I am very excited to be able to share with you an interesting read from the Cheltenham Literature Festival programme.
About the biography:
Dostoevsky's life was marked by brilliance and brutality. Sentenced to death as a young revolutionary, he survived mock execution and Siberian exile to live through a time of seismic change in Russia, eventually being accepted into the Tsar's inner circle. He had three great love affairs, each overshadowed by debilitating epilepsy and addiction to gambling. Somehow, amidst all this, he found time to write short stories, journalism and novels such as Crime and Punishment, The Idiot and The Brothers Karamazov, works now recognised as among the finest ever written.
In Dostoevsky in Love Alex Christofi weaves carefully chosen excerpts of the author's work with the historical context to form an illuminating and often surprising whole. The result is a novelistic life that immerses the reader in a grand vista of Dostoevsky's world: from the Siberian prison camp to the gambling halls of Europe; from the dank prison cells of the Tsar's fortress to the refined salons of St Petersburg. Along the way, Christofi relates the stories of the three women whose lives were so deeply intertwined with Dostoevsky's: the consumptive widow Maria; the impetuous Polina who had visions of assassinating the Tsar; and the faithful stenographer Anna, who did so much to secure his literary legacy.
Reading between the lines of his fiction, Christofi reconstructs the memoir Dostoevsky might have written had life – and literary stardom – not intervened. He gives us a new portrait of the artist as never before seen: a shy but devoted lover, an empathetic friend of the people, a loyal brother and friend, and a writer able to penetrate to the very depths of the human soul.
Bobs and Books review: I read Crime and Punishment for my English Lit degree, and must admit I haven't thought much about Dostoevsky since. Just reading the blurb was surprising to see what an interesting man he was, and what he went through, This sparked an immediate interest.
The prologue is intense and sharp. Christofi often quotes Dostoevsky which brings this book to life more than you might think.
This is a very accessible read; anyone who enjoys a memoir of resilience, this is one to read without feeling overwhelmed. Also its only 200 odd pages so short and sweet.
A real blend of real life events, his writing and of course, love. A well rounded view of the man Fyodor Dostoevsky.
Cheltenham Literature Festival
Alex Christofi is at Cheltenham Literature Festival on Monday 11 October at 5.45pm.
To buy the book or view the event, see here: L109 Dostoevsky In His Own Words (cheltenhamfestivals.com)
There are many exciting events throughout the Cheltenham Literature Festival which you can view here: https://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/literature.
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