-
Notes from the Underground
- Narrated by: Walter Zimmerman
- Length: 5 hrs and 8 mins
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
![Prime logo](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/G/01/Audible/Homestead/Prime_Logo_RGB.png)
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $19.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Editorial reviews
Walter Zimmerman strikes an intellectual, angst-ridden note in his performance of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Notes from the Underground, a foundation text among existential writers like Albert Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre.
The first part of this novella sees the jaded narrator musing philosophically on whether human action is motivated by reason as well as the concept of suffering. In the second part, we get a more dramatic portrait of the "Underground Man". Here we see him obsess over a cruel officer and cruelly spew his anguish upon a young prostitute.
The narrator in Dostoevsky’s novella is meant to be fascinating but not fully sympathetic. Zimmerman deftly conveys both his intelligence and his arrogance.
Publisher's summary
The book, published in 1864, marks a turning point in Dostoevsky's writing: it announces the moral, political, and social ideas that he will further examine in Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov. The book opens with a tormented soul crying out, "I am a sick man...I am a spiteful man." This is the cry of an alienated individual who has become one of the greatest anti-heroes in all literature.
More from the same
Related to this topic
-
George Orwell’s 1984
- An Audible Original adaptation
- By: George Orwell, Joe White - adaptation
- Narrated by: Andrew Garfield, Cynthia Erivo, Andrew Scott, and others
- Length: 3 hrs and 27 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It’s 1984, and life has changed beyond recognition. Airstrip One, formerly known as Great Britain, is a place where Big Brother is always watching, and nobody can hide. Except, perhaps, for Winston Smith. Whilst working at the Ministry of Truth, rewriting history, he secretly dreams of freedom. And in a world where love and sex are forbidden, where it’s hard to distinguish between friend and foe, he meets Julia and O’Brien and vows to rebel.
-
-
A Revelation!
- By wotsallthisthen on 04-07-24
By: George Orwell, and others
-
Her Second Husband
- By: Jane E. James
- Narrated by: Claire Rushbrook
- Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Then: Linda has it all: a gorgeous home, a devoted husband, two loving daughters. But she throws it all away to chase an impossible dream. Now: Linda is alone and penniless, living in a shabby rented flat. With nothing to lose, she signs up to a dating app for the over 50s. But the one man who responds to her profile, a man calling himself Tony Fortin, is not who he says he is. Linda recognises him immediately. He’s Marcus, her second husband. But that’s impossible. Marcus died eight months ago. He drowned off the coast of Corfu.
-
-
Tedious Read
- By Jazzyjane on 07-13-24
By: Jane E. James
-
The Art of War
- By: Sun Tzu
- Narrated by: Aidan Gillen
- Length: 1 hr and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The 13 chapters of The Art of War, each devoted to one aspect of warfare, were compiled by the high-ranking Chinese military general, strategist, and philosopher Sun-Tzu. In spite of its battlefield specificity, The Art of War has found new life in the modern age, with leaders in fields as wide and far-reaching as world politics, human psychology, and corporate strategy finding valuable insight in its timeworn words.
-
-
The actual book The Art of War, not a commentary
- By Fred271 on 12-31-19
By: Sun Tzu
-
The Holy Bible: King James Version
- The Old and New Testaments
- By: King James Bible
- Narrated by: Scott Brick, Prentice Onayemi, Ellen Archer, and others
- Length: 82 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This newer edition of the King James Bible published in 1769 is usually preferred by most that read it over the older 1611 version. This 1769 edition is highly sought after due to being more reader/listener friendly than the 1611 since many typos were fixed.... We hope your new audio bible will go everywhere with you and be a blessing for years to come.
-
-
Very Good
- By José de Ribera on 12-17-20
By: King James Bible
-
Home Is Where the Bodies Are
- By: Jeneva Rose
- Narrated by: January LaVoy, Cassandra Campbell, Brittany Pressley, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After their mother passes, three estranged siblings reunite to sort out her estate. Beth, the oldest, never left home. She stayed with her mom, caring for her until the very end. Nicole, the middle child, has been kept at arm’s length due to her ongoing battle with a serious drug addiction. Michael, the youngest, lives out of state and hasn’t been back to their small Wisconsin town since their father ran out on them seven years before.
