What follows is a discussion about Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov, the final selection in Slate’s Year of Great Books. Books and culture columnist Laura Miller reflects on her reading with John Dickerson, the host of CBS’s Face the Nation and panelist on the Slate Political Gabfest.
They talk about the experience of reading the novel after the surprising results of the Nov. 8 presidential election and about the world-upending questions being debated in Russia and the world during Dostoevsky’s life. Laura and John also assess “The Grand Inquisitor,” the novel’s lack of a clear main character, and its lessons about God and rationality.
To access all features of this Slate Academy, visit Slate.com/GreatBooks.
