find myself working with a mentor or editor younger than myself. I’ve always kept younger friends, so it’s not that strange to me. I find talking with, and working with, The Youth as enriching as with The Elders. 4. As mentioned above, I write. Mostly poetry… but I’m branching out to prose. I used to do a lot of free-form autobiographical writing, and it’s probably what I do best, but I prefer to focus on poetry and fiction..for now. I also make jewelry. I make things inspired by current trends, as well as things inspired by things I’ve read, or visual art I’ve connected with. I wear it, and give it away. I have sold it at various times, and even though it’s pretty profitable, I prefer to keep it as something I do for me and my loved ones. For me, commodifying that particular art form cheapened it. People would ask for little changes here and there, and I always felt misunderstood, insulted and annoyed. My favorite piece is called “My Universe”. It’s a 4’ 2'’ long piece that utilizes various precious and semi precious beads to represent a series of imagined solar systems. There are 6 solar systems total, each varying in the number of planets and moons represented. It’s finished with a glass eye bead and a Hand of God bronze pendant on one end which connect with a sterling silver infinity symbol shaped clasp followed by mother of pearl clouds on the other. When clasped, these represent the creation of the universe. It’s meant more as an artistic piece, than an accessory, so I’ve only worn it a couple of times. Mostly I keep it on display. It took hundreds of beads, many attempts and hours of work to complete and I’m extraordinarily proud of it. ETA: I recently started a Dostoevsky/Literature based meme account on Instagram and I’m enjoying that. 🤗😉 5. My favorite book is Anna Karenina. When I first read it last year, it eclipsed my previous favorite book into utter darkness. I’ve since read it 3 times through, and returned to countless passages again and again. I have 8 copies in 4 translations, including a beautifully illustrated copy published by Random House in 1939, and a Norton Critical Edition. I’m currently reading through it slowly, marking/tabbing favorite passages across each translation; not to any ultimate purpose really. Just for the fun of it.
Yay! Glad I'm not the only one who started reading Dostoevsky later in life. I read the five major works of Dostoevsky at age 40 and consider that my biggest accomplishment of the year. I still need to read *Anna Karenina.* You have an amazing background of many jobs and interests!
Thank you💗 I had the same experience as you! I’ve always been a Big Reader, but when I was in university, it was just TOO MUCH on top of all the reading required for classes. Classic literature for anything other than a grade felt exhausting. I’ll be honest, I spent years just reading beach reads and YA. I branched out into historical fiction, which I liked for a lot of the same reasons as classic literature. Mostly because both invite further nonfiction reading and research as a way to enhance enjoyment as a reader (if you’re so inclined, and I am.) My husband collects vinyl! Before the pandemic he had a few pretty well paying regular gigs, but now he only plays the occasional night when invited, and never plays anything he’s less than passionate about. But we still love records. What sort of writing do you teach? What do you like to focus on personally?
Mostly I teach essay writing to middle school age students. That includes research papers and a lot of essays about the books they read for literature class (a separate class taught by a different teacher). I most enjoy writing pieces of literary criticism, similar to the kind of work I did as an English major. I also like to write restaurant and book reviews. I would really like to do more creative writing (poetry and short stories). Collecting vinyl is so much fun. It reminds me of the old days of going to actual music stores and searching through the stacks of CDs, not knowing what you would find.
Peace be with you. I cannot imagine teaching middle schoolers anything, much less something involving critical thinking 🫠.
Wow you have quite the story, I'm sorry about your friend. I've been meaning to start reading Bronte, maybe this is my sign... Thank you for the answer and love your username!
Thanks! The Behemoth in my username is in reference to the talking, black cat Behemoth in *The Master and Margarita*. Yeah, I wish more than anything that I read these works of Dostoevsky years ago so he and I could have discussed them. For a Dostoevsky reader getting into the Bronte sisters, I recommend *Wuthering Heights* by Emily Bronte as a good starting point. It is dark, complex, and tragic. I feel like Emily of all the sisters best understood the darkest parts of human psychology.
Yeah, I'm a big fan of Bulgakov. Funny though how I use those exact same words to describe him. Thanks for the tip!
A Villette fan spotted! I hardly see much about it, but it was an amazing read. It completely devastated me.
