I studied the major works of Dostoevsky in college; confession in his later novels was the focus of my thesis project. In our tutorial, my professor thought I should begin my study by reading The Brothers Karamazov. Thematically, it worked; but talk about brain fever! My recommendation for anyone reading Dostoevsky without the guiding hand of a professor would be to begin with Crime and Punishment. For one, it is a shorter read. But of more importance to the new reader is the novel's accessibility-- the themes and patterns of imagery, though certainly complex, are not buried in the text. The most recent translation by Pevear and Volokhonsky is superb and highly recommended. Crime and Punishment is a very tightly constructed novel, and so not a word is wasted in the unfolding of the story. But there are particular things to watch for while reading the novel: pay special attention to dreams, entrances and exits, bridges and the use of Biblical themes.

After reading C&P, your options increase. You can take up The Brothers Karamazov, or Notes from Underground, or his early novels (The Double, The Gambler, etc.). In my opinion, The Idiot is Dostoevsky's most difficult novel to read, but the reward is worth the effort.

'Notes from the Underground' makes the perfect introduction to Dostoevsky, as it is both one of his most celebrated works, and sufficiently short not to overwhelm the new reader. It is also an excellent choice in that it bridges the gap between his earlier and later works, thus providing a truly representative taste of the author.