Download Best Sellers Audiobooks in Classics, European Literature

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Title: Candide

Author: Voltaire

Narrator: Kevin Kollins

Format: Unabridged

Length: 3 hrs and 1 min

Language: English

Release date: 01-10-18

Publisher: Kevin Kollins

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: Classics, European Literature

Publisher's Summary:

"Candide is a French satire first published in 1759 by Voltaire, a philosopher of the Age of Enlightenment. It begins with a young man, Candide, who is living a sheltered life in an Edenic paradise and being indoctrinated with Leibnizian optimism by his mentor, Professor Pangloss. The work describes the abrupt cessation of this lifestyle, followed by Candide's slow, painful disillusionment as he witnesses and experiences great hardships in the world. Voltaire concludes with Candide, if not rejecting optimism outright, advocating a deeply practical precept, 'we must cultivate our garden', in lieu of the Leibnizian mantra of Pangloss, 'all is for the best' in the 'best of all possible worlds'.

"Candide is characterised by its sarcastic tone as well as by its erratic, fantastical, and fast-moving plot. A picaresque novel with a story similar to that of a more serious coming-of-age narrative (Bildungsroman), it parodies many adventure and romance clichés, the struggles of which are caricatured in a tone that is mordantly matter-of-fact. Still, the events discussed are often based on historical happenings, such as the Seven Years' War and the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. As philosophers of Voltaire's day contended with the problem of evil, so too does Candide in this short novel, albeit more directly and humorously. Voltaire ridicules religion, theologians, governments, armies, philosophies, and philosophers through allegory; most conspicuously, he assaults Leibniz and his optimism.

"As expected by Voltaire, Candide has enjoyed both great success and great scandal. Immediately after its secretive publication, the book was widely banned because it contained religious blasphemy, political sedition and intellectual hostility hidden under a thin veil of naïveté. However, with its sharp wit and insightful portrayal of the human condition, the novel has since inspired many later authors and artists to mimic and adapt it. Today, Candide is recognized as Voltaire's magnum opus."

[Wikipedia]

Members Reviews:

Great book but atypical format for hardcover disrupts reading flow

Candide is an excellent story, a concise yet conceptually soaring diatribe that unblinkingly lampoons the stigmas and realities of Voltaires time. The book is packed with scenarios that will make you laugh and cringe at once. I give four stars because the formatting on the hardcover book is a bit weird due to extra spaces in between paragraphs. This extra spacing disrupts the flow of reading and seems as if the publisher was trying to make the book more pages than it actually warranted with respect to the typical font and format of a novel or novella.

The best of all possible reviews

I decided to revisit this book after almost 40 years since my high school French class. It's amazing what reading it again after such a long time does for your perspective. Glad I picked it up again.

Satirical Genius

Voltaire is a satirical genius, he leaves few stones unturned in this short novel. The critical responses are useful resources if you have to write a report for the book or need further insight into Voltaires mind.

A quick witty romp!

What a fun read! I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is relatively short and moves quickly, so it's great if you want something witty without much commitment.

hilarious

This book is a combination of genius, logical argument and humor. It is definitely hilarious.

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Title: Metamorphosis

Subtitle: A BBC Radio 4 Reading

Author: Franz Kafka

Narrator: Benedict Cumberbatch

Format: Abridged

Length: 1 hr and 38 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-04-18

Publisher: BBC Digital Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 16 votes

Genres: Classics, European Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Benedict Cumberbatch reads Franz Kafka's famous story of man-turned-insect, Metamorphosis.

After a night of troubled dreams, Gregor Samsa wakes to discover that he has turned into a huge, monstrous, cockroach-like creature, with an armour-plated back and multiple limbs.

Gradually, he comes to terms with his new state - but his parents and sister are horrified and increasingly revolted. To them, Gregor is unclean, verminous and entirely repellent, and as he becomes more and more of a burden, their horror turns to a terrible indifference....

First published in 1915, Kafka's surreal existential novella explores concepts such as the absurdity of life, alienation and the disconnect between mind and body. Read by Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock, Star Trek, The Imitation Game), this tale - often described as one of the greatest in the history of fiction - is chilling, captivating and darkly comic.

Members Reviews:

Enjoyed the narration more than the story.

