Dostoevsky: where to start, and which translation?
People search: dostoevsky where to start, dostoevsky reading order for beginners, which dostoevsky translation is the best, dostoevsky translation comparison, is dostoevsky worth reading
Reading order
White Nights · Fyodor Dostoevsky Very short; the BookTok gateway. Tells you in an evening if you like his voice. Buy on Bookshop.org
Notes from Underground · Fyodor Dostoevsky Short but intense; the psychology everything else builds on. Buy on Bookshop.org
Crime and Punishment · Fyodor Dostoevsky The page-turner. The usual first big novel. Buy on Bookshop.org
The Brothers Karamazov · Fyodor Dostoevsky His summit. Save it until you've finished one big novel. Buy on Bookshop.org
Which translation / edition
Our pick for a first read: whichever of Garnett or Pevear & Volokhonsky (P&V) you can get cheapest. Commentary Magazine's Gary Saul Morson recommends Garnett for a first reading and P&V for a second. r/dostoevsky readers split: P&V for accuracy and endnotes, Garnett for flow. Katz and Avsey come up as alternatives.
Garnett sample (public domain, opening of Crime and Punishment):
On an exceptionally hot evening early in July a young man came out of the garret in which he lodged in S. Place and walked slowly, as though in hesitation, towards K. bridge.
Source: Project Gutenberg #2554. P&V is still in copyright, so we don't quote it; compare a library or bookshop preview before you buy.
Where people get stuck
The translation debate puts people off starting at all. Threads keep concluding 'it doesn't matter much, pick one'.
Russian names and nicknames: each character has several. Keep a character list (P&V includes one).
Starting with Brothers Karamazov and stalling.
FAQ
Is Dostoevsky worth reading?
It's one of the most-asked autocomplete questions. Try White Nights first: it's short enough to find out cheaply.
Do I need to know Russian history?
No. Editions with endnotes (e.g. P&V) cover the references.