The Dostoevsky Encyclopedia

(Hardback)

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Description

One of the greatest writers of all time, Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821-1881) is best known for such masterpieces as Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov. His works are widely read and studied today, and he has received much biographical and critical attention. Like many other writers of enduring literature, he engages timeless moral and theological issues. His writings and ideas are complex and reflect the swirling political and intellectual controversies of his time. This encyclopedia is a convenient and comprehensive guide to his life and writings. Through more than 200 alphabetically arranged entries, this reference work details Dostoevsky's life and career. Each of his fictional works is discussed, as are his major pieces of journalism. There are also entries for his family members, close friends and associates, places where he lived, literary movements with which he is associated, and journals or newspapers in which he published. Also included are entries for major writers and thinkers who influenced his works, and for ideas and themes that figure prominently in his writings. The entries cite works for further reading, and the encyclopedia closes with a selected, general bibliography of major works.

Reviews

This one-of-a-kind reference can almost be read front to back; it is that compelling.By revealing the empathetic roots of Dostoevsky's writing, Lantz makes this eminent author more accessible to all of us. Highly recommended for all public and academic libraries. * Library Journal, Starred Review *
The Dostoevsky Encyclopedia aims to provide a convenient and comprehensive guide to Dostoevsky for the undergraduate student and general reader approaching that author for the first time.[L]antz has carried it out lucidly, conscientiously, and comprehensively. * MLR *
[A]n impressive distillation of decades of Dostoevsky scholarship. * Times Literary Supplement *
[H]ighly recommended for both public and academic libraries. Explanations are not too technical or obtuse and illuminate its subject and the society forming the backcloth for Dostoevsky's great writing. The binding is sturdy and the computer typeface is clear and easy to read. This is a highly recommended and not over-expensive reference acquisition. * Reference Reviews *
Unique in format and scope.The Dostoevsky Encyclopedia makes a handy ready-reference tool for academic and large public libraries. * Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin *

Author Bio

Kenneth Lantz is Professor of Russian Literature at the University of Toronto. His previous books include F.M. Dostoevsky: A Writer's Diary (1994), and Chekhov: A Reference Guide (1985).