An Unpleasant Predicament: A Nasty Story (Unabridged) (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. A satirical tale of a civil servant's wedding crash and misguided kindness in 19th-century RussiaBy Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Length4h 3m
About this audiobook
An Unpleasant Predicament: A Nasty Story is a sharp, darkly comic tale in which the well-meaning civil servant Ivan Ilyich Pralinsky attempts to demonstrate enlightened liberal benevolence by attending the wedding of a subordinate. What begins as a gesture of social idealism descends into humiliation, drunkenness, and grotesque misrecognition. Written in Dostoyevsky's incisive early-1860s style, the story belongs to the tradition of Russian bureaucratic satire associated with Gogol, yet already reveals Dostoyevsky's distinctive interest in wounded vanity, moral self-deception, and the unstable theater of social rank. Fyodor Dostoyevsky, shaped by imprisonment in Siberia, military service, poverty, and close observation of Russia's emerging intelligentsia, understood with unusual force the contradictions of reformist rhetoric and human egoism. Composed during a period of social change following the emancipation of the serfs, this story reflects his skepticism toward abstract humanitarianism when untested by humility, suffering, and genuine love of one's neighbor. This unabridged edition is recommended for readers seeking a concise but penetrating entry into Dostoyevsky's art. It will especially reward those interested in psychological realism, social satire, and the moral ambiguities beneath liberal self-congratulation.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- An Author Biography reveals milestones in the author's life, illuminating the personal insights behind the text.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
Rating★★★★ 3.7 (6.6K)
Includes Goodreads
GenreHumor, Literary Classics
Length4 hrs 3 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateMay 24, 2015
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1An Unpleasant Predicament: A Nasty Story (Unabridged) (Annotated)
2Introduction
3Synopsis
4Historical Context
5Author Biography
Show all chaptersShow less
6An Unpleasant Predicament (A Nasty Story)
7Analysis
8Reflection
9Memorable Quotes
Another Man's Wife & A Husband Under the Bed (A Humorous Love Triangle)Fyodor Dostoyevsky3h3.4 (5.4K)$1.99 · $0.00
THE IDIOT & THE GAMBLERFyodor Dostoyevsky35h 10m4.3 (2.1K)$1.99 · $0.00
AN UNPLEASANT PREDICAMENTFyodor Dostoyevsky3h 58m3.9 (7.8K)$1.99 · $0.00
THE CROCODILEFyodor Dostoyevsky3h 9m3.8 (9.2K)$1.99 · $0.00
THE IDIOT & THE GAMBLERFyodor Dostoyevsky36h 10m4.3 (1.6K)$1.99 · $0.00
The Autobiographical Works of Fyodor DostoyevskyFyodor Dostoyevsky40h 31m4.6 (27)$1.99 · $0.00
