This topic is currently marked as "dormant"—the last message is more than 90 days old. You can revive it by posting a reply.
1QuentinTom
For those of you who are interested in reading this travel book by Dostoevsky, of a trip he made to Europe in the summer of 1862, here is a review.
http://thelectern.blogspot.com/2009/05/so-you-require-mere-chatter-light.html
http://thelectern.blogspot.com/2009/05/so-you-require-mere-chatter-light.html
2edwinbcn
148. Winter notes on summer impressions
Finished reading: 28 November 2013
In June 1862, while the American Civil War raged, and France aimed to expand its colonial power both in Central America and in the Far East, forming Cochinchina in Vietnam, Fyodor Dostoevsky undertook his first trip to Western Europe, a visit he had long looked forward to. Dostoevsky traveled to London, various German cities, including Cologne, Berlin and Dresden, Northern Italy, visiting Florence and Milan, and spent considerable time in Paris. He spent exactly two-and-a-half months traveling around Europe.
In the first chapter of Winter notes on summer impressions, Dostoevsky declines describing his trip, and referring to the short travel time modestly suggests that he has little factual to report about Europe, believing that most cosmopolitan Russians would know at least as much about Europe merely from reading the newspapers. Within the short time given to him, the author suggests he has merely collected a number of impressions. Therefore, there are no travel descriptions.
Rather, the essay, consisting of eight chapters almost exclusively deals with the ideas Dostoevsky formed on the French after his return to Russia. These notes, were written down in winter. The juxtaposition of the light impressions versus the moody winter notes, perhaps explain the stern tone of the essay.
It is obvious that as a result of his trip to Europe, Dostoevsky idealized idea of France changed to relentless criticism of France, and the realization that Russia had nothing to learn from France. In Winter notes on summer impressions Dostoevsky mainly criticises the French. In the essays Dostoevsky gradually builds his argument referring to domestic authors and critics whose attitudes toward France were known to his readers. Dostoevsky himself had served a prison sentence, as he was arrested as a member of a group that proposed reform in Russia, but was feared for potential revolutionary aspirations, particularly shortly after the revolutionary year 1848.
In 2008, Winter notes on summer impressions appeared in a new edition published by OneWorld Classics. This edition has a very useful preface, written by the translator, footnotes and extra materials, as well as biographical materials on Dostoevsky. Without the notes and the preface, Winter notes on summer impressions would be very difficult to understand. To modern readers, the essay would merely be a criticism of France, which appears most clearly in the final chapters. Unfortunately, neither the critical apparatus attached to this edition, nor the work itself bears out what made Dostoevsky change his mind about France and the role of France as an example for Russia. Winter notes on summer impressions shows that this change took place, but does not explain how that happened.
According to the translator, Kyril Fitzlyon, Winter notes on summer impressions is essential reading for the understanding of Dostoevsky's later works. While that opinion may be justified for professional readers of Dostoevsky's literary work, the argument does not seem to hold for all readers alike.
Other books I have read by Fyodor Dostoevsky:
Notes from underground
The double
Netochka Nezvanova
Crime and punishment
Finished reading: 28 November 2013
In June 1862, while the American Civil War raged, and France aimed to expand its colonial power both in Central America and in the Far East, forming Cochinchina in Vietnam, Fyodor Dostoevsky undertook his first trip to Western Europe, a visit he had long looked forward to. Dostoevsky traveled to London, various German cities, including Cologne, Berlin and Dresden, Northern Italy, visiting Florence and Milan, and spent considerable time in Paris. He spent exactly two-and-a-half months traveling around Europe.
In the first chapter of Winter notes on summer impressions, Dostoevsky declines describing his trip, and referring to the short travel time modestly suggests that he has little factual to report about Europe, believing that most cosmopolitan Russians would know at least as much about Europe merely from reading the newspapers. Within the short time given to him, the author suggests he has merely collected a number of impressions. Therefore, there are no travel descriptions.
Rather, the essay, consisting of eight chapters almost exclusively deals with the ideas Dostoevsky formed on the French after his return to Russia. These notes, were written down in winter. The juxtaposition of the light impressions versus the moody winter notes, perhaps explain the stern tone of the essay.
It is obvious that as a result of his trip to Europe, Dostoevsky idealized idea of France changed to relentless criticism of France, and the realization that Russia had nothing to learn from France. In Winter notes on summer impressions Dostoevsky mainly criticises the French. In the essays Dostoevsky gradually builds his argument referring to domestic authors and critics whose attitudes toward France were known to his readers. Dostoevsky himself had served a prison sentence, as he was arrested as a member of a group that proposed reform in Russia, but was feared for potential revolutionary aspirations, particularly shortly after the revolutionary year 1848.
In 2008, Winter notes on summer impressions appeared in a new edition published by OneWorld Classics. This edition has a very useful preface, written by the translator, footnotes and extra materials, as well as biographical materials on Dostoevsky. Without the notes and the preface, Winter notes on summer impressions would be very difficult to understand. To modern readers, the essay would merely be a criticism of France, which appears most clearly in the final chapters. Unfortunately, neither the critical apparatus attached to this edition, nor the work itself bears out what made Dostoevsky change his mind about France and the role of France as an example for Russia. Winter notes on summer impressions shows that this change took place, but does not explain how that happened.
According to the translator, Kyril Fitzlyon, Winter notes on summer impressions is essential reading for the understanding of Dostoevsky's later works. While that opinion may be justified for professional readers of Dostoevsky's literary work, the argument does not seem to hold for all readers alike.
Other books I have read by Fyodor Dostoevsky:
Notes from underground
The double
Netochka Nezvanova
Crime and punishment
