Skip to main content.

The Brothers Karamazov (version 3)

Gelesen von Bruce Pirie

(4,821 Sterne; 285 Bewertungen)

Originally published in serial form in 1879-80, “The Brothers Karamazov” is recognized as one of the very greatest masterpieces of world literature. It is the last and finest novel of Fyodor Dostoyevsky, who died before writing a planned sequel.

The story is organized initially around the efforts of adult sons to deal with their cantankerous and exasperating father. More important, they also have to deal with the problem of how to live in a world where it is difficult to be sure of the truth — whether that be “truth” about others, about oneself, or about deep questions such as faith, doubt, free will, guilt, and responsibility.

Dostoyevsky’s technique underlines the difficulty of attaining sure knowledge. The novel’s psychological and philosophical depth sets the stage for modern novelists such as Joyce, Kafka, and Woolf. “The Brothers Karamazov” has been a favorite book for readers as diverse as Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud, Joseph Stalin, Vladimir Putin, and Hillary Clinton. - Summary by Bruce Pirie (39 hr 37 min)

Chapters

01.01 Fyodor Pavlovitch Karamazov

9:39

Read by Bruce Pirie

01.02 He gets rid of his oldest son

8:55

Read by Bruce Pirie

01.03 The second marriage and the second family

17:54

Read by Bruce Pirie

01.04 The third son, Alyosha

24:14

Read by Bruce Pirie

01.05 Elders

25:27

Read by Bruce Pirie

02.01 They arrive at the monastery

12:59

Read by Bruce Pirie

02.02 The old buffoon

24:35

Read by Bruce Pirie

02.03 Peasant women who have faith

22:11

Read by Bruce Pirie

02.04 A lady of little faith

20:46

Read by Bruce Pirie

02.05 So be it! So be it!

27:19

Read by Bruce Pirie

02.06 Why is such a man alive?

27:04

Read by Bruce Pirie

02.07 A young man bent on a career

24:06

Read by Bruce Pirie

02.08 The scandalous scene

24:50

Read by Bruce Pirie

03.01 In the servants' quarters

15:57

Read by Bruce Pirie

03.02 Lizaveta

11:10

Read by Bruce Pirie

03.03 The confession of a passionate heart — in verse

22:15

Read by Bruce Pirie

03.04 The confession of a passionate heart — in anecdote

21:56

Read by Bruce Pirie

03.05 The confession of a passionate heart — ''Heels up''

22:42

Read by Bruce Pirie

03.06 Smerdyakov

15:04

Read by Bruce Pirie

03.07 The controversy

14:51

Read by Bruce Pirie

03.08 Over the brandy

20:06

Read by Bruce Pirie

03.09 The sensualists

14:39

Read by Bruce Pirie

03.10 Both together

32:04

Read by Bruce Pirie

03.11 Another reputation ruined

21:57

Read by Bruce Pirie

04.01 Father Ferapont

28:23

Read by Bruce Pirie

04.02 At his father's

12:54

Read by Bruce Pirie

04.03 A meeting with the schooboys

12:28

Read by Bruce Pirie

04.04 At the Hohlakovs'

15:06

Read by Bruce Pirie

04.05 A laceration in the drawing-room

30:02

Read by Bruce Pirie

04.06 A laceration in the cottage

21:31

Read by Bruce Pirie

04.07 And in the open air

26:37

Read by Bruce Pirie

05.01 The engagement

28:34

Read by Bruce Pirie

05.02 Smerdyakov with a guitar

16:36

Read by Bruce Pirie

05.03 The bothers make friends

25:38

Read by Bruce Pirie

05.04 Rebellion

33:40

Read by Bruce Pirie

05.05 The Grand Inquisitor

59:16

Read by Bruce Pirie

05.06 For awhile a very obscure one

29:52

Read by Bruce Pirie

05.07 ''It's always worth while speaking to a clever man''

22:46

Read by Bruce Pirie

06.01 Father Zossima and his visitors

42:21

Read by Bruce Pirie

06.02 The duel

59:19

Read by Bruce Pirie

06.03 Conversations and exhortations of Father Zossima

42:24

Read by Bruce Pirie

07.01 The breath of corruption

36:19

Read by Bruce Pirie

07.02 A critical moment

17:08

Read by Bruce Pirie

07.03 An onion

50:19

Read by Bruce Pirie

07.04 Cana of Galilee

14:53

Read by Bruce Pirie

08.01 Kuzma Samsonov

33:20

Read by Bruce Pirie

08.02 Lyagavy

20:01

Read by Bruce Pirie

08.03 Gold-mines

33:25

Read by Bruce Pirie

08.04 In the dark

16:03

Read by Bruce Pirie

08.05 A sudden resolution

40:11

Read by Bruce Pirie

08.06 ''I am coming, too!''

