S. - Peterburg, K. Zamyslavskij, 1873. Nice contemporary brown half calf with raised bands, gilt lines and gilt title to spine. All edges coloured in red. Light wear to extremities. The boards are very thick, and the inner hinges have been re-enforced. Some brownspotting throughout and a small damp stain to the upper outer corner of the first section of leaves. A nice and sturdy copy. Half-title + (4, including title-page), 294 pp. title-page + 358 pp. title-page + 311 pp.
The scarce first edition of Dostojevsky's final showdown with nihilism. This masterpiece of Russian literature has had a profound impact upon our understanding of the human spirit and constitutes one of the greatest classic portrayals of how humans live and think. Being his most political work, this epic novel also displays the horrors of socialistic ideas about revolution, of the nihilistic thoughts of terror, and the pitifulness of the civil society. Here, Dostojevski fiercely attacks both radicalism, socialism, anarchism, and atheism. The work became profoundly influential, both politically and literally.