XXXIX + 366 = 405. But only 195 of that is The Gambler. The rest is Introduction, excerpts from Polina Suslova's diary, a story by PS, and some letters. So we'll see how that goes.
Day 1 (DDRD 2,295) February 12, 2024
After seeing that, I decided I would not even attempt to read anything beyond FD's novels and short stories. Which, of course, immediately calls into question 50% of this volume. So I'll play that by ear. I'll definitely read the Introduction. From which I've already learned that Dostoyevsky wrote this book (actually dictated it) from October 4 to October 29, 1866. That's pretty speedy. 💥😁
Read to page 11.
Speaking of the Introduction:
When discussing one of Dostoyevsky's three great loves, editor Edward Wasiolek says, "Dostoyevsky's Polina in The Gambler is far more attractive and complex than is the living prototype...." (xi)
I thought about how that definitely applies to me and my perception of most of the women who have been in my life. I saw them as much better people than they really were. I don't think it's the pedestal treatment so much as it is the blindness of love thing. If I'd been able to see clearly, I certainly would have had less heartache in my life. 50% fewer marriages, too.
Of Dostoyevsky's first wife, EW Notes that she "repaid Dostoyevsky's generosity with open contempt and distaste." (xiii) Well...been there, done that, got a T-shirt.
Here are some adjectives for the woman Dostoyevsky loved: "fitful, tempestuous, destructive, vengeful, cruel." (xxii)
Yep, yep, yep, yep, and yep.
And here is a bit of wisdom from one of Dostoyevsky's letters: "Whoever demands everything from others, while not feeling any obligation on his part, will never find happiness." (fn xxii)
P.S.: Both of the above pictures come from my phone camera.
Day 2 (DDRD 2,296) February 13, 2024
Read to page 35. A bit short of goal. But it was a busy day with little (almost no, actually) down time, and, alas, this book is just not grabbing me. Could it be the translator? I've never encountered this Victor Terras previously. I might switch to Constance for a chapter and see how that goes.
Day 3 (DDRD 2,297) ❤❤February 14, 2024❤❤
Read to page 110.
Read Chapters 5 and 6 in Constance's translation (courtesy of Internet Archive), and it didn't seem any better. The bit about the ballcrushing grandma winning big at the roulette table was good, but I still just can't get caught up in this book. Kind of looking forward to it being over, to tell the truth.
Day 4 (DDRD 2,298) February 15, 2024
Read to page 140.
Day 5 (DDRD 2,299) February 16, 2024
Read to page 172.
Day 6 (DDRD 2,300) February 17, 2024
Read to page 198, which is the end of The Gambler. I didn't think much of this book at all, and I'm tempted to move on to The Idiot to get the taste of it out of my mouth, but I'll have at least a nibble on the Diary of Polina Suslova and see if I want to spend another week on this thing.
Meanwhile, back in the States:
I dug this
Day 7 (DDRD 2,301) February 18, 2024
Read to page 230. Meh. I'll give it another day, but it's not feeling very necessary. Didn't get to the movie yet.
Day 8 (DDRD 2,302) February 19, 2024
Read to page. 273. The reading seemed a bit more interesting today, so I'll at least go for another day...which will put me at the end of the diary...and a mere two days from finishing, so that's probably what I'll do.
In one of the diary entries I read today there was mention of a Russian painter, Valery Yakobi. I took a Wikipedia on him and found this arresting painting:
 |
| Public Domain |
Apparently, Yakobi was very interested in the plight of the poor.
I also thought that this was interesting:
"Let people deceive me, let them laugh at me, but I want to believe in people, let them deceive me. And besides, they can't do very great damage, can they?" (250)
And here's an interesting coincidence. Yesterday I saw The Pirates of Penzance with Jacqueline and Joe. One of the running jokes was that whenever the lead character said the word "duty," he or someone else would immediately and sonorously echo "Duty." Well, check this out:
Hello lampost. What you knowin'?
Day 9 (DDRD 2,303) February 20, 2024
Read to page 340. Finished Polina's shirt story, which I actually enjoyed.
"...once a thing had entered her heart, it left an indelible mark. So it was also this time: a black thought had descended upon her heart, and was burning it slowly, but surely." (319)
That's pretty good, isn't it? I'm beginning to not be sorry that I didn't abandon this book after The Gambler finished.
So tomorrow I'll finish the letters, and that will be that.
Day 10 (DDRD 2,304) February 21, 2024
Read to page 366, The End. Most of the letters were pretty interesting...and her sad. To think that this great writer, who would only live 59 years, was in such terrible shape then: 45 years old, broke, not even able to buy food, stuck with a gambling addiction, far from home and unable to buy a train ticket back to his wife, begging money from everyone he knew.... And yet he managed to write Crime and Punishment around this time...and The Gambler as well.
Dostoyevsky in a letter to Polina, with reference to "Apollinaria":
"I love her still, I love her very much, but by now, I wish I did not love her. She is not worthy of such love. I feel sorry for her, because I can foresee that she will always be unhappy. Nowhere will she find either friend or happiness. Whoever demands everything from others, will not feeling any obligation on his part, will never find happy happiness." (342)
Onward.
(1) Leviathan 63 days, 729 pages
(2) Stalingrad 27 days, 982 pages
(3) Life and Fate 26 days, 880 pages
(4) The Second World War 34 + 32 + 40 + 43 + 31 + 32 days = 212 days, 4,379 pages
(5) Baron Wenckheim's Homecoming 10 days, 572 pages
(6) The Great Bridge 25 days, 636 pages
(7) The Path Between the Seas 29 days, 698 pages
(8) Blake: Prophet Against Empire, 23 days, 523 pages
(9) Jerusalem 61 days, 1,266 pages
(10) Voice of the Fire 9 days, 320 pages
(11) The Fountainhead 15 days, 720 pages
(13) The Pacific Trilogy: The Conquering Tide 28 days, 656 pages
(14) The Pacific Trilogy: Twilight of the Gods 31 days, 944 pages
(16) Toward Jazz 18 days, 224 pages
(17) The Worlds of Jazz 13 days, 279 pages
(18) To Be or Not...to Bop 14 days, 571 pages
(19) Kind of Blue 4 days, 224 pages
(20) Kind of Blue: Miles Davis and his Masterpiece: 5 days, 256 pages
(21) Miles: The Autobiography 16 days, 445 pages
(21) A Love Supreme: The Story of John Coltrane's Signature Album: 8 days, 287 pages
(22) Ascension: John Coltrane and His Quest 8 days, 304 pages
(23) Living With Music: Ralph Ellison's Jazz Writings 11 days 325 pages
(25) Oliver Twist 16 days, 542 pages
(26) Nicholas Nickleby 27 days, 1,045 pages
(27) The Old Curiosity Shop 22 days, 753 pages
(28) Barnaby Rudge 24 days, 866 pages
(30) Martin Chuzzlewit 32 days, 1,045 pages
(31) American Notes 10 days, 324 pages
(32) Pictures From Italy 7 days, 211 pages
(33) Christmas Stories Volume I 10 days, 456 pages
(34) Christmas Stories Volume II 15 days, 472 pages
(1) Miscellaneous Papers Volume II 28 days (don't count, while reading BH), 494 pages
(2) Bleak House 37 days, 1,098 pages
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