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Comment by Andrew_nenakhov | Hacker News Reader

If Dostoyevsky is a pleasure to read, you have a bad translation. It is not a pleasure to read in Russian. His language is rather difficult.

Source: I'm Russian and have read Dostoyevsky.

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The Brothers Karamazov is probably the only book I never finished reading. I since have never tried to read anything from Dostoyevsky and was wondering whether reading his book in Slovak language (my native language which is relatively close to Russian and as such should provide a better translation) would help me (I bought english print at airport). It eases my mind a bit knowing it is difficult also in the language the book was written in.

The Brothers Karamazov is one of the few books I've started but abandoned without finishing. Perhaps it was related to the particular translation I had (I don't remember details of it now), but it just wasn't working for me.

Crime and Punishment, on the other hand, I found utterly compelling, and will probably re-read some day (which is a status few books achieve in my world).

Highly recommend the translation by Andrew R. MacAndrew if you want to give it another shot

I haven’t yet read Dostoyevsky, though I have read Chekhov and Pushkin in translation. I’m speaking more generally about Garnett’s translations rather than a specific work. I’m currently learning Russian, and I’m sure it’ll be a while before I can read Dostoyevsky in it’s original form; though I have read some Chekhov and he is an absolute pleasure to read in Russian.

Chekhov and Pushkin are extremely easy to read in russian. Always straight on point, with few distractions, rarely engaging in highbrow ornamental phrases. Good choice when learning a language.

Sure, his prose requires a little bit longer attention span than what is common today, but otherwise Karamazov brothers was one of the most captivating and pleasant books I've ever read. Source: I'm Russian and read Dostoevsky.

Is it possible that he was a pleasure to read back in his time? Translations have the benefit of using a more recent language. Russian lacks that advantage.

You don't happen to know a good translator..? I was going to try the Garnett version but now I'm having second thoughts.

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