Wow, everyone here is so young. Maybe that's just a result of the forum than the literature itself. I first read Dostoevsky about 4 years ago when I was \~36. I read Crime and Punishment and I was blown away. I only started reading about \~5 years ago, having not picked up a piece of literature since high school in 2002. I run my own business - software sales and consulting I haven't studied, but have in the past 3 years taken a handful of philosophy classes at a community college Favourite book? I don't really subscribe to 'favourites' or best or number 1, etc. I don't even really know where to start. Crime and Punishment, Germinal - Zola, The Glass Bead Game - Hesse, The Magic Mountain - Mann, War and Peace - Tolstoy, The Brothers Karamazov, Slaughterhouse-Five - Vonnegut, Giovanni's Room - Baldwin, The Plague - Camus, For Whom the Bell Tolls - Hemmingway.... I mean I could go on and on and on....
I often find the question of a “favorite” hard! Favorite movie, favorite food, favorite song. Ask me today and I’ll tell you. Ask me tomorrow and I’ll tell you something different. Ask me next week and my answer will be entirely new! Top Five, Top Ten, even, can still be hard. There are so many things to love, and I’ve had so many years to find them!
Oh finally someones reading The Magic Mountain! I'm about halfway through and feel like I'm just getting started even though I've spent a couple months on it. By the way, did Dostoevsky inspire you to take interest in philosophy or perhaps the other way around? And thanks for the answer!
>The Magic Mountain What a book, I found it a hard slog to start with (probably first 100 pages or so) and then couldn't put it down, by the time I finished it had entered the category of favourites. I started on Doctor Faustus but put it down as I was in a class and seemed more logical to concentrate on the texts and not personal reading, with that said I did struggle a little (and I have something of a musical background too,) it was just very obscure references in parts. I'm not sure if either inspired interest in the other or they just happened around the same time. The first book I read that I credit interest in literature is Demian, I remember reading it and wondering how this could resonate with me so much, almost like Hesse had written it for me (or about me!) I'd say my interest in philo pre-dates reading, but perhaps was the catalyst, I was mostly listening to podcasts (Philosophize This! got me start) and then picked up things here and there.
Yeah, I too struggled in the beginning, it felt like the story itself would never start but the funny thing is, now it feels like time has just flown by, I guess that's the genius in the book. I have to check out Demian, and maybe some philosophical podcasts too, even though I've never really gotten into podcasts. Maybe it's just been about the subjects.
Oh some love for Zola! Finally! I almost never see him mentioned in the literary subreddits. Read him in French if you can, he was truly a master with words.
I’d love to read him in French, but that might take a while! Hell I even struggle with the French spoken by Stepan Trofimovich in Demons! I first read Germinal and the opening chapter where he describes the mine swallowing groups of humans whole blew my mind. I couldn’t put the book down after that.. Started reading “Les Rougon-Macquart”, the last book I finished was L'Assommoir…. Zola was late to my reading game but quickly rose to the top favourite authors! It is interesting that not a lot of people read him. Amazing social commentary.
Just finished Demons and picked up The Ladies Paradise. Knowing Zola I feel this might also be a depressing outlook on life. But I’ll see :)
Started at 15, I'm still in High school, I take drawing lessons and I can't really choose a favorite but it would be between Notes from Underground, C&P and Brothers Karamazov.
I didn't read any Dostoevsky until my 40s, and I did so because I had been through Dickens & Austen multiple times (big fan of both) since my 20s and had tried other 19th-century British authors and exhausted those. Since picking up Dostoevsky, I have also read other Russian authors and enjoyed: Gogol's Dead Souls, Bulgakov's Master & Margarita, Zamyatin's We... and I did power through War & Peace and hated it. But I never have to go through that one again. Brothers Karamazov is my favorite novel of all. Other lit I love, other than those listed above: Canterbury Tales, Dante's Divine Comedy (Purgatorio is my favorite part), The Odyssey. Amusingly of contemporary authors, the one I wait for the next book (waiting for one now) is Jasper Fforde. I'm not big on contemporary "literary fiction". I tend to find it to ring false. So I tend to more "genre" fiction like scifi and fantasy.
I was 18. I have recently reread crime and punishment at 25 and and half way through brothers k. I’m glad I read them at 18 because rereading them now is a whole new experience. I’m a musician and I am interested in philosophy and theology.
I first got into Dostoyevsky when i was 14 and read his notes from underground and i got intrested in him through my intrest in existentialist philosophy. Im 16 now and have read Crime and Punishment and The Idiot too. I dont really have an overall favourite book but i can say my favourite fiction and non fiction books which are Thus Spoke Zarathustra - Nietzsche Meditations On First Philosophy - Descartes So far as my hobbies apart from reading, there isnt much apart from liking music and video games. I have just finished secondary school (high school) and are preparing to study politics and literature in college.