Dostoyevsky, The Man Behind: Memoirs, Letters & Autobiographical WorksFyodor Dostoyevsky40h 34m4.5 (12)$1.99 · $0.00
THE HONEST THIEF AND OTHER TALESFyodor Dostoyevsky22h 30m3.7 (336)$1.99 · $0.00
Notes from Underground & The House of the DeadFyodor Dostoyevsky18h 34m4.3 (3.4K)$2.99 · $0.00
AN UNPLEASANT PREDICAMENTFyodor Dostoyevsky3h 56m3.7 (6.7K)$1.99 · $0.00
THE BROTHERS KARAMAZOVFyodor Dostoyevsky39h 30m4.5 (478.7K)$1.99 · $0.00
THE BROTHERS KARAMAZOVFyodor Dostoyevsky39h 31m4.5 (475.1K)$1.99 · $0.00
THE COMPLETE WORKS OF FYODOR DOSTOYEVSKYFyodor Dostoyevsky268h 45m4.3 (1.6K)$2.99 · $0.00
NOTES FROM UNDERGROUND & THE HOUSE OF THE DEADFyodor Dostoyevsky18h 34m4.3 (4.6K)$1.99 · $0.00
THE DOUBLEFyodor Dostoyevsky8h 21m3.8 (57.4K)$1.99 · $0.00
The Brothers KaramazovFyodor Dostoyevsky34h 33m4.5 (472K)$23 · $0.00
Crime and PunishmentFyodor Dostoyevsky14m4.4 (1.3M)$14 · $0.00
Fyodor Dostoyevsky: Memoirs, Letters and Autobiographical NovelsFyodor Dostoyevsky39h 40m4.6 (21)$1.99 · $0.00
Another Man's Wife And A Husband Under The Bed (Annotated)Fyodor Dostoyevsky3h 23m3.9 (2.8K)$2 · $0.00
Lost In TranslationAudrey Davis9h 15m4.4 (235)Free
The Life of DaiDai Henwood, Jaquie Brown8h 2m4.6 (790)$26 · $0.00
Welcome to PawneeJim O'Heir6h 24m4.5 (5.3K)$24 · $0.00
Going PostalTerry Pratchett13h 36m4.5 (163.8K)$33 · $0.00
Woman UninterruptedBrodie Kane7h 1m4.6 (562)$24 · $0.00
1984 & Animal Farm (Annotated)George Orwell15h 54m4.5 (220.8K)$3.99 · $0.00
Kingsblood Royal (Annotated)Sinclair Lewis14h 42m4.6 (264)$2 · $0.00
This Is Going to HurtAdam Kay5h 47m4.4 (444.7K)$24 · $0.00
You Will Get Through This NightDaniel Howell6h 56m4.4 (11.8K)$24 · $0.00
Northanger Abbey (Annotated)Jane Austen10h 7m4.5 (1.6K)$2 · $0.00
My Dear HamiltonStephanie Dray, Laura Kamoie23h 7m4.4 (63.6K)$46 · $0.00
THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS & SCREWTAPE PROPOSES A TOAST (Annotated)C. S. Lewis5h 6m4.4 (471K)$2 · $0.00
BufferingHannah Hart5h 55m4.4 (12.4K)$24 · $0.00
The Office BFFsJenna Fischer, Angela Kinsey8h 26m4.3 (45.4K)$26 · $0.00
The Collected Stories of Dorothy ParkerDorothy Parker8h 36m4.3 (13.6K)$1 · $0.00
LambChristopher Moore15h 22m4.3 (211.3K)$33 · $0.00
The Importance of Being Earnest (World's Classics Series)Oscar Wilde4h 10m4.3 (467.3K)$1.99 · $0.00
#IMomSoHardKristin Hensley, Jen Smedley7h 19m4.3 (7.3K)$24 · $0.00
Mixed PlateJo Koy8h 18m4.3 (7.1K)$26 · $0.00
Over the TopJonathan Van Ness5h 50m4.3 (87.3K)$24 · $0.00
To Kill a MockingbirdHarper Lee12h 18m4.5 (7.4M)$29 · $0.00
These Precious DaysAnn Patchett11h 14m4.5 (45.2K)$29 · $0.00
This Side of Paradise - The Original 1920 Edition (Annotated)F. Scott Fitzgerald11h 30m4.6 (1.6K)$2 · $0.00
The Great Gatsby: Original 1925 Edition (An F. Scott Fitzgerald Classic NovelFrancis Scott Fitzgerald4h 45m4.6 (9.3K)$18 · $0.00
TWELFTH NIGHTWilliam Shakespeare, Sidney Lee16h 38m4.6 (2.8K)$1.99 · $0.00
