The Gambler in Never too Late to Read Classics

Jan 17, 2015 Chrissie rated it liked it

Shelves: germany, bio, audible-us, philo-psychol, classics, 2015-read

I am not a gambler, so why am I reading a book about people obsessed with gambling? To understand those people, how they think, to see if I can understand their obsession, at least to feel this obsession. Furthermore I was interested in this book because it is partially autobiographical. Dostoyevsky was obsessed by gambling and he too was obsessed by a woman - Apollinaria Suslova. The book is based on his own addiction to gambling while he was in love with Apollinaria Suslova. The central theme I am not a gambler, so why am I reading a book about people obsessed with gambling? To understand those people, how they think, to see if I can understand their obsession, at least to feel this obsession. Furthermore I was interested in this book because it is partially autobiographical. Dostoyevsky was obsessed by gambling and he too was obsessed by a woman - Apollinaria Suslova. The book is based on his own addiction to gambling while he was in love with Apollinaria Suslova. The central theme of the book is namely obsession! The characters names are changed.

Do I now better understand the world of gambling? Yes, it is a whole other world of rules and regulations. A whole other way of being. While I can understand why you might try over and over again to recapture your losses, I could not understand the urge to win more and more and more. Horrified, I backed away and just wanted the winners to be satisfied. But they wouldn't, or they couldn't. They had to have more and more and more, until their luck had turned and it was all gone. Here it is roulette that is played. Is it a failure of the book that I couldn't understand that need for more?

Is there humor? There certainly is! When you start the book you are simply thrown in; you don't know who is who. Figuring this out is in fact fun. You soon understand how these people are connected, and then you meet "The Grandmother". She is a fabulous character. Wait till you see what happens to her?! Dostoyevsky throws about characters of many different nationalities. This is amusing too. The gambling occurs predominantly in Germany, in a fictitious town.

The narration by Simon Prebble was good too. There is quite a bit of untranslated French, and it is read quickly, so it helps if you can cope with this. I got satisfaction from understanding the rapid ejaculations in French. Prebble's voice for the Grandmother, is extremely base, but some older women can sound this way.

I did like the book, but I am not a gambler, and the topic is restricted to gambling and to obsession. Very glad I read it. Why? For its humor and for feeling the frenzy and craziness that captures a gambler.

Do I have to give it four stars to push you to read it?! ...more

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Nov 11, 2013 Laura rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-2013, fiction-19th-century, russian-fiction, audio-books

From BBC Radio 4 - Classical Serial:
A brilliant, penniless, pianist gets a job as tutor to the daughter of a wealthy Russian oligarch living in London and is sucked into a world of obsession and chance.

A modern-day take on Dostoevsky's The Gambler, by writer/actor Dolya Gavanski, with Ed Stoppard, Matthew Marsh and Graham Seed. ...more

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Mar 06, 2021 Janet rated it really liked it

Dostoyevsky's life enabled him to view the human condition in many different settings. This book shows that ability in the development of the characters. The Victorian literature traits of class distinctions, melancholy love woes, endless descriptions, and rambling discourses are tedious. Fortunately, the book is short. The author's gambling background and knowledge of addiction makes it more interesting, however. ...more

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