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112 Thought-Provoking Quotes By Fyodor Dostoevsky For The Bibliophiles

Famous As: Best Known for His Novella Notes from The 'Underground'
Born On: November 11, 1821
Died On: February 9, 1881
Born In: Moscow, Russia
Founder / Co Founder: Dostoyevsky Publishing Company, Epoch
Died At Age: 59
Fyodor Dostoevsky was an eminent Russian essayist, short story writer, novelist, philosopher and journalist. His literary works cover human psychology in the unsettled social, spiritual and political atmospheres of the 19th-century Russia. His works also engaged a wide ambit of religious and realistic philosophical themes. He started his writing career at 20 and published his first novel at the age of 25 which was titled ‘Poor Folk’. ‘The Brothers Karamazov’, ‘The Idiot’, ‘Crime And Punishment’ and ‘Demons’ are a few of his most acclaimed works. His works, thoughts, writings, books, novels, essays and stories are widely read both within and beyond his native Russia. He has been an inspiration to a number of later Russian writers and philosophers. We bring to you some of the most popular quotes and sayings by the legendary writer of all times Fyodor Dostoevsky.
The secret of man's being is not only to live but to have something to live for.

The secret of man's being is not only to live but to have something to live for.

Fyodor Dostoevsky
I gave up caring about anything, and all the problems disappeared.

I gave up caring about anything, and all the problems disappeared.

Fyodor Dostoevsky
To go wrong in one's own way is better then to go right in someone else's.

To go wrong in one's own way is better then to go right in someone else's.

Fyodor Dostoevsky
People really do like seeing their best friends humiliated; a large part of the friendship is based on humiliation; and that is an old truth,well known to all intelligent people.

People really do like seeing their best friends humiliated; a large part of the friendship is based on humiliation; and that is an old truth,well known to all intelligent people.

Fyodor Dostoevsky
Only through suffering can we find ourselves.

Only through suffering can we find ourselves.

Fyodor Dostoevsky
Intelligence alone is not nearly enough when it comes to acting wisely.

Intelligence alone is not nearly enough when it comes to acting wisely.

Fyodor Dostoevsky
There is immeasurably more left inside than what comes out in words.

There is immeasurably more left inside than what comes out in words.

Fyodor Dostoevsky
Nothing is more seductive for a man than his freedom of conscience, but nothing is a greater cause of suffering.

Nothing is more seductive for a man than his freedom of conscience, but nothing is a greater cause of suffering.

Fyodor Dostoevsky
Nature doesn't ask your permission; it doesn't care about your wishes, or whether you like its laws or not. You're obliged to accept it as it is, and consequently all its results as well.

Nature doesn't ask your permission; it doesn't care about your wishes, or whether you like its laws or not. You're obliged to accept it as it is, and consequently all its results as well.

Fyodor Dostoevsky
Besides, nowadays, almost all capable people are terribly afraid of being ridiculous, and are miserable because of it.

Besides, nowadays, almost all capable people are terribly afraid of being ridiculous, and are miserable because of it.

Fyodor Dostoevsky
Let us not forget that the reasons for human actions are usually incalculably more complex and diverse than we tend to explain them later, and are seldom clearly manifest.

Let us not forget that the reasons for human actions are usually incalculably more complex and diverse than we tend to explain them later, and are seldom clearly manifest.

Fyodor Dostoevsky
The more I detest men individually the more ardent becomes my love for humanity.

The more I detest men individually the more ardent becomes my love for humanity.

Fyodor Dostoevsky
My soul bleeds and the blood steadily, silently, disturbingly slowly, swallows me whole.

My soul bleeds and the blood steadily, silently, disturbingly slowly, swallows me whole.

Fyodor Dostoevsky
Man is a creature that can get accustomed to anything, and I think that is the best definition of him.

Man is a creature that can get accustomed to anything, and I think that is the best definition of him.

Fyodor Dostoevsky
But men love abstract reasoning and neat systematization so much that they think nothing of distorting the truth, closing their eyes and ears to contrary evidence to preserve their logical constructions.

But men love abstract reasoning and neat systematization so much that they think nothing of distorting the truth, closing their eyes and ears to contrary evidence to preserve their logical constructions.

Fyodor Dostoevsky
Wealth is the number of things one can do without.

Wealth is the number of things one can do without.

Fyodor Dostoevsky
To be in love is not the same as loving. You can be in love with a woman and still hate her.

To be in love is not the same as loving. You can be in love with a woman and still hate her.

Fyodor Dostoevsky
If God does not exist, then everything is permissible.

If God does not exist, then everything is permissible.

Fyodor Dostoevsky
What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?
Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear most.

What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything? Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear most.

Fyodor Dostoevsky
What man wants is simply independent choice, whatever that independence may cost and wherever it may lead.

What man wants is simply independent choice, whatever that independence may cost and wherever it may lead.

Fyodor Dostoevsky
Since man cannot live without miracles, he will provide himself with miracles of his own making. He will believe in witchcraft and sorcery, even though he may otherwise be a heretic, an atheist, and a rebel.

Since man cannot live without miracles, he will provide himself with miracles of his own making. He will believe in witchcraft and sorcery, even though he may otherwise be a heretic, an atheist, and a rebel.

Fyodor Dostoevsky
The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons.

The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons.

Fyodor Dostoevsky
The more incompetent one feels, the more eager he is to fight.

The more incompetent one feels, the more eager he is to fight.

Fyodor Dostoevsky
To love is to suffer and there can be no love otherwise.

To love is to suffer and there can be no love otherwise.

Fyodor Dostoevsky
My friend, the truth is always implausible, did you know that? To make the truth more plausible, it's absolutely necessary to mix a bit of falsehood with it. People have always done so.

My friend, the truth is always implausible, did you know that? To make the truth more plausible, it's absolutely necessary to mix a bit of falsehood with it. People have always done so.

Fyodor Dostoevsky
I believe the best definition of man is the ungrateful biped.

I believe the best definition of man is the ungrateful biped.

Fyodor Dostoevsky
Believe to the end, even if all men went astray and you were left the only one faithful; bring your offering even then and praise God in your loneliness.

Believe to the end, even if all men went astray and you were left the only one faithful; bring your offering even then and praise God in your loneliness.

Fyodor Dostoevsky
Reality is infinitely diverse, compared with even the subtlest conclusions of abstract thought, and does not allow of clear-cut and sweeping distinctions. Reality resists classification.

Reality is infinitely diverse, compared with even the subtlest conclusions of abstract thought, and does not allow of clear-cut and sweeping distinctions. Reality resists classification.

Fyodor Dostoevsky
I am strongly convinced that not only too much consciousness but even any consciousness at all is a sickness.

I am strongly convinced that not only too much consciousness but even any consciousness at all is a sickness.

Fyodor Dostoevsky
There is nothing higher and stronger and more wholesome and useful for life in later years than some good memory, especially a memory connected with childhood, with home.

There is nothing higher and stronger and more wholesome and useful for life in later years than some good memory, especially a memory connected with childhood, with home.

Fyodor Dostoevsky