I found this a strange but interesting story, not something I would usually listen to but got because I am a big fan of Benedict. His narration is amazing, such a rich voice and i like how he gives the characters their own voices too. I dont think I completely understood the meaning of the story but enjoyed it nonetheless. Would definitely recommend to other Benedict fans, and would listen again just for the narration.

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Title: Thus Spoke Zarathustra

Author: Friedrich Nietzsche

Narrator: Kevin Theis

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 58 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-04-18

Publisher: Bassett Publishing

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 8 votes

Genres: Classics, European Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Written in the mid 1880's by Friedrich Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra is a critically-acclaimed work centered around the "death of God" and the rise of a superhuman. A philosophical and moral examination of good versus evil, divine versus mortal, and power versus submission are all encapsulated in the musings of Zarathustra.

Zarathustra's doctrine is the idea of eternal recurrence, which claims that all events repeat themselves, and that to achieve a higher state of mind, man must accept each moment as it comes. Nietzsche's Thus Spoke Zarathustra is a compelling, thought-provoking piece on what it means to understand internal peace and to conflict with the mundane repetition of life on Earth.

Members Reviews:

Interesting...

It can be a a little hard to follow but I really like how this book challenges me intellectually. I felt like the narrator talked a little fast so thats why I gave that a 4.

Well Spoke Zarathustra

Challenging, frustrating, sometimes enraging, but an unavoidable foundation document of modern thought. So like it or not, the 'story' has to get a 5. Over the years Ive read it in shards and chunks and fits and starts, on paper and Kindle, but was never able to sustain the journey from beginning to end. This time I could, largely thanks to this sure-footed, energetic Sherpa of a narrator.

It's Nietzsche

Thus Spoke Zarathrustra was one of those books I hated reading in Western Civ decades ago in college, and I really hoped by being an adult I would find more in it to like, and to be honest I have no desire to try it a 3rd time. The material to me is just wrong. BUT this audible version is a good listen, I lover the narrators voice it makes Nietzsche's words sound good. I recommend this not for the book, but the reading is fantastic even if the author starts with a flawed premise and never convinces, me the reader, that he was right.

Happy I got this version

Nietzsche' magnum opus, yes, the overman and it's pronunciation through Zarathustra is amazing to listen too; especially when coupled to the gusto at which this narrator performs.

I'm thoroughly happy with what I have listened to.

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Title: Candide (AmazonClassics Edition)

Author: Voltaire

Narrator: James Langton

Format: Unabridged

Length: 3 hrs and 54 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-22-17

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Genres: Classics, European Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Candide, the illegitimate nephew of a German baron and student of eternal optimist Pangloss, is living a simple and sheltered life in "the best of all possible worlds."

But when Candide falls in love with the wrong woman, his uncle's young daughter, he is exiled from the baron's castle and suffers great tragedy and catastrophe, which leaves him disillusioned and questioning the goodness of the universe.

Penned in just three days - and published in secret because of its blasphemous and seditious nature - Voltaire's legendary satire deftly skewers religious, romantic, and political naïveté with an acerbic and ribald wit that delights to this day.

Revised edition: Previously published as Candide, this edition of Candide (AmazonClassics Edition) includes editorial revisions.

Members Reviews:

The most cheerful tale of human suffering you'll ever find

Candide is amazing! Love, love, loved this book. Candide is a celebration of all the misery that being human has to offer, which sounds weird to say but it absolutely true. Witty, almost impossibly creativity, and surprisingly insightful.

Forget the slog of reading another "classic" that moves at the pace of molasses and requires a thesaurus and sparknotes app, Candide is eminently readable and impressively buoyant for a book that deals with graphic violence, sexual assault, and every assortment of human miseries imaginable. I laughed out loud multiple times, which earned me strange looks from the librarian, trying saying the same about the work of any other 17th century French philosopher.

Candide also functions as a piece of proper philosophy in addition to pure entertainment. The payoff at the end to "Tend your own garden" is perennially good advice, especially if you happen to follow US politics (sorry, but I just went there).

"Work then without disputing, it is the only way to render life supportable.â

PS. The careful reader will also note that the meaning of the word "ravish" has changed significantly over the centuries.

An imaginative satire

I read Candide when I was a teenager. I was surprised to learn I actually read only the first book. The very short book two caught me by surprise! I enjoyed it, though I thought book one was by far superior to book two. Maybe that's why the second book was not included in the version I read years ago.

