A chance to read 'The Brothers Karamazov' in Russian! I highly recommend Naoto Saisu's online course!
Why not join the "Russian Reading Course: Reading Dostoevsky's 'The Brothers Karamazov' - 'The Grand Inquisitor'"?
I am currently serializing 'Reading The Brothers Karamazov' on this note, and by a happy coincidence, an opportunity to read the original Russian version of 'The Brothers Karamazov' has arrived at just the right time!
What's more, they will be reading the very chapter I posted about just a few days ago, 'The Grand Inquisitor'! This is not to be missed! It is an online course I would highly recommend.
Now, let's take a look at the details of this online course.

◆Instructor: Naoto Saisu ◆Content: We will read 'The Grand Inquisitor' from Dostoevsky's final work, the novel 'The Brothers Karamazov'. We will refer to annotations on this chapter as appropriate and also introduce various scholars' theories on 'The Grand Inquisitor'. If you want to acquire Russian reading comprehension skills, want to read 19th-century Russian literature in Russian, or want to know what the writing style of Dostoevsky's original works is like, please join us. We plan to start in April 2026 and expect to finish reading it in about two years. ◆Target Audience: Those who have studied basic Russian grammar are eligible, but I will explain things as thoroughly as possible. ◆Textbook: The textbook used is the 30-volume Academy edition of Dostoevsky's complete works. You can read it for free on the Russian Literature Research Institute website, etc., so I will send the link to participants. ※This course is scheduled to be held twice a month. ※Past course archive: The instructor will record the sessions and send them to all participants of this course.

The instructor, Naoto Saisu, is a researcher of Russian literature, particularly Dostoevsky, and I personally owe him a great deal.
Now, regarding his Russian language course, I have also been participating since last December.
I eagerly joined because the course was just about to start reading Dostoevsky's masterpiece short story 'The Peasant Marey' at that time.
At first, I was worried about whether I could really read Dostoevsky in the original language, but surprisingly, I could. I was amazed by this.
By the way, I think my Russian level is probably around lower-intermediate. I can read the alphabet and understand general grammar. Other than that, I just translate word by word and read it in my own way by comparing it with the Japanese translation.
Even at my level, I have no problem keeping up with the class. In fact, it is very enjoyable with just the right amount of challenge. I had a preconceived notion that Dostoevsky's original text was complex and difficult, but it was surprisingly easy to read. This was also a fresh surprise.
Also, in the online course, participants are assigned sections, and the flow is to read what each person has translated during the class. Then, the class proceeds with Mr. Saisu adding explanations.
The instructor explains each word and grammar point carefully, so it is very reassuring for someone like me. He also talks about the historical background and trivia of the time, which is also very stimulating. In this lecture, you can learn about a world that you cannot see just by reading the work. And since there is a friendly atmosphere where participants can feel free to ask questions, I think I can recommend it to newcomers as well.
Even so, being able to read the works of a favorite author in the original language is truly exhilarating. Of course, reading in Japanese is also wonderful, but the feeling of a world that was previously out of reach opening up before your eyes is irresistible. It is so much fun that every lecture passes in the blink of an eye.
Since even someone like me is able to enjoy the course, I would definitely like to recommend it to those who are interested in Dostoevsky.
Also, since the lecture time is in the evening, it overlaps with the time I put my children to bed, so I cannot participate in real-time. However, the recorded video is sent from the site at a later date, so I am able to take the lecture without any problems.
I think it is a very helpful feature that you can take the lectures at your own convenience, even if you cannot make the scheduled times.
Of course, participating in real-time is likely to boost your motivation and would be the best option, but I personally found it very helpful to be able to take the lectures flexibly.
For these reasons, I highly recommend this course.
I am sure many people are interested in Dostoevsky and The Brothers Karamazov. Among those, the 'Grand Inquisitor' chapter is the very core of the story.
There are not many chances to read such an ultimate story in its original language in an easy-to-understand way. This is a truly valuable course.
Why don't you join us and try reading this masterpiece in Russian? Let's give it a try first! It's surprisingly doable! I'm sure you'll be surprised.
If you are interested, you can see the details of the course and how to apply on this 'Tetsugakujuku Kant' website. I hope you will take a look.
That concludes 'A chance to read The Brothers Karamazov in Russian! I highly recommend Naoto Saisu's Russian online course!'
※ You can read Professor Saisu's articles on the Genron page below. They are incredibly interesting and highly recommended.
Also, there is a page for the professor on this note platform, and although it is paid content, you can find valuable information about places in Russia associated with Dostoevsky.
Serial articles 'Reading The Brothers Karamazov' article list can be found in this magazine
The following articles summarize recommended guidebooks to help you enjoy Dostoevsky's novels even more. Please take a look at these as well.
List of recommended Dostoevsky books is here
'List of recommended Dostoevsky biographies'
'List of recommended Dostoevsky guidebooks'
'List of recommended guidebooks on Dostoevsky and Christianity'
Dostoevsky chronology is here
'Dostoevsky's Travels' is here
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