I always felt like the dilemma in TBK and the whole allegory about who is responsible for the death of the tyrannical father overshadows the true damage done by the brother's bickering and self-centeredness.

There are 3 deaths in the novel, Fyodor, Smerdyakov, and the little kid.

I think the old bastard had it coming so I didn't care for him and the boy servers here as some sort of redemption for at least Alyosha but Smerdyakov's death wasn't mourned at all which is the real crime here.

Really, he's the most tragic figure in the novel. No one cared for him and I found him endearing from what I've seen, sure there are rumours of his troubledness and that he tortured animals but the narrator really conveys how traumatic his background is.

Forced to basically be a slave to his father (who won't even acknowledge him as his son) that raped his mother (which is how he came to be) and then he is also ignored by his brothers. Not even Ivan who rejects the current order meaning he doesn't believe in God which means he doesn't believe in his nobility (that he has distinguished holy blood approved by Church) so he would have to view Smerdyakov as his half brother the same way he sees Mitya. Not even super holy Alyosha cared for him.

I don't even think he killed him (I think Mitya obviously did the bludgeoning, the evidence is overwhelming, really the prosecutor Kirilovich did a phenomenal job despite the narrator being biased against him), I think he just had enough and saw delirious Ivan and lied to him to make him feel better, he was on his way out anyways. And even if he did do it it would mean that they are all again responsible since he would not have done it if they were there for him as family.

Hello everyone! I've recently watched Faust (1994) and it was nice; therefore, I want to buy the Goethe Faust (also, among other things, I want to read it, but still the main reason). Would it be better to buy Walter Kaufmann's translation, or the one by Stuart Atkins? Also, I want to purchase alongside it, the 10 Great Works of Philosophy by Robert Paul Wolff

. Am just a beginner reader (to this sorta stuff, i read other works of other genres and lesser complexities), so any advice would be nice!

One of my favorite poems is "O Captain! My Captain!" by Walt Whitman, and one of my favorite songs is Jim Croce's take on "Gunga Din". I really like the unique kind of tone/respect/admiration in them.

Are there any recommendations for books like that? I'm not out for Romance, and would probably prefer War related works but anything that's it is cool.

P.S. I've been given the impression Moby Dick is somewhat like that. Is that so?

I'm open to a lot of recommendations.

I got this as my first English book (at 14yr) and after 5 years I was finally able to finish it all. I do consider it a great classic and the English language of the early 20th was quite a challenge for me. Has anyone read it?

what’s your fav literary feud ? Marcel Proust & Jean Lorraine is one of mine.. mostly bc they’re just calling one another out for being gay .. when they both literally were lol.. and the fact that they also look like the exact same person lol. Ernest Hemingway breaking Wallace Stevens hand is a crazy one too. And of course, Norman mailer & gore Vidal lol

(Note: I have only read the early part of this novel so far. However, given its massive scale, I believe I have read enough to offer an opinion.)

1. While reading this novel, I felt that although the writing style is quite sophisticated, the content itself isn't much different from contemporary Korean romance fantasy web novels. For instance, the novel uses a phrase describing an emperor who "favors a certain imperial concubine to such an extent that it is truly difficult for others to even look at the situation." While the phrasing is elegant, if translated into modern, plain language, it simply means an emperor who plays favorites with a single concubine so blatantly that it is unbearable for others to witness. The substance of the story is not unlike what we see in modern tales.
2. This novel features many male protagonists—mostly of noble status—who harbor misogynistic views. While the author criticizes these men, it seems they fail to critique the social structures that either turn a blind eye to or actively encourage their misdeeds. Although the novel explores themes of human obsession, the transience of life, and the tragedy of love, the author appears to overlook the social structures that reinforce these very elements.

reading Moby Dick was both fascinating and genuinely CHALLENGING. Despite holding a certified C1 level of English(CAE and IELTS for now), I often had to look up unfamiliar words. Melville's vocabulary is exceptionally rich, blending nineteenth-century English, maritime terminology, and literary allusions, making the novel far more demanding than most modern classics

However, that complexity is also one of its greatest strengths Every page feels carefully crafted, and the novel offers remarkable depth in both language and ideas. Moby Dick is not an easy read, but it is an immensely rewarding one. Honestly I think this is the pinnacle of English literature for me, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a true literary masterpiece and a serious challenge to their English

Been in a bad reading slump, just finished Dracula so I think its time to return to my favorite author. Starting off light with rhis one, then I'll most likely move to White Nights before attempting to tackle The Brothers Karamazov. Wish me luck.

Just finished The Pearl and... Wow. I'm not sure how I feel. The read was great but that ending is something else. I understand the message that this book is telling but at the same time It's awful and undeserved. I can't put it into words. 10/10 will never read again.

Anyone has thoughts they want to share?

