The House of the Dead

Written by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Narrated by Nicholas Boulton

Completed six years after Dostoyevsky’s own term as a convict, The House of the Dead is a semi-autobiographical account of life in a Siberian prison camp, and the physical and mental effects it has on those who are sentenced to inhabit it. Alexandr Petrovitch Goryanchikov, a gentleman of the noble class, has been condemned to ten years of hard labour for murdering his wife. He is little prepared for the cruel conditions and punishing temperatures, and struggles to integrate with the other prisoners, who claw for their sanity. Fettered, hungry and isolated, Alexandr Petrovitch must find faith and hope if he is to make his way out alive, and resurrect himself from the ‘dead house’.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Naxos Audiobooks
• Release date: Feb 18, 2020
• ISBN: 9781781982600

Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1821–1881) was a Russian novelist and philosopher whose works examined the human psyche of the nineteenth century. Dostoyevsky is considered one of the greatest writers in world literature, with titles such as Crime and Punishment; Notes from Underground, one of the first existential novellas ever written; and Poor Folk, Russia’s first “social novel.”

Reviews for The House of the Dead

[Piyadasa Kodituwakku · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The genius of Dostoevsky clearly shines in this book. Wonderful book!

[d-fbuser-414587085 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A great book. Make's you really think how much potential we as a society have wasted. And also how not all people in a prison are bad. In my opinion this wasn't the house of the death but instead this was a family of men. Cast away cause the society rejects them. A family, nothing less.

[JohnBrown · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The writing and story was impeccable well worth a read.

[Gerardo Rojas · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A wonderful read; the hospital and theater passages are just out of this world ??

[mohamed nayed · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow.. just wow... an experience that will stay with me for the rest of my days and inspired me to start writing. 10/10

[julieta0691 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What a beautiful and profound writing.
The book is a collection of all the stories of the inmates who Fyodor acquainted when he was a prisoner in Síria for the 6yrs of his life.

You see the sadness, the anxious, the angriness, the desesperation of them. The dead, the injustice, the hope and the sadness and some of them just simply gave up.

The daily basic of the prison life, and how he made friends and still to his surprise that he was still not included within the group of the criminals.

i absolutely loved it but as it‘s a quite a long and can be a pretty despressed book, i had to switch many times to other easier readings just to have a lighter feel.

i strongly recommend this.

[mimipark · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The author describes prison life so well , the reader can visualize and live the experience. Satisfies ones morbid curiosity of what prison life is like, with the safety of not having to be there in reality. Makes you feel grateful to not be in prison. Good story telling. I read this book twice. The 2nd time it seemed familiar but I kept reading until I was sure I had already read it before.

[Sonalee Majumdar · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I’ve read most of Dostoevsky’s works. I wouldn’t say this is his best or most interesting or innovative. However, it’s observations of human behavior and psychology are astute and ring absolutely true.

The text here is tighter and more focused, less mawkish and religious. Very much worth the read.

I think there are some potential insights here on the specific pathologies of the culture of Russia and it’s former colonies/dominions. The contradictory reverence and extreme cruelty towards women and animals. The deep intractability of class differences and feeling. The hypocrisy of religious reverence and feeling. The ironic ubiquity and acceptance of diversity.

I’m sure it would have been censored even if Dostoevsky had the bravery to mention it, but the assiduous lack of any acknowledgement of same-sex male sexual or romantic relationships is stark and obviously a lie. Also hard to believe rape wasn’t a common occurrence in a situation with so much abuse. So what I’m saying is this is still a consummately 19th century book.

[girlblossom · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wonderfully read, beautiful book. It's taken me too long to read Dostoyevsky and am very glad for this stunning introduction.

[AnaMMS · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

As is customary, Dostoevsky envelops the reader with his interesting and reflective language that provides a more transcendental viewpoint. Excellent book and excellent author. One of the greatest in literature! (Translated from Spanish)

[CantodeQuetzal · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The most human novel about the prison and the idea of being a prisoner. The prison becomes the main character of this novel that takes us to the wildest aspects of the human condition. At the same time, as always happens with our beloved Fedor, a unique narrative about Russia and its culture is introduced, as if the country were another character that is always included in the backdrop of all his literature. When you read it, tell me how many Yeretbiatnikovs you have encountered in real life. I believe this book is essential for these reasons. (Translated from Spanish)

[Tina Glez · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I am a reader in love with Dostoevsky, but in this book, I have become disenchanted; it may be due to the dark plot it contains. Although it is easy to read, I found it difficult to finish. In this work, Dostoevsky narrates in some way part of his biography, as the House of the Dead is the prison where he was locked up for many years and sentenced to death but ultimately pardoned. Forced labor, diseases, hardships, and the heartrending tortures are present throughout the story, realistic but very harsh. (Translated from Spanish)

[Tina8 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I am a reader in love with Dostoevsky, but in this book I have become disenchanted; it may be due to the dark plot it contains, even though it is easy to read, I found it difficult to finish. In this work, Dostoevsky narrates in some way part of his biography, as the House of the Dead is the prison where he was locked up for many years and sentenced to death but ultimately pardoned. Forced labor, illnesses, hardships, and heart-wrenching tortures are present throughout the story, realistic but very raw. (Translated from Spanish)

[Joan-Manel10 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My "fetish" writer, and psychologist too as Nietzsche would say, I have read all of these works of his:
'Notes from Underground'
'Poor Folk'
'Demons'
'Crime and Punishment'
'The Idiot'
'The Brothers Karamazov'
'White Nights'
'The Crocodile'
'The House of the Dead'
And many more that I will read! (Translated from Spanish)

[Jenofonte · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One might wonder how Dostoevsky achieved his understanding of the human soul, what material he drew upon to write his most famous novels? Perhaps part of the answer lies in his life as a prisoner in Siberia, where he had to coexist with all kinds of convicts, political prisoners, fraudsters, murderers, and even terrible criminals. His experience is what he recounts in this book, "The House of the Dead," which is very interesting to read. (Translated from Spanish)

[SoortesAoinkenk · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It is a great work. In my opinion, one of the best achieved by the author. He graphically shows us his days as a prisoner in Siberia to the point that he makes us partake in his anguish. (Translated from Spanish)