Review by Choice Review
Petrusewicz's formidable abridgment of Frank's five-volume masterwork, Dostoevsky (1976-2002--CH, Feb'77; May'84; Jan'87; Nov'02, 40-1425), reduces the original by about two-thirds, preserving much of the feel and heft of the complete biography. Petrusewicz largely accomplishes her goal, which is to maintain the "brilliant balance of biography, literary criticism, and intellectual history that Joseph Frank originated; and keep as well the 'novelistic' narrative style so appropriate to the life of Dostoevsky." The editor abridges in particular chapters dealing with literary analysis and comparative literature, a regrettable but not distracting decision that preserves the core narrative of Dostoevsky's life and accomplishments. Frank himself approved the abridgment, which maintains the readability of the original. In an acknowledgment, Frank praises Petrusewicz's editorial efforts as "performed in an exemplary manner after initial consultation for safeguarding what [he] consider[s] essential." The abridgment is rather unwieldy, at almost a thousand dense pages, and quite pricey. Although this edition is now the definitive single-volume biography of Dostoevsky, it is not a substitute for the five-volume set. Academic libraries with adequate funds should purchase the original masterpiece; those without will find this an acceptable substitute. Summing Up: Recommended. With the above proviso. All readers. D. Pesta University of Wisconsin--Oshkosh
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Booklist Review
*Starred Review* The ideal one-volume biography of Dostoevsky could only come through a distillation of the much-acclaimed five-volume biography (1976-02) by Joseph Frank. In compressing his longer work, editor Mary Petrusewicz tightens the rigor of a narrative that already departed from traditional biography by focusing chiefly on the ideas with which the Russian author wrestled so powerfully, providing the details of his personal life only as incidental background. Thus, for example, while readers do learn of formative incidents during Dostoevsky's four years in czarist prison camp, what they see most clearly is how the prison experience deepened the author's faith in God while dampening his zeal for political reform. In a similar way, Frank limns only briefly the life experiences surrounding the writing of the major novels-Crime and Punishment, Demons, and Brothers Karamazov-devoting his scrutiny largely to how Dostoevsky develops the ideological tensions within each work. Readers consequently see, for instance, how Napoleonic illusions justify Raskolnikov's bloody crimes, how the Worship of Man dooms Kirillov to suicide, and how deep Christian faith enables Alyosha to resist Ivan's corrosive rationalism. Yet, while probing Dostoevsky's themes, Frank also examines the artistry that gives them imaginative life, even highlighting perspectival techniques that anticipate those of Woolf and Joyce. A masterful abridgement. -Bryce Christensen Copyright 2009 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
Frank has condensed his acclaimed five-volume biography, published between 1976 and 2002, of the literary giant Fyodor Mikhaylovich Dostoyevsky (1821-81) into this single volume with a new preface-still a daunting but rewarding read. Frank describes the scrim behind the life of Dostoyevsky and his writing-Mother Russia, specifically, the clashes between the intelligentsia and the ruling aristocrats, resulting in the revolution. In layered and detailed observations on Dostoyevsky's books and journalistic pieces, Frank illustrates the hallmarks of his writings, e.g., moral idealism, freedom, justice, social humanitarianism, and what is known as sentimental naturalism. Frank's expert analysis of Dostoyevsky's personal trials and triumphs reveals his contradictory moral impulses. He suffered from epilepsy, compulsive gambling, constant debt, the death of two of his four children, and an explosive and violent temper. Early on, his association with political dissidents resulted in deportation for several years in Siberia. Verdict Frank displays a brilliant command of Dostoyevsky's heroic endeavors, and his biography reads readily, especially for such a scholarly work. It compares nicely with Leon Edel's multivolume biography of Henry James. Highly recommended.-Robert Kelly, Fort Wayne Community Schs., IN (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