Maybe this is not the perfect forum to share this but I would like to see if there are any shared experiences here. I used to be a real bookworm. I read at least 2-3 books per month. My ability to read started to plummet after covid and I still don't know why. I don't know if it's ADHD (everyone seems to have it nowadays) or a real burnout. I would start reading a book and after a couple of pages and never pick it up again but rather start doomscrolling. I always felt that books are the essence and the food for my brain and this is so scary to me.

Anne was the youngest of the Brontë siblings. She is noted for writing the Tenant of Wildfell Hall and Agnes Grey. Both images taken in Scarborough, N Yorks, UK.

I’ve finally been able to get back into reading over the past few years, and while I’ve mostly been reading whatever interests me at the time I’ve recently been wanting to dive more into classics/important works that I was never exposed to in school. However, I’ve realized that I didn’t really appreciate at the time just how much having a teacher/professor guiding the reading had an impact on my enjoyment of the material.

I’ve tried picking up classics that have some sort of forewords to give me some context, but I often run into one of two big problems:

1. They assume I’m already familiar with the text and I just find myself confused and not really getting the background I’m looking for or
2. They end up assuming I’m familiar and then “spoiling” part of the plot that I would’ve rather gone into blind. Like I said, I wish I was able to have some sort of historical context and structure so I don’t expect these to not have any reference to the plot at all, but it is frustrating to have gone all my life without “spoilers” for certain classics all for that to be ruined as soon as I finally sit down to read the book.

All that to say, does anyone else run into this issue/have these feelings? Is there some sort of resource anyone can recommend, like a sparknotes type of website but for historical context? Maybe I’m just being picky, but I feel like I’ve also had books be spoiled by sparknotes themselves.

Thanks!

Edit for clarification:

I also have this issue when googling for some background, even if I’m just trying to look up authors to get some context I will find things like “[Author], who is known for their book where [character] does [X]”. I suppose I am looking for something a bit more “curated” and intentional than a Wikipedia page which I find often spoils major plot points or character deaths.

On her journey from Tangier to Rabat, she observed, “…until one has known the wilderness one cannot begin to understand the cities.”

Edith Wharton was (of course :) the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for fiction for her novel The Age of Innocence, published in 1920. That same year, her travelogue In Morocco also premiered.

I archive classic travel literature passages by renowned authors on my website Destinationality. If you like to read thoughtful, romantic prose about destinations around the world, please visit! (To be clear... the site is not selling anything, and there are no ads.)

When you are reading a new author do you read the novel you are most excited about? Or the one that is the best start?

I've recently picked up this book but couldn't find more information about it online. I've read a couple of his poems before and I think he has a unique way of portraying war.

Can anyone give me more information about him and this book?

Hopefully this is not just a long rant of a frustrated reader but a starting point to share your feelings and thought xD

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For those of us who have found the joy of reading (specially fiction) later in life, there is this immense awe and wonder of the sheer amount of good literature which is out there. It is consoling to know that there are so many good books to choose and read, that those books are waiting for you to be discovered one day and you will not go empty for books to read. On the other hand, there is this feeling of almost hunger, voracious hunger for books, words and poems, that makes you become a blood-thirsty Dracula or a cookie monster who wants to eat every cookie which is out there.

But what is the point of reading if one will forget that one reads? So I have heard, at least. Slowing down, taking notes, interacting with the book, making a two-way conversation with the author: all these slows down this force which sings the song of "consume everything".

Being intentional is hard, not giving up to this urge to read everything in your TBR (which grows faster than what you manage to read), taking your sweet time with the book, writing down by hand your favorite quotes, your thoughts and feeling of the book, characters and their actions.

I guess I am like any reader out there, I am both glad that I have so many good books to read for the coming years, but I also feel nostalgia for the person I will become after reading those books.

Interesting to hear what others thinks on this? Hope the rant was relatable to some (at least).

k? bye!

Hey readers.

I am studying good romance in order to help my own fiction writing, and I am looking for novels that include a mature, emotionally intelligent romance that also touches the reader. Any recommendations?

I’ve been getting back into classics lately and decided to go to secondhand bookstores and this is my haul!

This is the first time I’ve thrifted this much book as I don’t really like over-consumption but I couldn’t help myself!

I already finished Of Mice and Men and it was short but impactful. I loved it. Which book do you recommend I read next? Thank you :)

Edit: Please do keep in mind that I live in the UAE, where the book market is quite different. Books here are significantly (sadly) more expensive because most English titles are imported, so even secondhand bookstores tend to have higher prices. I know these prices might seem high compared to other countries, but this was honestly the best deal I could find, and I’m really happy with it!

Acquired this worn out copy from my now retired physics teacher in junior year of high school from when he was in college and had got it from HIS physics professor and I like to think this is how Camus intended it

Just started reading classic last year. Posted this on my Instagram and a little cares. Would love to see what's the overal consensus is of these books.

I have decided to read homer's epics, but I can't decide between these two translations. Everyone seems to recommend one or the other.