Pens and Poison
@pensandpoison·43.4K subscribers·272 videos
Which Dostoevsky Translation Should You Read?
Posted
June 25, 2026
Views
6,560
Likes
509
Comments
155
Engagement
10.12%
June 25, 2026
6,560
509
155
10.12%
Every word spoken in this episode is indexed. Type any phrase to jump straight to the moment it was said.
Type any word or phrase that may have been spoken. Click a result to seek the player to that exact moment.
Try a name, a topic, or a quoted line
18:14Now PlayingWhich Dostoevsky translation should you read?
After studying translation theory at Columbia and comparing dozens of Dostoevsky translations over the years, I've found that there is no perfect English translation—but some are far better than others.
In this video, I compare translations by Constance Garnett, Oliver Ready, and Pevear & Volokhonsky—and others to explain what makes a translation truly great. We look at examples from Crime and Punishment and Notes from the Underground to explore spirit matters just as much as literal accuracy.
If you've ever wondered which edition of Dostoevsky to buy—or why the same novel can feel completely different depending on the translator—this video is for you.
If you enjoyed this discussion, don’t forget to subscribe for more videos on classic literature, Dostoyevsky, philosophy, and the future of the humanities.
_______________________________________________________________________
If you’re new here, my name’s Liza, and you’ve found the coolest literary corner on the Internet. I love classic literature, writing, culture, and making sense of our world through the tradition of humanistic inquiry. Don’t forget to subscribe for reading recs and the spiciest hot literary takes on publishing, academia, beauty, and our culture at large. 📚🏛️🎨
_______________________________________________________________________
Enjoyed this video? You can Buy Me a Coffee so that I’ll be awake for the next one:
_______________________________________________________________________
Which Dostoyevsky Translation Should You Read? (A Brutally Honest Guide)
The Russian Word English Can't Translate
The Biggest Misreading of Crime and Punishment
PEVEAR AND VOLOKHONSKY ARE INDEED OVERRATEDMY TWO ROUBLES
_______________________________________________________________________
FOLLOW MY WORK:
📚 Substack
And don't forget to subscribe if you’re interested in:
- Classic literature
- Cultural criticism
- The publishing industry
- Writing + the creative process
Sentinel Indexing in Progress
Metadata and chapters are available. Claim extraction for this episode is pending.
All video content is delivered via YouTube embedded players in accordance with the YouTube Terms of Service. Sentinel provides research tools that promote discovery and accountability across political media.
