Mark Amory

Isn’t saying The Brothers Karamazov rather idiotic?

On holiday I read (not reread I am afraid in my case, as people tend to claim about great classics) The Karamazov Brothers, in a new translation from Penguin. The moment I saw the title I wondered how we had all been persuaded to call it The Brothers Karamazov all these years. Talking about the Brothers Smith sounds very affected. Though the Arts Editor here now informs me that it is acceptable to say The Brothers Grimm.

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