Candide is a classic, and it deserves to be. Whatever is, is right? Not to Voltaire. Candide and his several companions encounter catastrophe everywhere, yet Candide travels around the world clinging (somewhat reluctantly) to Dr. Pangloss' outlook that this is the best of all possible worlds. Candide's friends die, and then miraculously return to life and just happen to cross paths with Candide. Beautiful people turn ugly and back to beautiful again. Candide receives riches only to be bilked out of them. The improbable becomes commonplace.

This is a fun book. It's short and pretty easy to read. I just wish I enjoyed it as much at my second reading!

A great work of satire, pithy, and easy to read

Itâs a parody of Optimism as a philosophy. Voltaire mocks Candideâs nave optimism, but itâs not clear to me what his true beliefs are from a simple reading of the text. Voltaire may ridicule Optimism as simplistic, but he doesnât offer anything in its place. Candide has successes and failures that seem passive rather than intentional.

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Title: The Metamorphosis

Author: Franz Kafka

Narrator: J.D. Kelly

Format: Unabridged

Length: 2 hrs and 3 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-15-17

Publisher: Lyon Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 16 votes

Genres: Classics, European Literature

Publisher's Summary:

The Metamorphosis is a short novel by Franz Kafka, first published in 1915. It is often cited as one of the seminal works of fiction of the 20th century and is widely studied in colleges and universities across the western world. The story begins with a traveling salesman, Gregor Samsa, waking to find himself transformed into an insect.

Members Reviews:

Excellent audio version of a classic tale.

J.D. Kelly's version of Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis is very good. Kelly's tone throughout this story makes the main character believable. It is not easy to sound like a man who's personality and lifestyle are so constrained by the singular focus of his job and by his pathologically narrowed range of affect that even being turned (overnight) into a grotesque beetle is taken in stride and fails to trigger any sort of hysteria/terror.

This story is brilliant in that the overarching message is so powerful that it allows the reader to move briskly through the metamorphosis to the conclusion in which we accept what has always been most important to all of the characters from the beginning (financial well-being/survival within current societal constraints). The main character having become a beetle and eventually perishing as a result of the metamorphosis becomes the elephant in the room that everyone comes to accept and brush aside despite it's enormity and outlandishness.

To pull the reader into that degree of complicity with such insane characters one must be a phenomenal writer, as Kafka was, but in this case the process is helped along quite a bit by Kelly's matter of fact narration style. Kelly is masterful at doling out emotion in very small controlled portions and maintaining a Keep Calm and Carry On tone throughout the entire story.

I absolutely recommend both this author and this narrator to other readers. Thank you Audio Book Boom and J.D. Kelly for this complimentary copy of Kafka's The Metamorphosis in exchange for my fair and unbiased review.

Classic Story, well narrated

The Metamorphosis is Franz Kafka's classic 1915 Russian tale of a young man, Gregor, who wakes up one day to find himself turned into the a giant bug.

The story shows Gregor's family, who had relied on him for money, blaming him, resenting him and then dealing with the fallout of the change. It deal with themes of isolation, sympathy and alienation.

While it is a short read, it is fairly dense in imagery and ideas. I had previously had to read in in high school, and I wish that audiobook versions had been readily available back then.

J.D. Kelly narrated the book well. He is clear, well paced, and enjoyable to listen to. There is nothing outstanding in the narration, in terms of characters or voices, but the book doesn't have a large amount of dialogue that lends itself to that.

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

when a great classic meets a great voice

I love this story very much it's a good classic and the narrator was absolutely great the story itself it's a well-known story and when I seen it I knew I need this book in my personal Library

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review

A book JD Kelly simply couldnt save despite trying

Ok. So, I didn't want to hate this book. Its supposed to be super smart, and super deep, and oh so meaningful.

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Title: The Possessed

Author: Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Constance Garnett - translator

Narrator: Constantine Gregory

Format: Unabridged

Length: 27 hrs and 25 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-18-17

Publisher: Naxos AudioBooks

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 4 votes

Genres: Classics, European Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Also known as Demons, The Possessed is a powerful socio-political novel about revolutionary ideas and the radicals behind them. It follows the career of Pyotr Stepanovich Verkhovensky, a political terrorist who leads a group of nihilists on a demonic quest for societal breakdown. They are consumed by their desires and ideals, and have surrendered themselves fully to the darkness of their "demons". This possession leads them to engulf a quiet provincial town and subject it to a storm of violence. Inspired by a real political killing in 1869, the book is an impassioned response to the ideologies of European liberalism and nihilism, which threatened Russian Orthodoxy; it eerily predicted the Russian Revolution, which would take place 50 years later. Funny, shocking, and tragic, it is a profound and affecting work with deep philosophical discourses about God, human freedom and political revolution.

