I can only buy one book

Interested in Dostoyevsky, what are your guys's recommendations for someone just getting into him? Also what should I expect from him?

You should expect a lot of feverish verbal exchanges between neurasthenic individuals about nihilism, mental illness, family woes, doomed love affairs and faith.
And plenty of awkward social situations.

Expect a lot of interesting and passionate conversations about philosophy. Multiple perspectives from characters who seem to be the psychological culmination of certain ideas or ways of looking at the world. Really powerful stuff, but its important to be aware of his biases

Brothers Karamazov was my favourite by a long stretch ... might be a good idea to read Notes or C&P first but if you do some kind of research on Russian history and Dostoevsky's life you should be fine

Thanks guys. Would you characterize Dostoyevski as more of a philosopher or novelist? Does he posit any original philosophical ideas, or does he just reuse other people's philosophy and present it in the form of a novel? I am not for or against either of these options.

Over the summer when I plan to read him I will have some time on my hands, but probably not enough time to read three books in addition to the philosophy I'll be reading, so if you had to choose, would you do some research and go right to The Brothers Karamazov or would you read the other two/at least one of them first?

Cheers.

>Interested in Dostoyevsky, what are your guys's recommendations for someone just getting into him?

don't bother. you're better off huffing gas and eating glue when it comes to being mentally stimulated.

Norton Critical Shakespeare.

The Analects of Confucius.

What fuels your hatred for Dostoyevsky?

Yes but get the avsey translation

There's no philosophical content in Dostoyevsky. He was a novelist with a keen interest in mental illness.