Crime and Punishment seeking to affirm this "freedom" in himself, Raskolnikov is in perpetual revolt against society, himself, and God. He thinks that he is self-sufficient and self-contained, but at the end "his boundless self-confidence must disappear in the face of what is greater than himself, and his self-fabricated justification must humble itself before the higher justice of God". Dostoevsky calls for the regeneration and renewal of "sick" Russian society through the re-discovery of its national identity, its religion, and its roots. The first part of "Crime and Punishment" published in the January and February issues of "The Russian Messenger" met with public
The Crime Book described the crimes detailed in the book as having "such diversity that there is something for everyone. ... I can’t think of one crime that’s not represented in The Crime Book. It runs the gamut—from nonviolent cons to gangland-style criminals, to white-collar offenders—with a complete representation starting with the first known homicide committed against a Neanderthal man. Simply put, you can’t make this stuff up." "Rolling Stone" magazine's description, in an August 2017 interview with co-author Scott about the book, wrote that it is "an encyclopedic treatment of the topic (that) makes for excellent companion reading. A compelling compilation of