Notes from a Dead House

Notes from a Dead House is Dostoevsky's account of his time in a Siberian prison camp. It is an absolutely remarkable tale, from its rich character development to its insights into prison life. The stories of the prisoners can be saddening, inspiring, or anywhere in between.

This was my favorite quote from the book:

I must say it all: these people are extraordinary people. They are perhaps the most gifted, the strongest of all our people. But their mighty strength perishes for nothing, perishes abnormally, unlawfully, irretrievably. And who is to blame?
That's just it: who is to blame?