Notes from the Dead House translation

[Kafkaesque]

Hello all,

This is my first post. I was wondering, since I'm about to begin reading the Notes from the Dead House, which translation you'd recommend? I don't think Pevear and Volokhonsky did this one. Right now, I'm considering the David McDuff one, but I'm not really a scholar on Dostoevsky translations. Any help would be appreicated.

Thanks,
K.

BTW, I like your site.

[Canerican]

I liked the the Constance Ganett one, but they are almost the same...

[K.]

Hello all,

This is my first post. I was wondering, since I'm about to begin reading the Notes from the Dead House, which translation you'd recommend? I don't think Pevear and Volokhonsky did this one. Right now, I'm considering the David McDuff one, but I'm not really a scholar on Dostoevsky translations. Any help would be appreicated.

Thanks,
K.

BTW, I like your site.

Haha, it appears my double has shown up. As long as you don't start showing up at my work or leaving me with a large bar tab, it's all good.

K.

[Kafkaesque]

Heh. Don't worry, I won't kick you into a carriage heading for the asylum.

It's nice to meet another Dostoevsky fan who likes Kafka though.

[linz]

There was the translation I read. I got it at the library, it was an old, Everyman's Library version that had Zombie looking faces on the cover. I'm not sure who translated it though. Sorry I couldn't be of more assistence. It is truely a good read, and might be Dostoevsky's first signature work.

[Worm]

Hello all,

This is my first post. I was wondering, since I'm about to begin reading the Notes from the Dead House, which translation you'd recommend? I don't think Pevear and Volokhonsky did this one. Right now, I'm considering the David McDuff one, but I'm not really a scholar on Dostoevsky translations. Any help would be appreicated.

Thanks,
K.

BTW, I like your site.

Haha, it appears my double has shown up. As long as you don't start showing up at my work or leaving me with a large bar tab, it's all good.

K.

[Silvio]

This is the first time I've visited one of these sites and
it's a tad surreal hearing people discussing the trouble
with translators and doubtless too the shame of
reading poetry in translation! I have 5 different versions of some Anna Akhmatova poems and the
variation is frightening.
Memoirs from the House of the Dead is the Dostoyevsky I most often reread. When I was younger, so much younger than today I managed to
get sent to prison for the most trivial  reasons - It was a state of draconian drug laws and corrupt courts
in my state (in west australia) I don't think it's like that anymore but it's been many years. What's so
remarkable about the portraits Dostoyevsky rendered
in House of the Dead is how accurately they match the behaviour of the people I remember in gaol. One
passage in particular is amazing:
" You could discern at one glance one single glaring
characteristic that was common to all this strange family:Even the strongest most original personalities
who dominated the others without trying, even they
attempted to fit in with the general tone of the prison.
Generally speaking, all these men with the exception of a few indefatigably cheerful souls whose good humour made the object of general scorn, were sullen, curious,terribly vain,boastful,quick to take offence and preoccupied to the highest degree with good form. The ability not to be surprised by anything
was considered the greates virtue. They were all madly obsessed with the question of outward behaviour. But quite often the most arrogant manner
would be replaced with the swiftness of lightning with
the most craven one.
There were a few genuinely strong individuals who were straight forward and did not give themselves
airs. But it was strange. Some of these truly strong
characters were vain to the utmost degree. Almost to
the point of insanity."
It's not a hell of a lot different to how I recall school either.
Silvio

[El Capitan]

There was the translation I read. I got it at the library, it was an old, Everyman's Library version that had Zombie looking faces on the cover. I'm not sure who translated it though. Sorry I couldn't be of more assistence. It is truely a good read, and might be Dostoevsky's first signature work.

Probably Constance Garnett from what I've been able to research on the Everyman's Library versions of Dostoevsky

[Silvio]

Really, unless one is able to read both Russian and
English it's impossible to say. As a rule of thumb I
avoid American translations, given that their mastery
of English is debatable. We live in a fortunate age for
reading foreign classics though. An Englishman living
during this most Golden age of literature would not
have access to translations of Tolstoy, Dostoevsky,
Turgenev etc.
silvio