Demons (or Devils, The Possessed)

[Anton Petrov]

I purchased myself the Robert A. Maguire translation of this novel, and am well into chapter 2, wishing to finish it this evening. (What do people tend to think is the better translation - his or Michael R. Katz's or Volokhonsky or ...?)

My questions, though rather general, relate to the other Dostoyevsky books I will be reading in the near future, and to the man Fyodor himself.

[1] What are the best English language translations of Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov, as well as Notes from Underground (is that book any good - what's it all about - I haven't managed to comprehend thus far) and The Double?

[2] Was Dostoyevsky an atheist? I haven't understood that much. Most importantly, does he try to push the reader toward an atheistic view of things in any of his works.

Thank you in advance.

[K.]

Hello,  I haven't posted on this forum in quite some time, but here is my take on your questions:

1) I’ve read many of Dostoevsky's works by different translators, but as I only own one copy of each book, I've only read one translation of each book.  This makes comparing translations more difficult.  The two best translations I've read are P&V's Demons and MacAndrew's Brothers K.  I don't think the MacAndrew translation is as well known as some of the others, but it is by far my favorite.  He tends to be less formal, and the humor, emotion, and at times depravity of the Brothers comes across very well in his translation.  I really love Crime and Punishment (and read it twice), but I own the McDuff translation, and would definitely choose another translation if I ever read it again.  I don't think I've read any Maguire or Katz translations though.

2) Dostoevsky struggled with belief in God all his life, but in his heart, he was a devout Orthodox Christian.  Read a little about his mock execution early in life, or about his death for more insight.  He won't necessarily push you toward an atheistic view, though he will force you to struggle with it just as he did.  If anything, he'll subtly try to convert you, as he nearly has of me.  The Brothers K. most directly deals with his struggles with belief in God, but his Christian beliefs permeate all of his novels.

[Scoundrel]

I've heard nothing but praises for the translations by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky.... that said, I haven't gotten a chance to read one of their translations and can't really vouch for it first hand