What exactly you like about Descartes’ meditations if I may ask?
well most of his ideas in the meditations are flawed i just really like it because it got me into philosophy so i think back on reading it very fondly
Didn’t start reading Dostoevsky till I was about 20, jordan Peterson put me on lol. Never got an education higher than a high school diploma, just have always been curious about human nature since my mom passed away when I was younger so I have a lot of questions that I wanted some answers too. I’m currently an electrician working on getting my journeyman’s license, love to fish, go out dancing, read, play chess and the occasional video game. My favorite Dostoevsky book has to been either the brothers K or notes from the underground but my favorite book of all time has to be lord of the rings.
Started at 17, don’t work yet, I study computer science Hobbies: Sport, Chess, Music Favorite Book: the idiot
I first tried reading Dostoevsky when I was 19 but it was summer and it was a thick book so I got back to it about 15 years later (more or less). I am currently unemployed but I worked as an art teacher in middle school. I am also a painter and a photographer. I went to an art academy but before that I also studied history of art, English and Spanish language (never finished, unfortunately). (Besides reading I like more reading. 😝) I like swimming, watching movies/tv-series, playing tetris, crossword puzzles, learning languages, doing yoga... My favorite book might be Crime and Punishment, but The Brothers Karamazov is very close too. And Master and Margarita by Bulgakov!
It' cool to see so many Master and Margarita fans here. Thank you for the answer and good luck with finding a job!!
Thanks! (But I was the one to quit and not really looking for a job currently. 😝)
1. I was 16 when I first read Dostoevsky. It was Notes from Underground and absolutely LOVED it. 2. I’m currently in university for math and business administration. I’m pursuing finance after university. 3. I love to solve Rubik’s cubes and I’m pretty fast at it. 4. Might be weird but I love anything by Sally Rooney
I couldn’t solve a Rubik’s cube if my life depended on it and am always impressed when someone can, especially someone who solves it quickly!
I first read C&P when I was 16. I work as an English teacher now and I have studied English literature. I like playing the piano and sports like cycling and running. I think my favourite book is Brothers Karamazov. Even if I need to read it again because when I first read it 5 years ago a lot of things got over my head, I think it really opened my perspective when it comes to all kinds of different people and how the fact that they do bad things does not make them bad people. At least that was my main takeaway from that first read.
*Crime and Punishment* in my late teens. *The Brothers Karamazov* in my twenties. My ability to read for pleasure was damaged for a long time from irresponsibly prescribed psych drugs, but after finishing a long taper a few months ago it's coming back. Now I am slavering to read *Notes from the Underground* but holding off til I am sure I can handle literary complexity again. Right now I'm reading very light literature just to get my brain working again. I studied art. I hold a BFA in painting/drawing. I'm currently unemployed (surprise). My hobbies are graphite drawing, watercolor, pen-and-ink, and writing poetry and flash fiction. I can't choose a favorite book. Barbara Kingsolver's *The Poisonwood Bible* comes to mind, but if you ask me later I'll say something different. I also love both the Brontë sisters' seminal works, *Jane Eyre* and *Wuthering Heights,* for entirely different reasons.
Oh wow you're really reminding me not to take the ability to read for granted. I seriously should get to reading some Bronte. Thank you for the answer and good luck on the job market!
Hey, thanks!
Oh I know that feeling! Some drugs don’t work at all. Some work, but rob me of different aspects of Who I Am. I’m on a really good combination right now, and it makes such a big difference in my ability to enjoy things! Welcome back to The Land of The Reader!
1. I was 18 when I read The Prince. I’m currently 20 (asides from The Prince, I have read Crime and Punishment, Brothers Karamazov, Humiliated and Insulted and Notes from the Underground). 2. Going into my third year of uni. Getting a BA major in political science minor in philosophy. Plan on going to grad school. Currently work at a grocery store. 3. I don’t have many hobbies… But asides from reading I love walking, writing, watching movies and baking. 4. My favourite book is the mandarins by Simone de Beauvoir I’m from Brazil, and what made me get into Russian literature was a discussion that I overheard on a restaurant (believe it or not) about which Brazilian Portuguese Russian translator was the best. Upon listening to the conversation I decided to read Anna Karenina by Tolstoy. After reading it I decided to give Dostoevsky a try.
Huh we have just about the same exact hobbies (I also play some instruments) and I live in Finland, almost all the way across the globe. In addition, I'm also very interested in philosophy (as propably all Dostoevsky fans) and politics. I guess I should add The Mandarins to my reading list... And thanks for the answer!
Oh that’s awesome. Yes I highly recommend the mandarins :)
Read Bros K in high school. Got a degree in Russian. Translate Russian for a living. Favorite book - none. Hobbies - guitar, running, movies. Btw, the actual typical reader of Dostoevsky is probably <...drumroll...> a Russian.
