Notes from Underground

By: Fyodor Dostoevsky

Narrated by: George Guidall

"I am a sick man...I am a spiteful man", a nameless voice cries out. And so, from underground, emerge the passionate confessions of a suffering man; the painful self-examination of a tormented soul; the bristling scorn of a lonely individual who has become one of the greatest anti-heroes in all literature.

Notes from Underground reveals Fyodor Dostoevsky on the threshold of genius, discovering the ideas that would later lead him to create his most monumental novels: Crime and Punishment, The Idiot, and The Brothers Karamazov. Those who are familiar with his works will immediately recognize the novel's richly complex philosophical, political, and psychological themes; those who are not will find in their hands the best introduction to Dostoevsky's grander masterpieces.

Notes from Underground will deepen your understanding of a giant among writers of world literature - a man who continues to influence the greatest thinkers and writers in the Western world today.

Public Domain (P)1995 Recorded Books

the narration really put the voice to doetoevsky

Wonderfully narrative accomplishment by George Guidall in bringing the narrative monolog in Fyodor Dostoevsky's protagonist (?) to life.. as a fan of the author, I now have a bit better clarity in my understanding of other works - The Idiot, Crime and Punishment.. getting a paper copy to reference

Scathing critique of modernity relevant even today

Notes from the underground is about an average redditor or 4chan user who specced too much into intelligence and not enough into wisdom. He is a nerd who despite being very KNOWLEDGEABLE about things doesnt have the thumos or willpower to APPLY that knowledge to everyday situations, socially or otherwise.

He views himself as inferior to people who are less intelligent than himself because they are able to shut the brain off briefly and deal with the absurdity of the world while he himself is too busy intellectualizing or rationalizing things in his own life to ever go out into the world and do anything meaningful. The underground man is both a warning against modernity and the forsaking of traditional values as well as a warning against isolation and over analyzing that often comes with people like himself.

Dostoevskys novels are very good at capturing the essence of existentialism at a time before existentialism really took off because they often answered the age old question of “youve been granted consciousness in a world of constant pain and confusion- now what will you do with it?” of course those who read this book entirely through know the underground man’s response to this. He does nothing. He goes into hiding and never stares out into that cold abyss to scream into the void “I am alive”. In fact, im certain the title of the novella itself is a reflection of this.

I strongly encourage you to do so, at least up until the part where he waits for the girl at the end to at least get an idea of his rationale so that you can avoid becoming this very man

The beginning of existentialism?

I love Dostoevsky’s storytelling. How he takes a simple person and peels them back layer by layer into complex and relatable characters that remain with you. He explores in a fascinating manner human nature and psychology. The beginning is tough, but the ending delivers.

Must read!

Masterpiece! One of the greatest books ever written. Not really a novel though… more like a “stream of consciousness.” But what insights though! Great short listen. 👍🏾

An enthralling look at human weakness

A two part novella. First, an embittered essay on forced social rationalism vs chaotic individual freedom. Second, the tale of an intellectual ruined by his neurotic self-obsessions.
Excellent.