Join The Book Club: Dostoevsky's 'The Gambler'
I'm not going to lie: I love me some Fyodor Dostoevsky. Here is where most people start to roll their eyes. Trust me, I know most of his books are super long. I know for most folks he's merely "some Russian dude" from the 19th century whose novels were assigned to you in high school and, despite that paper you turned in to your teacher at the time, remain un-read.
But he's a name everyone has heard of - regardless of their personal familiarity with his work - for a very good reason.
That reason? He was a genius and prolific talent. (For in-depth proof of this, read my recent article on him at PJMedia.com!)
The week after the election this past November, I started a little experiment in social media book clubs. We've already gone through C.S. Lewis' Great Divorce and G.K. Chesterton's Man Who Was Thursday. Due to the success of the first two books, I figured it was time to tackle something from the third author in my holy triumvirate :
Here's Amazon.com description of it:
"Psychologically probing novel concerns the gambling episodes, tangled love affairs and complicated lives of Alexey Ivanovitch, a young gambler; Polina Alexandrovna, the woman he loves; a pair of French adventurers and other characters. Bleak picture of the fatal attractions of gambling with wonderful characterization, faithful depiction of gambling life at fashionable German watering holes."
Intrigued? You should be! This is one of Dostoevsky's shortest books, and is entirely palatable. You can buy a cheap copy, or find it for free (even for your Kindle) right here. Don't find excuses. Stop avoiding the engaging of your mind with insightful, entertaining material.
Your new reading life begins today, Wednesday January 2nd 2013!!!
If you didn't join us on Great Divorce or Man Who Was Thursday, here are a few simple things to keep in mind about what we're doing:
- The goal here is to get people reading and discussing meaningful and interesting stuff on social media sites (primarily Twitter and of course here at Ricochet, for our purposes). You don't have to be an expert and you can simply follow along if you'd like...but we'd LOVE to hear from you.
- On Twitter, follow (and add to) the discussion by including the hash-tag #TheGambler in ANY Tweet you send out about the book. You can also find the on-going dialogue about it by typing that same thing into Twitter's search engine.
- I'll be posting things here in the Ricochet Member Feed every few days as we work our way through the book, so join in the conversation by leaving comments and engaging with those left by others.
- Participate when you can, and please Re-Tweet any quotes or comments from other people reading the book that you like. This helps spread the word across Twitter that Old Fyodor's being discussed.
- Have fun with this!
If you're going to participate, tell a few friends as well!
Good luck, Godspeed, and see you on the interweb next week.
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Nov '10
Re: Join The Book Club: Dostoevsky's 'The Gambler'
Hi R.J.,
I read The Brothers Karamazov several years ago. What translation do you recommend for a re-read?
Thanks
Jul '11
Re: Join The Book Club: Dostoevsky's 'The Gambler'
I just finished this book a few months ago, it's great.
Nov '12
Re: Join The Book Club: Dostoevsky's 'The Gambler'
Good plug. You've sold me. My bag, I confess, is Trollope (also no stranger to very long novels but capable of writing a decent short work; an exact contemporary of Dostoevsky). He met Turgenev, was admired by Tolstoy but seems to have had no interaction whatsoever with Dostoevsky. I searched in vain for any references in his letters but could find none. When I finish the short Trollope novel that I'm currently reading, I'll read the Dostoevsky.
Jun '10
Re: Join The Book Club: Dostoevsky's 'The Gambler'
I'm in. I love Dostoevsky, but haven't read The Gambler.
Will the reading be followed by a conversation here? [If not, where?]
Edited on January 2, 2013 at 4:36amAug '12
Re: Join The Book Club: Dostoevsky's 'The Gambler'
Copy downloaded.
Apr '11
Re: Join The Book Club: Dostoevsky's 'The Gambler'
I may have to join in. This is one of my favorites.
Dec '10
Re: Join The Book Club: Dostoevsky's 'The Gambler'
tabula rasa: I'm in. I love Dostoevsky, but haven't readThe Gambler.
Will the reading be followed by a conversation here? [If not, where?] · 1 hour ago
Edited 1 hour ago
Yes, you can join in the conversation taking place on Twitter at the #TheGambler hash-tag...but I will also be posting a separate post here on Ricochet for communication about the chapters we cover each day.
Tomorrow (Wednesday) is ONLY Chapter 1.
Dec '10
Re: Join The Book Club: Dostoevsky's 'The Gambler'
Please do so! The more the merrier!
Dec '10
Re: Join The Book Club: Dostoevsky's 'The Gambler'
Olive: Hi R.J.,
I readThe Brothers Karamazovseveral years ago. What translation do you recommend for a re-read?
Thanks · 7 hours ago
This is the copy/translation I've read through a few times and enjoyed using: http://www.amazon.com/Gambler-Dover-Thrift-Editions/dp/0486290816
Dec '12
Re: Join The Book Club: Dostoevsky's 'The Gambler'
Anyone who wants to read a perfect explanation of the last election should read the grand inquisitor chapter in Dostoevsky's Brothers Karamazov.
Mar '11
Re: Join The Book Club: Dostoevsky's 'The Gambler'
So if I sign on here, you're expecting that we get this read in one week?
Re: Join The Book Club: Dostoevsky's 'The Gambler'
I'm in! I love Dostoevsky, but haven't read this one. One week might be a challenge.
Feb '11
Re: Join The Book Club: Dostoevsky's 'The Gambler'
I'm in R.J. While I don't expect it to reach the heights of Brothers K, I look forward to exploring The Gambler with the club!
Feb '11
Re: Join The Book Club: Dostoevsky's 'The Gambler'
R.J.'s books to read in 2013 list pushed me to dust off my copy of C.S. Lewis's Space Trilogy. I read Out of the Silent Planet in a single sitting on Christmas Eve Day. Tell me, Mr. Moeller, does Perelandra get even better?
Dec '11
Re: Join The Book Club: Dostoevsky's 'The Gambler'
Here is a link for the FREE public domain audio book.
Edited on January 3, 2013 at 5:40amJul '10
Re: Join The Book Club: Dostoevsky's 'The Gambler'
I greatly enjoyed "The Idiot" when I stumbled upon it as a teenager. The premise is if Christ came back today the world would regard him as, yes, an idiot. I have always thought of Doestoyevski as Tolstoy's equal.
Aug '12
Re: Join The Book Club: Dostoevsky's 'The Gambler'
I'm in. If you've never read Dostoevsky, you are in for an interesting experience. As I wrote in my review of The Brothers Karamozov:
Looking forward to it.
May '10
Re: Join The Book Club: Dostoevsky's 'The Gambler'
I missed the first two books (by pulling a Sajak for more than a month following the election), but this can be a New Year's resolution worth pursuing. I'm in. Let's get cultured!
Mar '12
Re: Join The Book Club: Dostoevsky's 'The Gambler'
I'm in. Dostoevsky is always an experience, plus a chance to meet more Ricochet people on twitter. @ddlinz
Aug '11
Re: Join The Book Club: Dostoevsky's 'The Gambler'
Readers of Dostoyevski should take a look at the work of Russian political theorist and commentator, and former advisor to Putin, Alexander Dugin. Apart from a certain physical resemblance, I can't help thinking that if FD were alive today he'd be spouting a similar kind of Eurasianism as Dugin. He'd certainly be no better friend of the USA.