Works of art, literature, science and thought accompany us to learn to know the world in which we live. That the UPF university community agree on the reading of a classic is an essential collective gesture that opens perspectives, changes points of view, to reflect together and understand the space of creation as the knot of all other areas of research. The white nights still illuminate this world today since the 19th century.

Why Dostoevsky?

Like the discovery of love, like the discovery of the sea, Dostoevsky's discovery marks a memorable date in our lives.

Jorge Luis Borges

Dostoevsky has the virtue of telling us about people and situations that we can still recognize. Of historical facts that are more or less comparable to the tensions we can live with today. Precisely for this reason, it seems to me that the best way to approach any book by Dostoevsky is from a contemporary perspective. We can read him as if he were a contemporary author. In fact, this is one of the virtues of the classics that remain unquestionable: they can be read and remain valid, they still turn the stomach a little. Dostoevsky must be approached without fear [...].

Miquel Cabal, translator of the book

White Nights

A book that the author subtitles as a "sentimental novel based on the notes of a dreamer": a modern story because of its structure, because of the resource of fitting history within history.

Dostoevsky narrates the story of a couple of young people - lonely, desperate, dreamers - who meet on one of these unreal nights in the streets of Saint Petersburg. Over the course of four nights, new feelings full of romantic naivety will grow within him, but the mirage will dissolve and reality will impose itself in a cruel way. Is a single happy moment enough for a man's whole life?

How to get your copy

The University, which has published this classic work in commemoration of the bicentenary of its author's birth, presents a copy of the book to each member of the university community.

If you are a PDI, PAS or undergraduate, master's or doctoral student, come and pick it up at the Punt d’Informació a l’Estudiant (PIE) at any of the three Library/CRAI locations, from December 14, during all opening hours.

Important: bring your UPF card so you can identify yourself.

Download the printable here! We recommend that you use a cutter.

Nadala UPF 2021 from Cultura UPF-BSM on Vimeo.