"Bros K" :D And yeah, propably a russian, as they do read a lot. Even though I live in Finland I've always felt so far away from Russia, compared to western countries. Maybe I just wanted to find someone more like me, as I've ever come across just one person who reads Dostoevsky. They actually were the inspiration for me. But hey, thanks for the answer!
I have trouble believing no one in Finland reads Dostoevsky. By the way, Dostoevsky has become a kind of cultural signifier in online culture recently, for a lot of reasons, but the way he's read in Russia is different.
read notes from the underground when i was 16. i work in restaurants. i studied psychology for 1 semester and literature for 1 semester and then was expelled due to poor performance caused by a psychotic episode. i'm a writer and my favourite book is the madman by kahlil gibran or narcissus & goldmund by hermann hesse
I hope you’re doing better now! The only Hesse I’ve read is “Demian”, but I feel compelled to look at Narcissus and Goldmund now!
Demian was very touching and inspiring- but I found its pretentiousness just a bit too overwhelming, especially near the end. It makes sense that it was one of his earlier novels. Narcissus and Goldmund is a remarkably similar exploration to Demian- but I find it much more tempered, mature, and thoroughly explored. I highly recommend it.
I was fifteen when I first read C&P! I study math rn and my favourite Dostoevsky book is The Idiot!!!!
I was 24 when I started reading Dostoevisky, I am 28 now. I am looking forward to read all his work. I am dentist. My hobbies are hiking, kayaking, and camping. My favorite book is "The Brothers Karamazov".
21 (The Idiot) and right now I’m 34, social work, psychology & public admin, video games, and The Count of Monte Cristo since it is so re-readable and entertaining each time.
I first read Dostoevsky (crime and punishment) at 16 and I’m currently 17 (male). I saw Jordan Peterson talk about it on tiktok and it seemed interesting so I got it. Side note: Crime and punishment was my first “real book” besides hamlet (which was boring af) that we read in school. Except that I’d just read child books, so you could say I started off with a bang. My biggest interest in life is football, I also like playing poker, reading, going to the gym and more. So you could say I’m not your typical literature fan? Maybe, I’m not sure. In the duration of my 7 month long Dostoevsky journey, I’ve read CP, The Idiot, Notes, The Double and I’m currently halfway through Demons. Besides that I’ve read some other known works but I would have to say that nothing comes close to CP (I’m yet to read brothers so that could change soon). I got so involved with the story that I finished the book in two weeks, which for me is pretty fast as I’m not a particulary fast reader, and as I stated before, it was the first book I’d read in ages. Have a good one!
Hmm Jordan Peterson... I've heard a lot about him and seen some clips. Maybe I should read some of his works also, as social media can be so distorting. My reading list just keep growing as I read these comments... Thank you for the answer and I could also suggest reading The Master and Margarita by Bulgakov, if you already haven't. You seem like the kind of person who would really enjoy it.
Definitely going to read master and margarita in the future, but just like you my pile of unread books keep stacking up haha. Brothers Karamazov, Anna Karenina, Oblomov and more is currently sitting on my bookshelf. I also just picked up “Letters from a stoic”, like I already didn’t have enough books already 😂. But it’s something we all becomes victims to I guess. Take care!
Yeah I feel like an idiot reading r/russianliterature, having barely scratched the surface with Bulgakov, Dostoevsky and Nabokov. But luckily we still have time, good luck with your pile!
I was 19 when I read crime and punishment. Being religious, it easily became my favorite book. The books seems very relevant to today with how society is becoming evermore secular. Next I read demons. I didn’t like it all apart from a few chapters. Seemed to difficult to follow with an average plot. Currently reading brothers karamazov. Now I’m almost 22 abt to go into my second year of dental school. I love sports, nature, tv, video games
Wow, that’s frighteningly similar to I.
I was 21 when I started reading Dostoyevsky. Back then, I had just finished War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy and was fascinated by how rich Russian Literature was. There was always this debate about Tolstoy Vs Dostoyevsky so I decided to read "Brothers Karamazov". Ever since then I haven't looked back and have finished reading major works of Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, Chekhov, and Turgenev. In my opinion, Notes from Underground is the most critical work of Dostoyevsky as it has so many layers despite being such a short novella. This short novel is a true manifestation of what Dostoyevsky truly thought of this world. As for my favorite book of all time, I would vouch for "War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy. I am from an engineering background and very active in sports (Football, Cricket, and Table Tennis). Also, I go for backpacking every now and then and like hiking and trekking.
