Customer Reviews
Bracing expose of 19th century thinking 
2008-12-18
This was a dark comedy exposing the vanity of liberal enlightenment thinking. The book is often grim, bracing, and anti-climactic. It is the story of some deranged lunatic who boasts of his inability to adapt to society. He is indeed sick, as the opening line, one of the most famous in all of literature, suggests.
In many ways this book is a dark parallel to St Augustine's *Confessions.* But unlike Augustine, this is not a book of praise. The first part of the book he explains in a few thoughts what is wrong with him and society. IN the second part of the book he illustrates that by a dinner party with some worthless people who have happened to have found some money in their position in life. The most (anti) climactic part is at the end, in his conversation with the prostitute Liza. Does he save her? Or does she save him? At any rate, we soon see that it is not the narrator but society that is sick.
hard read 2008-10-12
There are two parts to these 'Notes'; the first (shorter) part is a philosophical diatribe which most interesting discussions revolve around the Underground man's challange to 'rational egoism' and defense of free will. The second part is a biographical account of the Underground man's relations between some old classmates and a prostitute named Liza.
Ultimately, the Underground man is a complex, condtradictory, and fragmented character thoroughly alienated from society. His interactions with his classmates illustrates this well: simultananeously, he desires to become best chums with them but just as quickly would challenge one of them to a duel. He believes himself to be superior to them intellectually but never fails to utterly humiliate himself in front of them. The story climaxes with the Underground man's meeting with Liza who he at first shows some sort of kindness but then in the future refuses to treat her humanely or build any sort of decent relationship. He seems to be incapable of love or compassion.
While not a long read, it is hard - especially the first part. It is a story that should probably be read more than once to be able to comprehend it.
Brilliant 
2008-10-09
Fortunately, I missed reading this in high school- after finally reading it in my twenties, I honestly couldn't imagine having gotten nearly this much out of it. It's a brilliant character study of a sublime anti-hero. If this was "put on you" in high school and you hated it, I would strongly recommend giving it another go.
Notes From Underground 2008-09-04
Notes From Underground is a difficult but immensely gratifying and important read.
Critics tend to refer to the Underground Man as a 'Mad Genius'; I beg to differ. He is the epitome of the average thinking human albeit with a shocking amount of self awareness. The Underground Man seems to be aware of the delusions he brings upon himself and the the facade he puts on in front of society. In the end, it is that self awareness that makes him better than the rest of us; but only marginally.
Compulsory reading for anyone who appreciates existentialist literature and despite what you think, the book is ultimately quite uplifting.
"I AM A SICK MAN...I am a wicked man." 2008-08-16
Brilliant...
One of my favorite Dostoevsky books!
It's a short tale that explores the neurotic mind.
From the first line...
"I AM A SICK MAN...I am a wicked man."
This work is a painfully honest fictional exploration into the human heart.
MikeG
Read it in context for a better understanding... 2008-06-27
This collection showcases Dostoyevsky's evolving outlook on man's fate. The compelling works presented here were written at distinct periods in the author's life, at decisive moments in his groping for a political philosophy and a religious answer.
Includes: Notes from Underground, White Nights, The Dreams of a Ridiculous Man, and selections from The House of the Dead.
The epitome of the alienated, under-appreciated intellectual 2008-05-26
In this book, Dostoyevsky presents a character that is self-possessed, vain, subject to bouts of depressive arrogance, yet seems to be looking for some good to do. He recognizes many of his faults, yet is convinced that they are merely character traits. He lives in poverty, yet has a servant that he treats in a petty and poor way, even though the servant is clearly his moral superior.
The character voluntarily associates with vain and simple men, simply for the opportunity to feel intellectually superior. When slighted, he pouts uncontrollably, talking about a duel with one where he openly states he will fire into the air and give the man the opportunity to kill him.
Continuing his fit of self-centered pique, he visits a young prostitute and treats her as a person. He learns that she was sold into prostitution and has a medical student boyfriend He talks to her and adopts the attitude of someone who will rescue her, giving her his address. However, when she arrives at his residence, he is cruel, telling her that he was only ridiculing her when he was apparently giving her the offer of aid. After he does this, he collapses in tears on the sofa and she holds and comforts him.
