Part I: Chapters I and II Summary

The book begins with a note from Dostoevsky himself saying that the notes and the writer are fictional. He does, however, say that the person writing the notes must exist in the society of his day simply because of the circumstances of society itself. He then says that the person is of the "recent past", and that the text of this book is an attempt to bring out the reasons for his actions and to make it clear why he was "bound to appear in our midst". From this point, the "author", or "writer", of this text is that fictional character claimed by Dostoevsky.

The author begins with the statement that he's sick, spiteful and unattractive, and that his "liver hurts". He says it might be something other than his liver but he...