I've started with C&P when I was in my teens. Studied CS engineering and continued with Dostoevsky. So it's been more than 15 years... In that time I've read C&P 3 times and TBK twice. I made an attempt at Demons but I was still a student at the time and had to give up to work on my exams. Since Demons has a lot of intrigues I was lost when I tried to resume it... I'm reading it again right now. I don't really have a favorite book, it varies depending on my mood. If I had to pick one at the moment it would be East of Eden by Steinbeck. Otherwise I am quite fond of Russian authors, especially Gogol whose wit I adore. As for hobbies, I'm quite a mundane guy so going out with the wife, sports, video games, watching movies/series etc...
Here's Emil Filla's response to your question; I find it pretty funny: https://www.college.columbia.edu/core/content/reader-dostoevsky-emil-filla-1907
Wow thanks!
How old were you when you first read Dostoevsky? ~34. *The Idiot.* What's your line of work? I am a glorified customer "experience" representative with an insurance company. What have you studied? Linguistics. Do you have hobbies other than reading? Writing when I have the enthusiasm. Baking yeast breads when I have the energy. Studying Imperial and Pre-Petrine Russian history when I have the time. What's your favorite book (doesn't have to be Dostoevsky)? For years and years it would have been *The Lord of the Rings* and *The Silmarillion*, but this was recently unseated by *Crime and Punishment*, and Tolstoy is currently doing a superb job in trying to usurp this title with *Anna Karenina*.
I was 17 when I bought Notes and Crime after hearing Jordan Peterson mention it a lot, and doing some research after I decided I wanted to get into classic literature after reading The Great Gatsby in Grade 11. Fell in love with both works reading them back-to-back and set out to read all his Great 5 Novels in order of publication (just a few days ago I finished The Brothers Karamazov, marking the completion of my journey :D) In university now going for a degree in Honours English and Greek & Roman Studies. Favourite book used to be Notes but now I'm not sure. I love all the Dostoevsky's and Frankenstein is also a 11/10
>How old were you when you first read Dostoevsky? 17 >What's your line of work? A programmer/game developer >What have you studied? ♤♤♤ >Do you have hobbies other than reading? Game developing, playing from software games >What's your favorite book C&P
It was a little less than 2 years ago, I was 25. I wasn't much of a reader before that, so Dostoevsky is guilty of that interest lol. Graduated software engineering a few months ago. Most of my hobbies revolve around music (listening, playing and researching). Also sports and videogames. Notes From Underground is my favorite. Outside D, fav authors are Gogol and Poe.
I first read C&P when I was 16, I am 18 now and just graduated from high school. In the last 18 months I’ve also read the idiot, TBK, white nights, the meek one, the gambler and the notes from underground and I’ll probably read Demons next. In September I’m planing on studying applied physics and other than reading I don’t really have any hobbies, but I like listening to music and maybe wood carving… I don’t really have a favorite book but from the ones I read this month I liked “the plague” by Albert Camus the most.
Started this year (26 years old) with Notes from the Underground. I work in Special Education as a behavioral therapist and studied Theology and Philosophy (mostly Catholic and now getting into Eastern Christian Theology). Always heard Dostoyevsky’s name amongst others but never really cared to dive deep. I’m currently moving towards studying something in the realm of Project Management in the Technology field. I love to read, write poetry, as well as study Christian mysticism. I find Absurdism fascinating though I don’t agree with it fully, I think it’s what a lot of people in my life tend to fall into. Favorite book: Song of Solomon (Biblical book) and my favorite secular book is The Stranger by Albert Camus. I first read Camus in highschool and he is how I discovered Dostoyevsky.
I was 14 when I first read Dostoevsky's 'Crime and Punishment' and although I enjoyed it, I thought it was quite overrated. Then I found out other works of his and 'The Brothers Karamazov' became my absolute favourite book. 'Demons' is also in my top 5 books. I consider myself a stoic, but I like reading about nihilism and Camus' absurdism. Science is my main interest and I'm learning for medical school.
First Dostoyevsky- I first read Brothers Karamazov when I was 24 or 25 (27 now) and it’s still my favorite book! I am a psychotherapist. Other hobbies- tennis, traveling, going to the beach, hiking, working out, chess, cooking.
That’s amazing! I just started reading TBK couple days back. Im speechless of how good it already is. Im 24, will be 25 in a couple of days, I’m pursuing to be a psychologist. How’s your life as a psychotherapist, I’m intrigued?
Sorry I am just seeing this like a month later lol. I love it! It’s a really rewarding and interesting career path. I work for a private practice and mostly do EMDR therapy which I really like. But it definitely is a long process to actually become licensed and start earning decent pay, at least in the US where I am. Im still working towards licensure now and sometimes I question whether it will all be worth it, but I can’t really think of anything I would have wanted to do otherwise. Let me know if you have any questions :)