The Complete Histories / History Plays of William Shakespeare (Annotated)William Shakespeare29h 42m4.6 (2.3K)$1.99 · $0.00
Braving the TruthRachel Held Evans11h 31m4.7 (359)$29 · $0.00
The Old Man and the Sea (Annotated)Ernest Hemingway4h 27m4.6 (1.4K)$2 · $0.00
Henry V (The Play, Historical Background and Analysis of the Character in the Play)William Shakespeare, William Hazlitt8h 50m4.6 (1.3K)$1.99 · $0.00
H. P. LOVECRAFT Ultimate Collection: Novellas, Short Stories, Poetry & Essays (Annotated)H. P. Lovecraft12h 28m4.6 (2.3K)$2 · $0.00
Time RegainedMarcel Proust16h 8m4.5 (10.6K)$1.99 · $0.00
The Mis-Education of the NegroCarter Goodwin Woodson4h 32m4.5 (28.4K)$10 · $0.00
Lessons in TruthH. Emilie3h 50m4.6 (1.4K)$4.70 · $0.00
TORAH - Bilingual Edition: English/Hebrew (Annotated)Max Margolis, JPS28h 26m4.6 (1K)$2 · $0.00
Betty Crocker picture cooky bookBetty Crocker, Inc. General Mills2h 13m4.5 (6.5K)$1 · $0.00
The Complete Tales of Beatrix PotterBeatrix Potter3h 36m4.5 (75K)$3 · $0.00
Anne of Green GablesL. M. Montgomery11h 1m4.5 (1.2M)$2.30 · $0.00
Crime and Punishment (The Unabridged Garnett Translation) (Annotated)Fyodor Dostoevsky24h 25m4.5 (15.4K)$1.99 · $0.00
The North American IndianEdward S. Curtis, Frederick Webb Hodge6h4.5 (1.2K)$2 · $0.00
The Picture of Dorian Gray: The Uncensored 13 Chapter Version + The Revised 20 Chapter Version (Annotated)Oscar Wilde16h 12m4.5 (2.8K)$1.99 · $0.00
You may also like
BabbittSinclair Lewis15h 37m3.9 (36.2K)$1 · $0.00
The Ego and His OwnMax Stirner16h 36m4.2 (5.9K)$2 · $0.00
An Unpleasant Predicament: A Nasty Story (Annotated)Fyodor Dostoyevsky3h 56m3.7 (6.6K)$2 · $0.00
The CrocodileFyodor Dostoyevsky3h 7m3.8 (8.5K)$1.99 · $0.00
SharpMichelle Dean11h 35m3.6 (1.9K)$23 · $0.00
UtopiaSaint Thomas More4h 26m3.7 (102.4K)$2.30
Pygmalion (Complete Illustrated Edition) (Annotated)George Bernard Shaw10h 56m4.2 (1.3K)$2 · $0.00
How Not to Get ShotD. L. Hughley, Doug Moe3h 43m4.1 (7.2K)$18 · $0.00
All Things ConsideredG. K. Chesterton6h 15m4.0 (988)$2.30
The Complete Essays & Satires of Mark TwainMark Twain21h 48m4.3 (256)$2 · $0.00
Notes on Democracy (Summarized Edition)H. L. Mencken2h 20m4.1 (635)$2
Joy of WorkScott Adams1h 20m4.0 (3.3K)$16 · $0.00
Voltaire's Philosophical DictionaryVoltaire9h 31m4.3 (13.4K)$2.30
AN UNPLEASANT PREDICAMENTFyodor Dostoyevsky3h 58m3.9 (7.8K)$1.99 · $0.00
BabbittSinclair Lewis11h 55m3.9 (35K)$23
AN UNPLEASANT PREDICAMENTFyodor Dostoyevsky3h 56m3.7 (6.7K)$1.99 · $0.00
DON QUIXOTE (Illustrated & Annotated Edition) (Annotated)Miguel de Cervantes45h 56m4.3 (17.4K)$1.99 · $0.00
The Collected Works of Thorstein Veblen: Business Theories, Economic Articles & EssaysThorstein Veblen120h 31m4.6 (11)$1.99 · $0.00
On Love (Annotated)Stendhal13h 15m4.3 (11)$2 · $0.00
Mark Twain: On MasturbationMark Twain1h 26m3.9 (594)$1 · $0.00