“Dostoevsky” by Stanislav Tsat-Matskevich

Abstract

The article is devoted to the book about Dostoevsky by the Polish writer and journalist Stanislaw Сat-Mackiewicz (also the prime minister of the Polish government in exile, who returned to Poland in 1956). The book title is “Dostoevsky”. It was not translated into Russian, although it was noticed and had reviews in the USSR after it appeared in Poland in 1957 (the first English edition was in 1947). The Polish and English editions of the book were very well received, as evidenced by the reactions of experts, readers and the reprints. To this day Maсkiewicz’s “Dostoevsky” remain s a living book: it is read, commented on and quoted. This is due to its clear and uncomplicated structure, excellent style and language, a successful balancing of issues related to Dostoevsky’s work and life, an excellent combination of descriptive-objective and subjective-evaluative aspects, but above all, thanks to a clear and vivid main thesis. This main thesis is that there would not have been Dostoevsky without Anna Dostoevskaya.