<DIV>Raskolnikov, a destitute and desperate former student, wanders through the slums of St Petersburg and commits a random murder without remorse or regret. He imagines himself to be a great man, a Napoleon: acting for a higher purpose beyond conventional moral law. But as he embarks on a dangerous game of cat and mouse with a suspicious police investigator, Raskolnikov is pursued by the growing voice of his conscience and finds the noose of his own guilt tightening around his neck. Only Sonya, a downtrodden prostitute, can offer the chance of redemption. <p> This vivid translation by David McDuff has been acclaimed as the most accessible version of Dostoyevsky's great novel, rendering its dialogue with a unique force and naturalism. This edition also includes a new chronology of Dostoyevsky's life and work. <p><br> <b>@RobPeterPayPaul </b> It's hard being a poor student – lots of work, crappy room, and I have the ugliest hat this side of the Urals. <br><BR> It is a bit of a rut being so miserably impoverished. I need something to lighten up my life, something exciting… <br><BR> I've got it. Rather than accept financial aid from my friend, I'll murder an elderly money-lender in cold blood. Why? I'm not telling. <br><BR> However, if you'd like to guess at my psychological and ideological motivations for the next couple of hundred years, be my guest. <br><br> <b>From </b> </div>