The Idiot The Idiot The Idiot (pre-reform Russian: ; post-reform ) is a novel by the 19th-century Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky. It was first published serially in the journal "The Russian Messenger" in 1868–9. The title is an ironic reference to the central character of the novel, Prince (Knyaz) Lev Nikolayevich Myshkin, a young man whose goodness, open-hearted simplicity and guilelessness lead many of the more worldly characters he encounters to mistakenly assume that he lacks intelligence and insight. In the character of Prince Myshkin, Dostoevsky set himself the task of depicting "the positively good and beautiful man." The novel examines the
Lev Davidovich Belkind knowledgeable in additional languages, Prof. Belkind was a prominent researcher and collector of materials on the history of science and technology, both Russian and International. He was considered an authority in the field of scientific history, being an author of unique biographical research work of a number of influential figures in the Russian science. In recognition of his scientific achievements and contribution he was awarded the "Honored Scientist and Technologist" title (). by the Soviet Academy of Sciences. Lev Davidovich Belkind Prof. Lev Davidovich Belkind (; (August 27, 1896, Myrhorod – November 16, 1969) was a Soviet scientist, engineer and