Translation by Constance Garnett; appendix translated by S. S. Koteliansky and Virginia Woolf.

Members Reviews:

Womderful

Ive tried for years to read this novel but was never able to get through it. There are several dozen characters - more even than usual for Dostoevsky (I think) - and the Russian names, always a daunting task to keep straight, are overwhelming. The novel takes a very long time introducing the characters and setting up the main action. to get started.

Constantine Gregorys reading (of Constance Garnetts translation) somehow made most of those problems go away. I had the benefit of my list of names from previous attempts, and maybe that helped. The main story still takes awhile to get moving, but Gregory infuses both narration and dialogue with a liveliness and humor that had escaped me earlier. Some of the scenes that confused me earlier now seem hilariously over the top - in a good way.

Many of the characters suffer from a claustrophobic self-consciousness - practically a trademark of Dostoevskys. The narrator is a little odd, partly in and partly out of the action: a member of the community, a friend of Stepan Verkovensky, but sometimes omniscient, and possibly unreliable. Three men in particular dominate the action: Stepan Verkovensky, an aging writer, philosopher, and poseur; his son Pyotr; and Pyotrs cohort and erstwhile friend Nikolai Stavrogin, an aristocrat whose actions always tend toward the unexpected.

Pyotr Verkovensky is a particularly complex and nasty character. He babbles on endlessly, in the most obnoxious way; yet in his babbling he manages to brutally insult his father, threaten Nikolai Stavrogin, and humiliate the local governor, who claims an awareness of his subversive activities. While he turns out NOT to be the main character, Pyotr is in fact the man who sets most of the action in motion. That action expands to include several murders, arson, a woman beaten to death by a mob, a duel, and several suicides. Its all in the service of misguided youthful nihilism.

There is an appendix, which is difficult to listen to but should not be skipped. Its a chapter that Dostoevsky was forced by his publisher to omit because it describes a descent into horror, on the part of Stavrogin, that is no less horrible for its omission of any explicit detail. Dostoevsky was right that its essential to an understanding of Stavrogins character - thief, poisoner, and child rapist that he is.

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Title: Aesop's Fables

Author: Aesop

Narrator: Heidi Gregory

Format: Unabridged

Length: 3 hrs and 50 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-08-17

Publisher: Our Life Publishing

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 6 votes

Genres: Classics, European Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Aesop's Fables is a collection of fables credited to Aesop, a slave and storyteller believed to have lived in ancient Greece between 620 and 564 BCE. Of diverse origins, the stories associated with his name have descended to modern times through a number of sources and continue to be reinterpreted in different verbal registers and in popular as well as artistic media.

The fables originally belonged to the oral tradition and were not collected for some three centuries after Aesop's death. By that time a variety of other stories, jokes and proverbs were being ascribed to him, although some of that material was from sources earlier than him or came from beyond the Greek cultural sphere.

The process of inclusion has continued until the present, with some of the fables unrecorded before the later Middle Ages and others arriving from outside Europe. The process is continuous and new stories are still being added to the Aesop corpus, even when they are demonstrably more recent work and sometimes from known authors.

Members Reviews:

The Aesop collection you're looking for.

There are many collections of Aesop's fables available, but most of these have been censored for children. Heidi Gregory's reading though, is the real deal, with all the macabre and politically incorrect details often brushed under the rug for the sake of taste. These are very old tales though for those interested in the history of them, this audiobook provides the most representation of the originals as possible.

Yes, there are quite horrible fables like "the Ethiopian and his master who tried to scrub his slave's dark skin clean with every type of wash possible", but that is really the most obviously racist fable in this collection.

As far as Aesop fables go that are read by one person, Heidi Gregory is by far the best narrator...or at least the only British one, which is the main reason I purchased this audiobook.

