I have started reading Dostoyevsky's novel "Crime and Punishment" again. The first time around I was sort of rushing through the novel and not really chewing on it. So I found I couldnt go on.

This time around I am enjoying it very much. But it is not the sort of novel which you read 20 pages of everyday before going to bed, with music playing in the background. It involves a lot of mood build-up, if you know what I mean. You need to get involved. Since I dont prefer staying up late with a book I am again finding it difficult. But this weekend, maybe...

Did you know? Dostoyevsky was condemned to be executed by the Russian authorities for violating censorship laws. Right on the shooting Range he and a few others were granted pardon. (It seems one of the other pardonees went mad after that and never recovered.) At that time he had not yet written his now famous books. Imagine that! The book you are now reading and enjoying would never have been written if the Russian Czar had not changed his mind one fine morning. Makes one think about Human beings and how we 'govern' each other, capital punishment, democracy and other such confusing, painful topics. Again, makes one think, if all this is so foolish, does it, can it matter at all? Painful. Painful.