Freeborn's book presents a very useful hands-on approach to the evolution of the English language. He provides lots of REAL texts (including many in facsimile form) in the various dialects of Old English, and so on. At once, the reader feels that the subject is not really as remote as he or she might have imagined. This makes the book very useful as a textbook or a source book for a course introducing students to the history of the English language. I have just received a flyer announcing the arrival of an expanded second edition (due mid 1998), and am therefore looking forward to reading it.

Although it is overshadowed by others of Dostoevsky's "big five" novels, this is a work with a great deal to offer. Sadly though, much is lost in this translation. It is filled with repetitive use of British idiograms and cricket terms. The style is thus too nationalized. One would expect this novel was set in Manchester, rather than St. Petersberg. Mr. Freeborn seems to have lost sight of the fact that the purpose of a translation is to bring the author's words to life for those unable to read him/her in the writer's original language. By all means read this novel (whose title is usually translated as A Raw Youth), but do yourself the favor of getting a less aggravating translation than this one. I gave this book three stars rather than one out of respect for Dostoevsky.