The Best Collection of Aesops Fables Available

This is the best collection of Aesop's Fables in audiobook form I have found. These are the non-corrupted politically corrected versions of the fables.Some of the fables have the life lessons explained and attached at the end of them for the listener. I highly recommend this audiobook. Heidi Gregory does an amazing job with the narration. Her accent is pleasing to me and very relaxing to listen to as she narrates these short fables. This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.

Wonderful Fables and Lessons To Be Learned

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

I forgot all the wonderful short and precise lessons a person can learn from Aesops Fables. Everywhere from the tortoise and the Hare to the dog and the bone on the bridge.

Some stories are without a one line lesson, some do. So practical and still many that apply to life today.

The cleverness and ability to provide a point and done so quickly it is just amazing...and so many stories!

The narrator was absolutely perfect..loved her slight accent..perfectly done and a joy to listen to.

Worth the time to be once again reminded of the lessons to be learned and applied to life in a wonderful and entertaining way.

I will listened to this time and again and share with others!

Fun Rendition of Fables

This is an enjoyable re-telling of a series of very short tales from fable-master Aesop.

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Title: Journey to the Center of the Earth (AmazonClassics Edition)

Author: Jules Verne

Narrator: Derek Perkins

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-24-17

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 9 votes

Genres: Classics, European Literature

Publisher's Summary:

A sixteenth-century cryptogram spurs modern geologist Otto Liedenbrock to embark on the most remarkable human quest ever taken. With his nephew and guide, he leads the descent from a dormant Icelandic volcano into the unexplored realm beneath their feet. There, a vast subterranean ocean, prehistoric creatures, and natural phenomena are but a few of the wonders hidden from all but the boldest eyes.

Journey to the Center of the Earth epitomizes the subterranean fiction genre. Author Jules Verne leads listeners deep below the world's surface to the core of his inventive, visionary mind.

AmazonClassics brings you timeless works from the masters of storytelling. Ideal for anyone who wants to listen to a great work for the first time or rediscover an old favorite, these new editions open the door to literature's most unforgettable characters and beloved worlds.

Members Reviews:

A Vernian Jouney

I forgot how wonderful Verne was at describing an adventure with so many facts that one could actually have no doubt that it would be possible to accomplish!

Axel (the narrator) a young man, visits his uncle, Professor Otto Lidenbrock, who is an eccentric academic and adventurer. Lidenbrock has recently purchased a manuscript with Runic inscriptions which he and Axel decipher to be a cryptogram indicating how one can reach the centre of the Earth. Axel is in love with Lidenbrocks goddaughter Gräuben, who promises to wait for him and marry him if he returns. The two leave and find themselves a guide, Hans Bjelke, who helps them reach their goal. The journey leads them from Germany, to Denmark. In Copenhagen they take a boat for several days which gets them to Iceland where the centres entryway is located. Walking through the inside tunnels of a volcano the explorers find fossils, interesting rock formations, water, and many other wonders.

The audiobook is fantastic and well-narrated. The performer has a wonderful voice, and very suitable for the text. I loved it!

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Title: Dracula

Author: Bram Stoker

Narrator: Greg Wise, Saskia Reeves

Format: Unabridged

Length: 18 hrs and 13 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-03-17

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 7 votes

Genres: Classics, European Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Told in journal fragments that cannot provide any single perspective, Bram Stoker's masterpiece is at the same time intensely romantic and very modern. It unfolds the story of a Transylvanian Don Juan, the aristocratic vampire Count Dracula who preys on damsels, and the mission launched from a lunatic asylum to destroy him.

Members Reviews:

... to read this since it is represented on many great novels lists but can't give it 4 or 5 ...

Had to read this since it is represented on many great novels lists but can't give it 4 or 5 stars; but I can give it a solid 3.5 stars. No doubt the book established the norm for Vampires and Gothic literature to which it deserves it's high standing, but is weak in it's repetitive verbiage regarding the constant praising of the main women characters of the story, Lucy and Mina. Once you endure that the story line is captivating and well worth reading. After all it is a classic and has been a favorite for many years. On a side note, I found it interesting to go to maps on my computer to locate the area where Count Dracula lived, Transylvania, and especially the mountain pass near his castle. Even though the story is fiction the places well described in the book become real when you see the surroundings and locations on a map.

