Bio and more

[axon]

three things here:

firstly, this is an excellent forum, and I am very glad I have found it!! Looking forward to some great conversations with all of you

secondly, the bio on D is simply dreadful! really it is....Dostoevsky's biography is imperative in understanding his novels, and his ideas. I would be glad to write a new biography for the site, if that would be OK. You do have to give me sometime for it though, as I have mid-terms for the next two weeks.

thirdly, this might be a small bug in the script of this board, but for some reason, two of the three replies I have made on this particular forum have not been pushed up on the stack to the top...I'm not sure why.

EDIT:: I just noticed that the first two posts are stickies, and my posts were propegated up....disregard the third point

[Mogwai]

Hey axon,

I'd certainly be up to posting your biography of D in the 'Biography' section.  I agree, the one up there is not comprehensive and is quite short.  So, whenever you get the chance to write a more thorough bio, send it on to me: info@fyodordostoevsky.com.

Thanks!  

[Ivan]

Maybe we could do a group project?  Axon writes some of it, then it gets passed on to Fyodor and he writes some more.  Then it gets passed on to me, etc, etc, etc.
I think we all have different views of exactly who Dostoevsky is, and none of them are more valid then the next.  
I think this would be a fun project and I wouldn't mind setting it up if everyone thought it was a good idea.

Let me know,  

[Mogwai]

Ivan, great idea!  The website is an ever-growing organism so any meaningful input, literature, or resources on D is most welcome.  I'll put up new stuff as often as I can.  As I said in an earlier post, my schedule is extremely hectic until maybe mid-May and my updates might be lacking until then...

[Mitya]

I, too, think Ivan's idea is phenomenal, though I'd rather be an observer than a contributor. It'll be interesting to see how it all plays out.

[axon]

>>I think we all have different views of exactly who Dostoevsky is, and none of them are more valid then the next.  

I agree...to an extent... if you mean the biography as a group project, then I don't think it is a good idea, because it is not about who we think he was but the facts....if you mean a reactions to him as a person/writer/philosopher, then I am all for it!

[Ivan]

if you mean the biography as a group project, then I don't think it is a good idea, because it is not about who we think he was but the facts

Ah yes! Facts!  The most precious thing in the world!  
But really, facts are nice, but I think personal definitions (standpoints) on who Dostoevsky was, is much more valuable then dates of when, for example, he went to Siberia.

Let us know when you get finished axon so the rest of us can get started.  If you don't feel like you'll finish any time soon, let us know so we can pass the torch on-- coming back to you at a later date.

[axon]

I should be finishing up by the end of next week....I want to make sure all my facts are in order....hehe  

[Ivan]

I want to make sure all my facts are in order....hehe  

Excellent, best of luck!

[Mitya]

if you mean the biography as a group project, then I don't think it is a good idea, because it is not about who we think he was but the facts

Ah yes! Facts!  The most precious thing in the world!  
But really, facts are nice, but I think personal definitions (standpoints) on who Dostoevsky was, is much more valuable then dates of when, for example, he went to Siberia.

I think all biographers give their own slant or emphasis to various facts which is why I read more than one biography of any given person and find out something new in each bio. So I would like to see multiple bios here, and I'm glad you're almost finished, axon.

[axon]

I should get some work on the bio done today and should be putting it up for critique and suggestions sometime over the weekend. I am trying to stick to facts only and I am hoping to keep all my opinions and bias out of it - but transgressing this line is unfortunately inevitable.

[axon]

well, as you guys could see I am stalling with this bio. The reasons for this is that I am procrastinating with it a bit , and I got a hold of a great resource (Joseph frank's 4 volumes bio on D), and I am rewriting some things and adding others. The bio is turning out to be quite long...maybe even too long. What do you guys think should be a proper length for a 'quick' bio? 2 pages? 5?

I was thinking of having to versions of the bio: one, a simple, rather short one that could serve as quick information on D, and the second more extensive one that could be used for research and such. Any other suggestions?

As to the release I have to extended to this weekend...I will surely post it then because I am leaving the country on Monday.

[Ivan]

I guess it depends on how much time you want to put into it.  A quick overview of Dostoevsky's life shouldn't be more than two pages... sort of a drawnout out timeline.
If you wanted to do a longer one then that would also be great (again depending on how much time you want to spend on it).  

After you finish I assume the rest of us get to leap off of your essay and do our own... so don't cover everything  

Maybe you should create an abstract for your second essay (if you do one) that way a reader of this website can sort through the different abstracts that people have created, and from there they can read what they find interesting.  I think this would be a good form of doing things, as opposed to forcing someone to read through pages of essays (which they won't do) for one thing they were looking for.

If you want to take longer on your second essay we could always wait until you get back... and before you leave you could submit your first one and we could move from there.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that it depends on how much time you have.
Have a good trip!