Showing results by author "Leo Tolstoy" in All Categories

War and Peace – Tolstoy's epic masterpiece intertwines the lives of private and public individuals during the time of the Napoleonic wars and the French invasion of Russia. Anna Karenina – The heroine of Tolstoy's epic of love and self-destruction, Anna Karenina has beauty, wealth, popularity and an adored son, but feels that her life is empty until she encounters the impetuous officer Count Vronsky. Resurrection – It tells the story of a nobleman's attempt to redeem the suffering his youthful philandering inflicted on a peasant girl who ends up a prisoner in Siberia.

As this stranger comes to live and work with the cobbler and his family, he learns the foundations of humanity and love. As a witness to several different encounters with this family, he begins to understand that man’s very existence and continued survival depends on love. Tolstoy brings the beauty of Christ’s wisdom and love to this simple story of generosity and good will. This work inspires true reflection into love’s role in life and even more so into God’s role in the lives of all men.

Murder comes in two familiar forms. Whether as a crime of passion with high emotions or a cold dispassionate plot to take life in order to gain in some way, the act strikes us all as somehow inhuman. Beneath us as civilised beings. But however we cloak our animal instincts the need to remove a human being and gain relief from abuse or gain from money, the term is just the same – MURDER. Robert Louis Stevenson, Arthur Conan Doyle, J M Barrie, W W Jacobs and many others bring their literary heft to bear in as calculating a way as any killer could.

Vladimir Nabokov called Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina "one of the greatest love stories in world literature." Set in imperial Russia, Anna Karenina is a rich and complex meditation on passionate love and disastrous infidelity. Married to a powerful government minister, Anna Karenina is a beautiful woman who falls deeply in love with a wealthy army officer, the elegant Count Vronsky.

One winter evening a shoemaker finds a mysterious stranger naked and freezing by a shrine in his small village. The shoemaker rescues the man, and takes him home. Though the stranger won’t say where he came from, Simon invites him to work beside him, and stay with his family. As the story unfolds, the stranger transforms, and ultimately reveals an astonishing and deeply moving secret. Late in Tolstoy’s life, after he had written his great masterpieces War and Peace, and Anna Karenina, he underwent a spiritual transformation.

A pairing of Tolstoy's most spiritual and existential works of fiction and nonfiction from the renowned translator of Turgenev and Chekhov. In the last two days of his own life, Peter Carson completed these new translations of The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Confession before he succumbed to cancer in January 2013. In Carson's shimmering prose, these two transcendent works are presented in their most faithful rendering in English.

In My Religion, Leo Tolstoy accuses the church of hiding the true meaning of Jesus, which is to be found in the Sermon on the Mount and the call to resist evil. For Tolstoy, it is this command that has been most damaged by ecclesiastical interpretation. Tolstoy had not always been possessed of the religious ideas set forth in My Religion. For 35 years of his life, he was, in the proper acceptation of the word, a nihilist - not a revolutionary socialist but a man who believed in nothing.

Tolstoy brings to these brief tales the same psychological depth and spiritual insight found in his larger works. In fact, his short stories are an excellent place to begin reading this great author. In them, you will find the same challenging themes of morality, forgiveness, redemption and more.

When most think of Tolstoy, they think of the great author. For his last 30 years, however, Tolstoy walked a different track. In Conversations with Leo Tolstoy, Simon Parke grants us the honour of sitting with the great man, towards the end of his life, and gives us the chance to chat with him. The conversation is imagined, but not Tolstoy’s answers. This is Tolstoy is his own words, drawn from his extensive books, essays, and letters.

In Resurrection, Leo Tolstoy delivers a powerful exploration of the injustices wrought by man-made laws and the hypocrisy of organized religion. This final major work of fiction published during his lifetime was originally serialized in the magazine Niva, aiming to raise funds for the resettlement of the Dukhobors. The narrative follows nobleman Nekhlyudov on his quest for redemption after a long-buried sin resurfaces—a fleeting affair with a maid that led to her dismissal and descent into prostitution. As he grapples with his moral dilemmas and strives to aid her in escaping her current ...