-
-
Perfect Audio.
- By Black Women Read Too on 05-19-24
By: Jeneva Rose
-
He Who Fights with Monsters 2
- A LitRPG Adventure (He Who Fights with Monsters, Book 2)
- By: Shirtaloon, Travis Deverell
- Narrated by: Heath Miller
- Length: 22 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
But Jason Asano is settling into his new life. Now, a contest draws young elites to the city of Greenstone to compete for a grand prize. Jason must gather a band of companions if he is to stand a chance against the best the world has to offer. While the young adventurers are caught up in competition, the city leaders deal with revelations of betrayal as a vast and terrible enemy is revealed. Although Jason seems uninvolved, he has unknowingly crossed the enemy’s path before.
-
-
Contrary to common reviews
- By Karen on 05-21-21
By: Shirtaloon, and others
-
George Orwell’s 1984
- An Audible Original adaptation
- By: George Orwell, Joe White - adaptation
- Narrated by: Andrew Garfield, Cynthia Erivo, Andrew Scott, and others
- Length: 3 hrs and 27 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It’s 1984, and life has changed beyond recognition. Airstrip One, formerly known as Great Britain, is a place where Big Brother is always watching, and nobody can hide. Except, perhaps, for Winston Smith. Whilst working at the Ministry of Truth, rewriting history, he secretly dreams of freedom. And in a world where love and sex are forbidden, where it’s hard to distinguish between friend and foe, he meets Julia and O’Brien and vows to rebel.
-
-
A Revelation!
- By wotsallthisthen on 04-07-24
By: George Orwell, and others
-
Her Second Husband
- By: Jane E. James
- Narrated by: Claire Rushbrook
- Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Then: Linda has it all: a gorgeous home, a devoted husband, two loving daughters. But she throws it all away to chase an impossible dream. Now: Linda is alone and penniless, living in a shabby rented flat. With nothing to lose, she signs up to a dating app for the over 50s. But the one man who responds to her profile, a man calling himself Tony Fortin, is not who he says he is. Linda recognises him immediately. He’s Marcus, her second husband. But that’s impossible. Marcus died eight months ago. He drowned off the coast of Corfu.
-
-
Tedious Read
- By Jazzyjane on 07-13-24
By: Jane E. James
-
The Art of War
- By: Sun Tzu
- Narrated by: Aidan Gillen
- Length: 1 hr and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The 13 chapters of The Art of War, each devoted to one aspect of warfare, were compiled by the high-ranking Chinese military general, strategist, and philosopher Sun-Tzu. In spite of its battlefield specificity, The Art of War has found new life in the modern age, with leaders in fields as wide and far-reaching as world politics, human psychology, and corporate strategy finding valuable insight in its timeworn words.
-
-
The actual book The Art of War, not a commentary
- By Fred271 on 12-31-19
By: Sun Tzu
-
The Holy Bible: King James Version
- The Old and New Testaments
- By: King James Bible
- Narrated by: Scott Brick, Prentice Onayemi, Ellen Archer, and others
- Length: 82 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This newer edition of the King James Bible published in 1769 is usually preferred by most that read it over the older 1611 version. This 1769 edition is highly sought after due to being more reader/listener friendly than the 1611 since many typos were fixed.... We hope your new audio bible will go everywhere with you and be a blessing for years to come.
-
-
Very Good
- By José de Ribera on 12-17-20
By: King James Bible
-
Home Is Where the Bodies Are
- By: Jeneva Rose
- Narrated by: January LaVoy, Cassandra Campbell, Brittany Pressley, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After their mother passes, three estranged siblings reunite to sort out her estate. Beth, the oldest, never left home. She stayed with her mom, caring for her until the very end. Nicole, the middle child, has been kept at arm’s length due to her ongoing battle with a serious drug addiction. Michael, the youngest, lives out of state and hasn’t been back to their small Wisconsin town since their father ran out on them seven years before.
