Memories from the house of the dead

Author's name: Dostoevsky Translation: Sami Al-Droubi Publishing house: Dar Al-Tanweer for Publishing and Distribution Literary classification: Novel Book summary: This book is the fruit of a personal experience lived by Dostoevsky, as he talks about what he himself suffered in prison, although he attributes the memoirs to a man named Alexander Goryantshkov. It describes feelings of losing freedom, living with murderers and thieves who harbor intense hostility towards him because he belongs to the class of masters who oppress the common people. But Dostoevsky does not drown in despairing feelings; over time, he begins to distinguish between the wicked and the righteous, and finds among the prisoners those whose crimes can be understood and even forgiven from an ethical point of view. He presents a powerful image of prison life, including suffering, noble human relationships, exchanges of benefits, trade... and things that are hard for a person to imagine. Dostoevsky criticizes the prison system, saying, "We must acknowledge the truth: these men possess wonderful treasures... and perhaps among our people they are among the most talented and the richest in energy, but their remarkable talents have been lost forever. Who is to blame?" As usual, Dostoevsky delves into the deep depths of the human soul, exploring what lies within its nature, which neither reason controls nor fully perceives. He studies the psyche of the prisoner in his harshness and his readiness to give everything he owns in exchange for a gesture of compassion and human kindness. He also studies the psyche of the executioner, who, if he were among the good people, would have a heart softened by habit, and thus become a fierce beast.