Showing results by author "Leo Tolstoy" in All Categories

In the heart-wrenching narrative of Anna Karenina, we witness the passionate yet tragic love story between the enchanting Anna and the charismatic Count Vronsky. As Anna forsakes her lifeless marriage to pursue true love, she grapples with the unforgiving judgments of society, leading to a tale steeped in emotion and conflict. (Summary by Mary Anderson)

In Anna Karenina, we delve into the tumultuous love affair between the passionate and defiant Anna and the charismatic officer, Count Vronsky. In Book 8, Vronsky embarks on a journey to the Servian war, consumed by his inability to live without Anna and grappling with a longing for death. Meanwhile, back at his farm, Levin faces his own existential crisis, wrestling with profound questions about life and its meaning amid the joys of family with his beloved wife and infant son. (Summary by Mary Anderson and MaryAnn)

In the gripping tale of Anna Karenina, we delve deeper into the tumultuous love story between the passionate Anna and the charming Count Vronsky. In Book 4, tensions rise as Annas husband contemplates drastic actions in response to her blatant infidelity. Meanwhile, Kitty and Levin find themselves reuniting in Moscow, leading to moments of both discomfort and realization. (Summary by Mary Anderson and MaryAnn)

In the heart of societys constraints, Anna Karenina unfolds the passionate yet tragic love story between the enchanting Anna and the charismatic Count Vronsky. As Anna dares to abandon her loveless marriage in pursuit of true happiness, she must navigate a world rife with judgment and hypocrisy. Join Mary Anderson as she narrates this timeless tale of love, sacrifice, and societal struggle.

In this captivating continuation of Anna Karenina, we delve deeper into the passionate yet tragic love story of Anna and Count Vronsky. As Anna defies her joyless marriage to pursue true love, she faces the harsh judgments of society. (Summary by Mary Anderson) In Book 5, we witness the contrasting lives of Levin and Kitty as they embrace new beginnings, while the discontent brewing in Anna and Vronskys relationship becomes increasingly palpable.

In this gripping tale, Anna Karenina navigates the heart-wrenching consequences of her passionate affair with the charismatic Count Vronsky. As she defies her loveless marriage to pursue true love, she finds herself entangled in the suffocating expectations of society, leading to tragedy and turmoil. Join Mary Anderson as she brings this timeless story to life.

In Book 7 of Anna Karenina, the tragic love story unfolds further as Levin visits Moscow for Kitty’s confinement. He becomes increasingly entangled in the morally ambiguous world of the city, while Stiva intensifies his push for Karenin to divorce Anna. Meanwhile, Annas jealousy spirals out of control, driving her to irrationality in her relationship with Vronsky. Join us as we delve deeper into this classic tale of passion and societal pressures. (Summary by Mary Anderson and MaryAnn)

Dive into the poignant world of Sevastopol Sketches, a collection of three short stories penned by the illustrious Leo Tolstoy. Published in 1855, these narratives capture the authors firsthand experiences during the Siege of Sevastopol (1854–1855) in the Crimean War. Named after the city in Crimea, this work is also known by its anglicized title, The Sebastopol Sketches, and sometimes referred to as Sevastopol Stories. In the story Sevastopol in December, Tolstoy employs a captivating second-person narrative that immerses readers in the vibrant life of Sevastopol, echoing the impressions he...

The collection includes the best works of famous Russian writers:. Fyodor Dostoevsky. NOTES FROM THE UNDERGROUND. THE DREAM OF A RIDICULOUS MAN. THE BEGGAR BOY AT CHRIST'S CHRISTMAS TREE. Leo Tolstoy. THE DEATH OF IVAN ILYICH. A LETTER TO A HINDU. A CONFESSION. GOD SEES THE TRUTH, BUT WAITS. A RUSSIAN CHRISTMAS PARTY. Anton Chekhov. THE LADY WITH THE DOG. A SLANDER. THE HORSE-STEALERS. THE PETCHENYEG. A DEAD BODY. A HAPPY ENDING. THE LOOKING-GLASS. OLD AGE. DARKNESS. THE BEGGAR. IN TROUBLE. FROST. MINDS IN FERMENT. GONE ASTRAY. AN AVENGER. THE JEUNE PREMIER. A DEFENCELESS CREATURE.

The Big Book of Christmas: Classic Stories and Poems is a grand compilation that assembles a treasure trove of holiday tales and poems from a remarkable array of authors. This extensive collection includes 100 classic works, each thoughtfully illustrated, to immerse readers in the magic and wonder of the Christmas season. This anthology spans a rich tapestry of Christmas literature, including timeless favorites such as "The Gift of the Magi," "The Red Room," "A Letter from Santa Claus," "The Fir Tree," "Song of the Holly," and many more.

