First published in 1864, Notes from the Underground is considered one of Fyodor Dostoevsky's most groundbreaking works and a precursor to modern existential literature. Presented as a monologue by an unnamed narrator—bitter, isolated, and fiercely intelligent—the text plunges readers into the tortured psyche of a man at war with society and himself.
Often described as the first existential novel, Notes from the Underground dismantles the utopian ideals of reason and progress that dominated the 19th century. Through his Underground Man, Dostoevsky explores themes of free will, alienation, resentment, and the irrational forces that shape human behavior.
Darkly philosophical and psychologically profound, this novella laid the groundwork for much of 20th-century literature, influencing writers such as Franz Kafka, Albert Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre.
Book Features
Foreword by Copperhead Press
Half-bound with premium grey lambskin leather
Covers wrapped in marbled paper
White felt paper spine label
Burgundy Bugra endpapers, high-quality mould-made paper from Hahnemuhle Mill, Germany
Black silk headbands
Burgundy satin ribbon marker
Hand-sewn with golden honey book thread
Slipcase Features
Handmade with high-density book board
Wrapped in black book cloth
Watercolor inset by Adán Peredo
Measures 7 5/8" x 5 5/8"
Illustrations
Includes eight newly commissioned, exclusive illustrations by artist Adán Peredo
Samuel Thomson is an Ottawa-based traditional printmaker and illustrator specializing in linocut. His passion for high-contrast, hard-carved imagery began at the Bealart program in London, Ontario, and has since grown into an independent practice.
foreword written by
Michael Von Cannon
Michael Von Cannon teaches modern American literature at Florida Gulf Coast University. He is the co-creator and producer of One True Podcast and is co-editing the final volumes of Hemingway's correspondence for the Hemingway Letters Project.
afterword written by
Mark Cirino
Mark Cirino teaches American literature at the University of Evansville. He is the host of the popular Hemingway Society-sponsored program, One True Podcast. His most recent publication is an edition of A Farewell to Arms edited for the Norton Library.
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