The Dracula I Never Knew

On a recent trip to Romania, I decide to finally go back and read Dracula (had to get tips for how to protect myself). It's a really great story, told through a series of journal entries by all the major characters. Like many novels of its era, the plot velocity is patchy. It starts of well enough and then slows in the middle, finishing rapidly, almost in a rush. If you find yourself getting bored in the middle, force yourself to keep going. It does pay off in the end. The plot is somewhat predictable, but that's also because we've had over 100 years to absorb it. What struck me most about the original story is how much I didn't really know it. Rather, I had been indoctrinated by decades of movies and TV series that all put their own unique spin on vampires and those have so enmeshed with popular culture that nobody knows about the original. So, do yourself a favor and give this a read. It's free and the Kindle version is pretty well formatted and usable.

My favorite novel of all time

Don't know why, but I love this book. I started reading it again a few days ago. This is about the 8th time I've read it, and it never gets old. I love the romantic language and the chaste, Victorian attitudes. I love the way the horror and terror of Count Dracula is gradually revealed, the frustration and tragic pain of his pursuers, the cat-and-mouse game they play. Who is the pursued and who is the pursuer?

I've always marveled that there is no dialogue, per se, in the entire book. Every line of the book is a diary entry, journal entry, newspaper article, bill of lading, telegraph, etc. How he weaves this together into a such a compelling story fascinates me every time I read it.

The ending of the book is so exciting, so dramatic, that I am always amazed that, when adapted to a movie, they screw it up every time thinking that their ending is somehow superior. I wish someone would someday faithfully adapt the book to a movie, but after 100 years of bad Dracula movies, that doesn't seem likely.

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Title: Crime and Punishment

Author: Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Narrator: Mark Nelson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 21 hrs and 50 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-18-17

Publisher: Paperless

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Classics, European Literature

Publisher's Summary:

Crime and Punishment (Russian: " " translated "Prestupleniye i nakazaniye") is a novel by the Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky. It was first published in the literary journal The Russian Messenger in 12 monthly installments during 1866. Later, it was published in a single volume. It is the second of Dostoyevsky's full-length novels following his return from five years of exile in Siberia. Crime and Punishment is considered the first great novel of his "mature" period of writing.

Members Reviews:

Get Ready

The two popular translations of âCrime and Punishmentâ before the 1993 translation by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky, were by Constance Garnett and David McDuff. The Pevear/Volokhonsky translation became my favourite â until Oliver Readyâs translation came along. Not knowing a word of Russian, I declare my favourite only by the enjoyment I derived from reading the book in English.

Many things may indeed be lost in translation, and many others get misrepresented but we may not know. The result of reading only the English versions is that oneâs choice is largely subjective. Compared to the Garnett version, the Pevear/Volokhonsky translation seems very modern â until Readyâs came along. Little things like changing âhad notâ to âhadnâtâ renders Readyâs version not only a little more modern but also more informal. That is not to say that the atmosphere of old Russia is lost. Ready uses âfibsâ for âliesâ (Pevear/Volokhonsky) in one passage.

Ultimately, the reader has to decide for himself which style he enjoys more. Here is a comparison from one of my favourite passages (there are many) from the book. I set out first the Pevear/Volokhonsky version then the Ready version:

âWhat do you think?â Razmumikhin shouted, raising his voice even more. âYou think itâs because theyâre lying? Nonsense! I like it when people lie! Lying is manâs only privilege over all other organisms. If you lie- you get to the truth! Lying is what makes me a man. Not one truth has ever been reached without lying fourteen times or so, maybe a hundred and fourteen, and thatâs honourable in its way; well, but we canât even lie with our minds! Lie to me, but in your own way, and Iâll kiss you for it. Lying in oneâs own way is almost better than telling the truth in someone elseâs way; in the first case youâre a man, and in the second â no better than a bird. The truth wonât go away, but life can be nailed shut; there are examples. (Pevear/Volokhonsky)

âNow what are you thinking?â cried Razumikhin, raising even more. âThat itâs their lies I canât stand? Nonsense! I like it when people lie. Telling lies is humanityâs sole privilege over other organism. Keep fibbing and youâll end up with the truth! Iâm only human because I lie. No truthâs ever been discovered without fourteen fibs along the way, if not one hundred and fourteen, and thereâs honour in that. But our lies arenât even our own! Lie to me by all means, but make sure itâs your own, and then Iâll kiss you.