21:12

Read by Bruce Pirie

08.07 The first and rightful lover

44:59

Read by Bruce Pirie

08.08 Delirium

36:34

Read by Bruce Pirie

09.01 The beginning of Perhotin's official career

18:33

Read by Bruce Pirie

09.02 The alarm

18:48

Read by Bruce Pirie

09.03 The sufferings of a soul, the first ordeal

24:22

Read by Bruce Pirie

09.04 The second ordeal

19:55

Read by Bruce Pirie

09.05 The third ordeal

29:12

Read by Bruce Pirie

09.06 The prosecutor catches Mitya

21:51

Read by Bruce Pirie

09.07 Mitya's great secret. Received with hisses

30:48

Read by Bruce Pirie

09.08 The evidence of the witnesses. The babe

27:23

Read by Bruce Pirie

09.09 They carry Mitya away

10:47

Read by Bruce Pirie

10.01 Kolya Krassotkin

15:12

Read by Bruce Pirie

10.02 Children

15:27

Read by Bruce Pirie

10.03 The schoolboy

20:15

Read by Bruce Pirie

10.04 The lost dog

20:50

Read by Bruce Pirie

10.05 By Ilusha's bedside

43:47

Read by Bruce Pirie

10.06 Precocity

18:53

Read by Bruce Pirie

10.07 Ilusha

10:46

Read by Bruce Pirie

11.01 At Grushenka's

26:20

Read by Bruce Pirie

11.02 The injured foot

27:49

Read by Bruce Pirie

11.03 A little demon

17:08

Read by Bruce Pirie

11.04 A hymn and a secret

38:36

Read by Bruce Pirie

11.05 Not you, not you!

16:06

Read by Bruce Pirie

11.06 The first interview with Smerdyakov

28:24

Read by Bruce Pirie

11.07 The second visit to Smeryakov

27:21

Read by Bruce Pirie

11.08 The third and last interview with Smerdyakov

42:47

Read by Bruce Pirie

11.09 The devil. Ivan's nightmare

55:38

Read by Bruce Pirie

11.10 ''It was he who said that''

15:41

Read by Bruce Pirie

12.01 The fatal day

19:33

Read by Bruce Pirie

12.02 Dangerous witnesses

26:23

Read by Bruce Pirie

12.03 The medical experts and a pound of nuts

15:58

Read by Bruce Pirie

12.04 Fortune smiles on Mitya

26:57

Read by Bruce Pirie

12.05 A sudden catastrophe

27:58

Read by Bruce Pirie

12.06 The prosecutor's speech. Sketches of character

28:48

Read by Bruce Pirie

12.07 An historical survey

13:58

Read by Bruce Pirie

12.08 A treatise on Smerdyakov

27:49

Read by Bruce Pirie

12.09 The galloping troika. The end of the prosecutor's speech

32:02

Read by Bruce Pirie

12.10 The speech for the defense. An argument that cuts both ways

11:57

Read by Bruce Pirie

12.11 There was no money. There was no robbery

19:03

Read by Bruce Pirie

12.12 And there was no murder either

24:23

Read by Bruce Pirie

12.13 A corrupter of thought

23:39

Read by Bruce Pirie

12.14 The peasants stand firm

18:18

Read by Bruce Pirie

Ep.1 Plans for Mitya's escape

14:46

Read by Bruce Pirie

Ep.2 For a moment the lie becomes truth

21:30

Read by Bruce Pirie

Ep.3 Ilusha's funeral. The speech at the stone

27:38

Read by Bruce Pirie

Bewertungen

A must read

(5 Sterne)

I find it hard to believe that I am the first person to review this outstanding literary work. There clearly was meant to be a follow up, but sadly Mr. Dostoyevsky died before that came to pass. Mr. Pirie, the narrator, is one of the best I have listened to. Thanks to all that made this possible, JK.

You deserve to read this book

(5 Sterne)

A book every person deserves to read especially those with a keen interest into the human condition and the reality of our existence. Dostoevsky brings to life in one story a saint and a devil, and offers his advice entirely on the ethics of the good life all within a 40 hour read. The recording was of the highest quality and never throughout the lengthy novel, wavered slightly in its impressive tone and cadence. This book has done wonders in my life and it is a wonder to see it so consumable and accessible. Dostoevsky’s genius is fully revealed in his ability to fully circumstances in the viewpoint of such radically different characters. In a moment he is able to capture the most impressive atheist argument and counter it most effectively with the words and life of a saint. It makes one think that both ideas must have lived inside of him at one point, the base and the holy ideal. In short he is a perfect Karamazov

Excellent!

(5 Sterne)

I'm surprised this version has so few comments. I hope people listen to this one instead of the one with various volunteer readers. This version is wonderful, consistent, and is definitely alleviating the headache I got from trying to get through version 1.

(5 Sterne)

Very well read. This is the best audio version to get oneself immersed in this master piece - FD

A Must Read

(4 Sterne)

A most excellent work. The fundamental philosophical questions the author examines through the diverse personalities that constitute the Karamazov family, and the society in which they live, are the same ones that still plague men today. Bruce Pirie with his wonderful narration quite literally brings the book to life, and, listening to him, one can fancy themselves eye witnesses of the events that make up the book. The end was rather abrupt I found, but not disappointingly so. I’d have loved something like an epilogue to discover what became especially of Mitya and Ivan Karamazov, of Liz, of Kolya... Still this is by degrees one of the best classics I ever laid my hands on.

Hooray for Karamazov!

(5 Sterne)

Excellent rendering by the narrator. This bitter and bright story leaves the reader wanting more and yet overwhelming satisfies. Dostoyevsky surely intended the enigmatic ending to serve some mysterious purpose, key to the larger narrative and serving as the perfect creshendo. A work of true beauty!

Incredible!

(5 Sterne)

incredible book and so grateful to the narrator Bruce.. he's the man

(5 Sterne)

I can’t imagine a better reader for this amazing book! Thank you, Bruce!!