Set against the backdrop of the mid-19th century, The Cossacks (1863) is an unfinished masterpiece that delves into the vibrant life and culture of the Cossack people through the eyes of Dmitri Olenin, a Russian nobleman captivated by a Cossack girl. Esteemed author Ivan Bunin hailed this work as one of the finest in the Russian language, showcasing its enduring beauty and depth. Special thanks to mim@can & katzes for their additional proof-listening.

Dive into a captivating collection of four stories by Leo Tolstoy, each exploring the profound question posed in the title of the first tale What Does Man Live By? These narratives delve into the essence of life, the intricacies of human relationships, and the ultimate purpose of existence. Tolstoys distinctive style shines through in these beautifully crafted stories, which depict real people navigating real lives. The first story is presented in two parts, both narrated by the same voice for a seamless experience. Similarly, the concluding story, How Much Land Does A Man Need, is divided ...

Immerse yourself in War and Peace, Leo Tolstoys epic masterpiece that chronicles the intricate tapestry of Russian society during the tumultuous Napoleonic Era. First published between 1865 and 1869, this monumental work is celebrated as one of Tolstoys crowning achievements, alongside Anna Karenina. With a multitude of characters navigating the grand themes of war, peace, youth, and marriage, Tolstoy reshaped the conventions of fiction, creating a narrative that transcends the typical structure of his time. Although often categorized as a novel today, many of Tolstoys contemporaries struggled...

Experience the grandeur of War and Peace, an epic novel by Leo Tolstoy that intricately weaves the fabric of Russian society during the tumultuous Napoleonic Era. First published between 1865 and 1869 in the pages of Russki Vestnik, this monumental work is celebrated as one of Tolstoys two major masterpieces—alongside Anna Karenina—and stands tall among the greatest novels in literary history. With a wide array of characters navigating the complexities of life, love, and the sweeping impacts of war, War and Peace redefined the conventions of storytelling in its time. While it is often ...

War and Peace (Russian Война и мир, Voyna i mir) is an epic masterpiece by Leo Tolstoy, first serialized between 1865 and 1869 in Russki Vestnik. This monumental novel captures the essence of Russian society during the tumultuous Napoleonic Era. Often hailed as one of Tolstoys two great works—alongside Anna Karenina—its celebrated as one of the worlds finest novels. War and Peace introduces a vast array of characters intertwined in a narrative that explores grand themes of war and peace, as well as the intricate dynamics of youth, aging, and marriage. While its classified as a ...

In Gospel In Brief, Tolstoy masterfully distills the essence of the four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—into a single narrative that highlights the profound teachings of Jesus Christ. Through this exploration, he reveals that the Lords Prayer encapsulates the core message of Christs teachings. Join us as we journey through this timeless spiritual work, summarized by KHand.

In A Confession, Leo Tolstoy offers an unflinching look at his existential crises following a profound spiritual awakening in 1882. This deeply personal work delves into his disillusionment with organized religion, the futility of wealth and status, and the depths of despair he faced. Tolstoy recounts his transformative journey towards understanding faith through the teachings of Jesus Christ, contrasting the hollow beliefs of the educated elite with the authentic spirituality of the Russian peasant. His candid reflections not only led to his excommunication from the Russian Orthodox Church ...

In Kingdom of God is Within You, renowned Russian author Leo Tolstoy explores profound reflections on Christianity and the teachings of Jesus, inspired by Luke 1721. This thought-provoking non-fiction work delves into a multitude of themes, including the nature of war, the power of non-violence, and the often-misunderstood tenets of faith by believers. Tolstoys insights challenge readers to rethink their understanding of spirituality and the essence of true belief. (Summary by enko)

What does it truly mean to live the good life? After enduring two months of recovery from a serious injury, Tolstoy found the time to reflect deeply and articulate his thoughts on this profound question. In On Life, he weaves together themes of love, religion, and morality to provide a grounding perspective on our existence. Join Cao Yuqing as he narrates this philosophical exploration that invites us to embrace the essence of our humanity.

War and Peace is a literary work by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy that mixes fictional narrative with chapters on history and philosophy. It was first published serially, then published in its entirety in 1869. It is regarded as Tolstoy's finest literary achievement and remains an internationally praised classic of world literature. The novel chronicles the French invasion of Russia and the impact of the Napoleonic era on Tsarist society through the stories of five Russian aristocratic families.