-
-
Perfect Audio.
- By Black Women Read Too on 05-19-24
By: Jeneva Rose
-
He Who Fights with Monsters 2
- A LitRPG Adventure (He Who Fights with Monsters, Book 2)
- By: Shirtaloon, Travis Deverell
- Narrated by: Heath Miller
- Length: 22 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
But Jason Asano is settling into his new life. Now, a contest draws young elites to the city of Greenstone to compete for a grand prize. Jason must gather a band of companions if he is to stand a chance against the best the world has to offer. While the young adventurers are caught up in competition, the city leaders deal with revelations of betrayal as a vast and terrible enemy is revealed. Although Jason seems uninvolved, he has unknowingly crossed the enemy’s path before.
-
-
Contrary to common reviews
- By Karen on 05-21-21
By: Shirtaloon, and others
-
Fingerprints of the Gods
- The Quest Continues
- By: Graham Hancock
- Narrated by: Graham Hancock
- Length: 18 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Fingerprints of the Gods is the revolutionary rewrite of history that has persuaded millions of listeners throughout the world to change their preconceptions about the history behind modern society. An intellectual detective story, this unique history audiobook directs probing questions at orthodox history, presenting disturbing new evidence that historians have tried - but failed - to explain.
-
-
Classic in Historical Mysteries
- By Kelly on 09-05-19
By: Graham Hancock
-
The House on the Water
- A Novella
- By: Margot Hunt
- Narrated by: Taylor Schilling
- Length: 2 hrs and 47 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Every year, Caroline Reed takes a trip with her best friend, Esme Lamont. They’re usually accompanied by their spouses - but this year, everything’s changed. Esme has just gone through a bitter divorce, and Caroline's wondering if her own marriage is reaching its breaking point as she and her husband, John, cope with the discovery that their son has been abusing drugs. Still, the inseparable duo books a weeklong stay at a beach-front home in Shoreham, Florida, inviting Esme’s brother, Nick, and his new husband. After a blissful first night in the vacation home, tragedy strikes.
-
-
Wonderful Story
- By David M. Wilcox on 12-04-20
By: Margot Hunt
-
Dracula [Audible Edition]
- By: Bram Stoker
- Narrated by: Alan Cumming, Tim Curry, Simon Vance, and others
- Length: 15 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The modern audience hasn't had a chance to truly appreciate the unknowing dread that readers would have felt when reading Bram Stoker's original 1897 manuscript. Most modern productions employ campiness or sound effects to try to bring back that gothic tension, but we've tried something different. By returning to Stoker's original storytelling structure - a series of letters and journal entries voiced by Jonathan Harker, Dr. Van Helsing, and other characters - with an all-star cast of narrators, we've sought to recapture its originally intended horror and power.
-
-
IS THAT NOT SO?
- By Jim "The Impatient" on 11-05-15
By: Bram Stoker
-
Yellow Face
- A Semi-autobiographical Comedy
- By: David Henry Hwang
- Narrated by: Daniel Dae Kim (CK), Ashley Park, Wendell Pierce, and others
- Length: 1 hr and 44 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Winner of an Obie and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, and directed by Tony nominee Leigh Silverman, Yellow Face is as timely as ever, wrestling with issues of cultural appropriation, complicity, and artistic freedom. It’s brought to life in this audio-only revival by a stunning all-star cast (many playing themselves) led by Daniel Dae Kim.
-
-
Funny, great audible performance, and good dialogue.
- By Ed the Canadian on 05-04-24
-
All the Ugly and Wonderful Things
- A Novel
- By: Bryn Greenwood
- Narrated by: Jorjeana Marie
- Length: 11 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
As the daughter of a drug dealer, Wavy knows not to trust people, not even her own parents. It's safer to keep her mouth shut and stay out of sight. Struggling to raise her little brother, Donal, eight-year-old Wavy is the only responsible adult around. Obsessed with the constellations, she finds peace in the starry night sky above the fields behind her house until one night her stargazing causes an accident. After witnessing his motorcycle wreck, she forms an unusual friendship with one of her father's thugs, Kellen, a tattooed ex-con with a heart of gold.