I read, "Crime and Punishment" several years ago, so I recognized many of the character traits so prominent in that novel. "Notes From the Underground" was written before his greatest novels yet you see that same very alienated person who has simultaneously adopted the air of complete superiority inextricably bound with feelings of hopelessness and self-loathing. It is a difficult story to read.
"I am a sick man..." 2008-05-10
Dostoyevsky led a troubled life and struggled with the questions of suffering and the meaning of life. The opening line of Notes From Underground sums it up, "I am a sick man..." Underground is difficult reading, especially for such a short book. It is all over the place with many different streams of consciousness. It appears to be very autobiographical and this is what was the most value to me. If you are a fan of Dostoyevsky, this is essential reading, because it will give you insight into the man and help you understand his more popular works better. The short story "The Dream of a Ridiculous Man," also significantly contributes to an understanding of the man.
On a side note, the included short stories "White Nights" and selections from "The House of the Dead," were interesting stories that can stand on their own.
In short, this is recommended for fans of Dostoyevsky, but the average reader might want to avoid.
so good 2008-04-30
this is one of the best books i've read to date. its about a man and his failure to connect with the world around him. the novel is spilt up into two parts. chronologically the first part happened after the second part so is essentially the underground man reflecting on his past, by a theoretical means. the first part of the book is a philosophy on life and people, and the second part is the manifestation of what he was talking about in the first part.
the underground man is an interesting character because throughout the novel he liberally depreciates himself and celebrates his own misery. he says that he is doomed to be miserable because of his intelligence, because he has the capacity to critically observe the world, and yet because of this very fact he says that he can never be an insect. this reminds me of a quote from Nietzsche 'even a man who despises himself respects himself as one who despises'. but overall, this over critical approach to living hinders the underground man so that he is quite passive throughout the novel, despite his words, which i suppose could be considered an action of sorts. and it's because of this passivity that he fails at connecting with others, isolating himself with his thoughts. now it could be argued that his refusal to act is an expression of his utilizing his freedoms. he acts in a way that is not accepted by society, which is why he is so isolated, but by isolating himself, he is demonstrating that he has the capacity to exercise free thought and action, to not blindly follow the status quo. his outcast status is the ultimate freedom, and yet he's so miserable, which would tie into the intelligence bit. and all of this would leave him going in circles in his thoughts, making them all sound paradoxical because if he does or doesn't he's screwed kind of thing, so he's passive.
but it's good. i liked the theory a bit more than the story manifesting the theory, partially because it gets rid of the trappings and gets right down to the concepts, so less digging on my part, though the digging can be fun i'll admit. i'm in something of a dystopian phase right now and revel in all like material, so this book came to me at a great time. i recommend it to everyone. its a great read and gives you something to think about.
A biped, ungrateful 2008-04-20
Let me be the million millionth reader to praise Dostoevsky's Notes from Underground. I finally opened this brilliant tale of a man's mental morass after having the Bantam Classic version on my shelf for years. Years! While another review or the many critical, scholarly examinations of this seminal work will better help you understand this story, I must stake my claim to it's effects on me, and the empathy and appreciation for the Underground man's-thusly Dostoevsky himself-boldness and passion, however anti-social, bitter and vulgar.
While the first part is more of an internal philosophical back-and-forth, finding the man debating the Laws of Nature and the propositions of Fate, the second finds him in action, risking himself against others, in a society of facades, abuses hurled upon abuses, indifference, and pained love.
It is a harrowing read, and taking a translation for what it is, namely a partial recreation of ideas and images true mainly to it's original language, the story is fluid and the attitude and feel of the dingy St. Petersburg apartment, restaurant and streets in which it takes place are vibrant enough for me to be still amazed at the brilliance of Dostoevsky's mind and skill, artistry and sense of the immortal nature of paradox within human existence.
This is a classic, and must be experienced.
