Dostoevsky in 90 Minutes

By: Paul Strathern

Narrated by: Robert Whitfield

After narrowly avoiding a firing squad when he was just twenty-eight years old, Dostoevsky never took things lightly. His great novels burst upon the European literary scene like a succession of thunderbolts. His understanding of the darker and more extreme recesses of the human mind cast a forceful light into these areas of experience. The raw psychology and passionate involvement of his books galvanized writers and thinkers as disparate as Nietzsche and Kafka.

In Dostoevsky in 90 Minutes, Paul Strathern offers a concise, expert account of Dostoevsky's life and ideas and explains their influence on literature and on man's struggle to understand his place in the world. The book also includes selections from Dostoevsky's writings, a list of his chief works in English translation, a chronology of Dostoevsky's life and times, and recommended reading for those who wish to delve deeper.

©2004 Paul Strathern (P)2005 Blackstone Audiobooks

good summary biography and works

This is a very good refresher for listeners familiar with the author's life and works. If you're not familiar with his larger novels, I think the discussion could be a little hard to follow on audio.

Learned, enjoyed, not boring.

Dipped my toes in Dostoevsky. A lot packed into 90 minutes. This short history of the author kept me interested. The narration is excellent in part because Americans love British narration generally, but mostly because the narrator's English is clear makes the point. Naturally, it is also how the short biography is written. The recording and editing work. I'll look for another Blackstone production.

As recommended by the best psychiatrist I know.

So I was ordered to study Dostoevsky via my favorite Ukrainian psychiatrist. This is a very good general introduction. Well read too.

MOST POWERFUL, condensed, MEANINGFUL & LIVELY REVIEW!’ I was so sad at the END... desiring more! ALSO, IMNEED TO SEE THIS IN pr

Print— to memorize key & clarifying titles,, dates & IDEAS!!
Thank you, PROF. PAUL’ ! A great ‘LISTEN!!’
From Dr. HEIDI HONNOLD SPENCER

Five stars on all categories!!’

Read it!

Everyone should listen to this audiobook. Dostoyevsky handily one of the greatest authors of all time. His personal life is supremely interesting and is formative of his writings and beliefs. This is also a wonderful primer for reading his work. So few of his works are in fact about the plot and characters, the spoilers don’t really matter.

Appetizer!

What made the experience of listening to Dostoevsky in 90 Minutes the most enjoyable?

I listened to this between Boston and Montreal, rolling between the mountains of New Hampshire guiding 80,000 lbs on my fingertips and the time flew by. This brief history of Dostoevsky,s life and writings just wet my appetite for more. So from Dostoevsky to Gogol, to Tolstoy, it's going to be many hours of interesting listening. Paul Strathern covered everything I need to know and won't hesitate to purchase others in this series.
Robert Whitfield is clear and animated.

Concise and Selective

For anyone wanting to understand the core of D’s writing and understanding of life, as well as how it resonates in his books, this is a great introduction. Overview of most significant pieces is included.

A good synopsis of Dostoevsky

this is a good summary of dostoevsky's works. I had read them before I listen to this so there were no spoilers. if you have not read his books and don't want to know what happens from a summary view, don't listen to this until after you've read them.

Good summary of Dostoevsky's life

The book provides an excellent summary of Dostoevsky's life and works. By providing a summary of his chaotic life, the book provides context and most likely the source for some of the strange characters he wrote about. The descriptions of his books were adequate to remind me of the best parts of the ones I had previously read without the torture of deciphering the often bizarre characters. Having learned more about his life and actual beliefs, I now have a less favorable view of him, as his actual beliefs were illogical and the mad/insane characters were not merely fiction -- they were more likely autobiographical.

what is Life without Jesus

I have a cat Catholic I proceed lights, lights and lights. What is the abyss?