

Life goes better with Russian lit and magnets. To prove that point, on 2/18 a group of us are kicking off "The Brothers Karamazov Deathmarch." And this, right here, is your personal exhortation to join in.
A bit of history
About four years ago, a gaggle of 'marchers tackled Thomas Pynchon’s Gravity’s Rainbow, a book I was so scared of, the sight of an actual rainbow could make me weep.
But we made it through. Dizzy from the experience, we followed up with Pale Fire, Don Quixote, To the Lighthouse, At Swim-Two-Birds, and Against the Day. Then we stopped for a bit, and not too long after that the economy tanked.
Now we're switching the DM machine back on for a book that an inebriated friend recently promised "contains the answers to all life's questions." And that's gotta be true. Because he promised.
How it works + FAQ
Starting 2/18, I'll post here every Wednesday morning with the 50-60 page target for the week (digestible bites designed for rich-mulling). Comment on each week's post and make it through, and you get a custom-designed "I Survived 'The Brothers Karamazov Deathmarch'" magnet.
Which version? We picked the Pevear and Volokhonsky translation
, a beaut, and a bargain at $12.24. Feel free to read another if you won't be flummoxed by the "what page are we on again?" factor.
OK to re-read? Sure -- just be kind and avoid pre-commenting or taunting first-timers like me.
Should comments be well thought out theses or monosyllabic bleats? The machine gratefully accepts all kinds. Wisdom is swell, but not required. And no points allocated for character count.
What next? Pick the book up and hold off reading till the starting post on 2/18 shouts out the page target for Week 1....
We'd love to have you along -- the more the marchier. If you plan on diving in, take a sec to shout out in the comments. Any questions, drop me a note. And please feel free to help spread the word via modern "tweet/blog/FB" technology.
Looking forward to the march. Seems like a great season to spend time with something a little bit timeless.