-
-
So many 'hard to listen to' moments
- By jksullycats on 12-27-16
By: Bryn Greenwood
-
The Secret Garden
- By: Frances Hodgson Burnett
- Narrated by: Carrie Hope Fletcher
- Length: 7 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mary Lennox starts her life as an unhappy victim of circumstance. After the loss of her parents, she moves to rural Yorkshire to live with a distant uncle where she resents the wildness of the countryside. At first, she struggles to find a place in this new existence. Although unsure about her surroundings and its occupants, through the gentle guidance of the maid she gradually becomes interested in the story of Mrs Craven, who apparently used to spend her time in a garden at the house, the key to which has vanished.
-
-
Fabulous
- By Lady Lightning on 05-19-20
What listeners say about Notes from the Underground
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
- jb
- 05-28-05
Brilliant
Notes from Underground is one of the seminal works of modern literature--devastating for what Bakhtin called Dostoevskii's "negative dialectics", the author's amazing ability to run equally valid propositions against each other, leaving the reader gasping. In Notes from Underground, we find the foundation of Dostoevskii's better-known works: Crime and Punishment, The Idiot, The Brothers Karamazov. We also find the foundations of existentialist literature--wherein the main character deliberately defies reason and self-interest for the greater good of freedom, of unharnessed human volition. Here too, Dostoevskii deliberately challenged the extraordinary defense of human freedom in Part I against the devastating portrait of a misanthrope enslaved by his own past in Part II.
This book is not for the faint of heart, 120 pages of pure intellectual poison.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
37 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Rita Burch
- 12-12-23
Classic book narrated perfectly
Walter Zimmerman is my favorite narrator. I’ve loved this book for a long time and Walter does it perfect justice.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
- Anthony
- 06-03-07
Not his best work
I found this book a bit dull and lacking. The reader doesn´t help.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- THoward
- 12-27-15
Everyone is a critic
I suspect that to fully understand this book the reader must have some tendencies toward mental illness. The rants are more a way of dealing with reality when the real desire is to be acknowledged. I found quite a bit of humor in this volume. The 'underground man' is most often the crazy curmudgeon neighbor we all have.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
- Katelyn
- 05-16-09
Could be better
I would have given this book a higher rating except that the sound quality was so terrible. It had alot of static and sounded like it was recorded in someone's garage. I wish they had shelled out the extra cash for some decent recording equipment. Other than that, the book was dark, insightful, and entertaining. The very first sentences have you convinced Dostoevsky is the most brutally honest and tormented genius to grace the pages with his thoughts.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jason
- 11-29-15
The First Great Work of Hipsterdom
Though written in the mid 19th century, this work could be a contemporary examination of the bitter and jaded intellectuals of a hip neighborhood in an American city. I think the internet has just excalated the time line in recent history, for while the protagonist in this work is 40+, he speaks like a typical 20 or 30 something these days. The work is hillarious and brutal. I kept seeing myself, and then hating myself for it, for the hero isn't the hero he believes himself to be. This was a great work of a master looking at his former, younger self, i suppose. Love Dostoevsky, always will. Narrator is acceptable, but not noteworthy.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Dennis
- 01-30-12
Erratic stream of consciousness
This being written during a period of time when Dostoevsky had just been jailed for a long period of time and then released, then was being watched with the intention of sending him back to the gulag ( a place from which few returned) I thought this would be of a type of literature similar to Solzhenitsyn. I was wrong. This story rambles in a free-form monologue that attempts philosophy but never comes close. Dostoevsky in other writing is genius, so I do not want a new comer to the world of classic Russian writers to be put off by this review, there are great, and I mean extraordinary works done by this and other writers of this time but this work shows the tattered and fragile state of mind an oppressive totalitarian state can create from the starting point of genius. I could not recommend this work as a great piece of literature, but as a window to the debasing ability of oppressive government.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jesse
- 07-04-18
Nonsense
No idea why this is a famous book. No discernible story. A lot of meaningless blather.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!