Minor Works

[Mitya]

Oh, please do. I'd love to discuss The Double again.

[Lev]

Great... love to. I've started several books already, but hey, Dostoyevsky must reign supreme on the fiction reading list! I will have to put some of these fellows on hold -- .

[Lev]

Finally making progress on my list... . I just started Netochka Nezvanova. For some reason, whatever Out of the Service is, I can't find it anywhere. Also, I was surprised to learn that the Notebooks for Dostoyevsky's novels were last published in like the late 60's/early 70's. I thought Dostoyevsky was a popular author. Why has this stuff been out of print for so long?

[alan26857]

I never seem to see 'The village of Stepanchikovo' given much mention when works by Dostoyevsky are discussed,it is one of my favourites,and re-reading it at the moment I find it as good as the first time.
I wondered what others think of this somewhat neglected work?

[Tangerine]

I don't know if it's correct to ask  you about this here, I'm a newbie, but pleaaaase, could you help me to find    "The Heavenly Christmas Tree" in English!!! I really really need it very much!!!

[Rimbaudelaire]

I recently read 'House Of The Dead', and I enjoyed it very much. I was expecting it to be absolutely horrifying, but I didn't find it to be so. Not to imply that there is anything pleasant about being in a Siberian prison, but I have read a few quotes from F.D. about his own experiences in prison, and found these to be far worse than that which was depicted in the book.

I am slowly working my way through F.D.'s works, and I love them all so far.

I particularly love stories about people who find ways to amuse themselves and get something out of life despite their horrible predicament. Stories about the Holocaust, for example, will often fit this description.

[Rimbaudelaire]

I was fortunate enough to find, in a used bookstore, a hardcover from 1957 called 'The Short Stories of Dostoevsky', translated by CG, and with an introduction by William Philips. In comparing this book to the new collections I see in stores, it seems like many of the stories here are either out of print or difficult to find.

Here are the stories contained in it:

Mr. Prohartchin
A Novel In Nine Letters
The Landlady
Polzunkov
A Faint Heart
Another Man's Wife Or The Husband Under The Bed
An Honest Thief
A Christmas Tree And A Wedding
White Nights
A Little Hero
An Unpleasant Predicament
The Crocodile
Bobok
The Peasant Marey
The Heavenly Christmas Tree (someone posted a message about being unable to find this one)
A Gentle Spirit
The Dream Of A Ridiculous Man


I feel very luck to have found this book, and I recommend searching for a used copy.

Also, I recently watched a French film called 'A Gentle Woman', which was based on Dostoevsky's short story 'A Gentle Spirit' aka 'The Gentle Creature' aka 'The Meek One'.

Has anyone seen/read this?

I loved the film.

[Worm]

No, i haven't seen that movie - it's not very known, imo.  It sounds like it is a poignant short story, what do you think of it?



Bobok was a pleasant read, long time since i've heard that title

[dreamer]

Hi.
I'm new in this forum, but I've been an avid Dostoevsky reader for years now.
The film "A Gentle Woman" is directed by Robert Bresson, a highly idiosyncratic french filmmaker.
Dostoevsky is a major influence in most of his films.
He has made two straight Dostoevsky adaptations: "A gentle woman" and "Four nights of a dreamer" (from "white nights"-This unforunately I have not seen) and most of his other films borrow themes and even direct quotes from Dostoevsky novels. "Pickpocket" is a paraphrase of "Crime and Punishment", "Au hasard Balthazar" combines influences from the "Insulted and Injured" and "The Idiot", "Le diable probablement" is influenced amongst others by the "Devils" and finally " L'argent" is an adaptation of a Tolstoy short story (which again unfortunately I have not read) into which towards the end he incorporates a quote directly from "Crime and Punishment".
Any thoughts are welcome.