Enchanting, tragic, and hilarious fairy tales for adults and children grace these pages. An initial glance might lead you to assume that these are satirical versions of classic Christmas ghost stories. However, beneath the humorous stories involving ghosts, repentant sinners, miracles, and good peasants who find well-deserved happiness, lies a psychological undercurrent that sharpens the sense of intrigue and plot movement. Often this is aided by the unrelenting social exposure of the authors who always understood how intangible the "bourgeois paradise" truly was.

In the wake of a profound spiritual crisis, Tolstoy penned Ivan the Fool, a captivating fairy tale that teaches children the values of living simply, generously, and with integrity. This enchanting story critiques the harmful effects of materialism and militarism while celebrating the virtues of manual labor and the humble peasant lifestyle. (Introduction by Dorlene Kaplan)

Confessions by Leo Tolstoy, narrated by Gary Middleton, is a deeply introspective and philosophical work that chronicles Tolstoy’s spiritual journey and existential search for meaning. In this profound and honest memoir, Tolstoy confronts life's most difficult questions—regarding faith, purpose, and the human condition. This timeless work captures his struggle to reconcile the reality of life and death, eventually leading to a spiritual awakening.

Boyhood is a semi-autobiographical novel by Leo Tolstoy, recounting the early years of its protagonist, Nikolai Irtenev. As a sequel to Childhood, it explores Nikolai’s emotional and intellectual growth, capturing the joys, fears, and confusions of adolescence. Through vivid storytelling, Tolstoy delves into themes of love, self-doubt, and the struggle for moral integrity. The novel portrays family relationships, first crushes, and the pain of loss, offering deep psychological insight. With rich, introspective narration, Boyhood provides a glimpse into the shaping of a young mind, reflecting...

Ivan Ilitch é um funcionário público do sistema judiciário russo. Casado com uma mulher exigente, buca ser um magistrado. O trabalho é o refúgio para evitar sua família. Depois de um acidente, ele acredita ter contraído uma doença, mas não há um diagnóstico satisfatório. O tempo passa e o ferimento agrava-se, ele então se vê restrito ao ambiente familiar. Ivan Ilitch quer morrer para dar fim à sua dor e à sua vida de mentiras. Inicia-se assim um processo de busca pelo sentido da vida, durante o qual Ivan percebe terem sido poucos os momentos da sua existência que tiveram significado.

War and Peace is rightly considered to be one of the most important books ever written. Leo Tolstoy's epic novel chronicles the Napoleonic Wars from the viewpoint of five noble Russian families: Rostov, Bolkonsky, Bezukhov, Drubetskoy and Kuragin. The main story begins in 1805 with Napoleon's impending invasion of Austria, and ends with his disastrous retreat from Moscow in 1813, moving deftly between geopolitics, military strategy, family alliances, religion and philosophy as the men and women of these families try to survive and get ahead.

In his parable of Institutional Justice vs. Divine Judgement, we follow Aksionov through his journey of accusation and imprisonment for a murder he does not commit. After 26 years in a Siberian prison camp, he finally meets the man who put him there, and the choice of a lifetime is made.

Our ‘fight of flight’ response is something hardwired into the primitive part of our brain. Our need to survive, to outlive whatever danger poses, that immediate threat to our lives is little short of a marvel. Everything else is abandoned in order to survive. Whilst in modern times that ability has been somewhat modified and ‘reasoned’ away to an extent, in past years it’s what usually kept you alive. In this volume people struggle valiantly to survive and to exist no matter the extent of the threat they face.

Mental illness though can still carry a stigma. A case of ‘you’re not trying hard enough’, ‘or knuckling down and getting on with it’. But in more recent decades mental issues have come to be recognised as an illness, a disease rather than an affliction. We all remember horror stories of lobotomy’s and electric shock being used to ‘cure’ what society viewed as anti-social behaviour but illness, mental or physical is very real. Depression, schizophrenia, breakdown, psychosis are alarming events to have or to witness.

War and Peace is a literary work mixed with chapters on history and philosophy by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy. Second Epilogue: History is the life of nations and of humanity. To seize and put into words, to describe directly the life of humanity or even of a single nation, appears impossible. The ancient historians all employed one and the same method to describe and seize the apparently elusive the life of a people. They described the activity of individuals who ruled the people, and regarded the activity of those men as representing the activity of the whole nation.