LITMIR.BIZ

In the words of the translator of this volume «The Kingdom of God is Within You» is «one of the most remarkable studies of the social and psychological condition of the modern world.» In «The Kingdom of God is Within You» Tolstoy expounds upon his earlier work «What I Believe.» Tolstoy believes that the true message of Christ is one of peace, love and harmony and he draws sharp contrast to the church doctrine of his time in which he finds the absence of any commandment against violence a perversion of Christ's teachings.

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"Sevastopol Sketches (Sebastopol Sketches)" is a collection of three works of historical fiction in which Tolstoy draws upon his real life experiences during the Siege of Sevastopol. The titular location draws its name from that of a city in Crimea and takes place during the Crimean war. The three tales in this collection are respectively titled «Sevastopol in December», «Sevastopol in May», and «Sevastopol in August». In the December tale Tolstoy introduces us to Sevastopol by giving the reader a tour and introducing us to the settings, mannerisms, and background that would relevant in the following tales. In the May tale Tolstoy examines the senselessness of war, musings that would lay the foundation for his much larger work and magnum opus «War and Peace.» In the third and final tale the fall of the town is detailed. Published in 1855 «Sevastopol» was written near the beginning of the author's literary career. It is a book in which we begin to see the writer exhibit a quality of prose that would one day establish him as the greatest of all writers in the Russian and any other language.

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"The Cossacks" is one of Tolstoy's greatest works. In this semi-autobiographical work we meet the central character of Olenin, a young man of twenty-four who has yet to make anything of himself in life. Olenin joins the Russian army and is assigned to a remote post. There he falls in love with a beautiful young Cossack woman who has already been promised to another man, a Cossack warrior. What will become of Olenin? Will he fight for the love that he has found? Read this gripping narrative set in pre-revolutionary Russia and find out for yourself.

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Written from 1852 to 1856, this autobiographical novel was Tolstoy's first publication. The early life of Nikolai, the son of wealthy landowner in Russia, is fully explored, slowly revealing this young boy's inner mind, relationships, and social standing. As he describes his tutor, angelic mother, aloof father, worldly brother, and later his moralistic friend, Nikolai displays a mind given to dreaming and a personality as complex as it is conflicted. As he grows and moves from his country home to his grandmother's mansion in Moscow, Nikolai also struggles at intervals to find a sort of moral balance, which affects his love, his education, and the type of man he might become. Tolstoy demonstrates, even in this first literary attempt, his ability to utilize a host of minor characters to fully develop the internal life of his main character. «Childhood, Boyhood, and Youth» shows in its three parts not only the deliberate building of a protagonist but also a universal story about coming of age. This novel has proven itself to be a seminal work for an extraordinary novelist.

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"Hadji Murad" was Tolstoy's last novel. It is a narrative based on actual events that occurred during the Russian war with the Chechens in 1850s Russia. Tolstoy enlisted in the Russian army and saw first hand the brutality of this war. «Hadji Murad» is the story of its central character. A soldier on the Chechen side who breaks ranks and flees to the side of the Russians. Months later Hadji returns to try and rescue his imprisoned family with tragic consequences. «Hadji Murad» is a classic tale in which Tolstoy brilliantly exhibits the brutality and senselessness of war.

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As a result of his controversial works criticizing the Russian government and the Russian Orthodox Church, Tolstoy was excommunicated in 1901, dismissing the event lightly as he continued his search for a practical religion. «A Confession and Other Religious Works» is the product of years of introspection, resulting in a drastic reorientation of Tolstoy's beliefs and values. He felt undeserving of the wealth and fame he had accumulated, while millions around him were illiterate and afflicted, and therefore sought an acceptable faith wherein he could find the answers to life's most profound questions. In this autobiographical work of exceptional emotional honesty, he records his various attempts to find those answers in areas of science, philosophy, eastern wisdom, and the opinions of his fellow novelists. As a result of this process, Tolstoy recognizes in ordinary people a deep religious conviction, in which he may find the true answers to questions without which life, to him, is impossible. This collection includes Tolstoy's «Confession» as well as the following three other religious essays: «What is religion? and What is its Essence?», «Religion and Morality», and «The Law of Violence and The Law of Love.»

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In this collection, «How Much Land Does a Man Need? And Other Stories,» Russian born Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) demonstrates his varied subject matter and style in his shorter fiction. In the title piece, «How Much Land Does a Man Need?,» Tolstoy explores this very question through the story of a peasant with an increasing appetite for land. In «What Men Live By,» the humble shoemaker Simon sets out to collect money to pay for new coats for the family. «A Spark Neglected Burns the House» is a parable examining the process of reconciliation. Also included are «Two Hussars,» «Where Love is,» «God Is,» «Two Old Men,» and «A Prisoner in the Caucasus,» some of Tolstoy's finest early work. Though Tolstoy is widely known for «War and Peace» and «Anna Karenina,» considered two of the greatest novels in world literature, his short stories remain valuable classics in their own regards.

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While Tolstoy may be best remembered as the talented Russian author of such monumentally great works as «War and Peace» and «Anna Karenina», he also wrote prolifically in essay format on various subjects. In this volume Tolstoy turns his attention to the study of aesthetics and art in all its forms. Based on fifteen years of research «What is Art?» is Tolstoy's intellectual exposition into answering the titular question. Rich with criticism for his contemporaries as well as even his own writings, Tolstoy makes the central argument that art should be used as a force for good and betterment of mankind and that art that is borne out of vanity, sexual desire, or some other amoral ambition should be condemned. For Tolstoy, art has a religious significance, which is instrumental to the reader in explaining the philosophy for art that he crafts in this work. As a compelling and interesting examination of the place of art in our society, «What is Art?» is a must read for all artists, written masterfully by one of the greatest writers to ever have lived.

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While Tolstoy may be best remembered as the talented Russian author of such monumentally great works as “War and Peace” and “Anna Karenina”, he also wrote prolifically in essay format on various subjects. In this volume Tolstoy turns his attention to the study of aesthetics and art in all its forms. Based on fifteen years of research, “What is Art?” is Tolstoy’s intellectual exposition into answering the titular question. Rich with criticism for his contemporaries as well as even his own writings, Tolstoy makes the central argument that art should be used as a force for good and betterment of mankind and that art that is borne out of vanity, sexual desire, or some other amoral ambition should be condemned. For Tolstoy, art has a religious significance, which is instrumental to the reader in explaining the philosophy for art that he crafts in this work. As a compelling and interesting examination of the place of art in our society, “What is Art?” is a must read for all artists, written masterfully by one of the greatest writers to ever have lived. This edition includes a biographical afterword.

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“The Kreutzer Sonata and Other Stories” collects six of Tolstoy’s finest short stories into one edition. In “How Much Land Does a Man Need?”, Tolstoy explores this very question through the story of a peasant with an increasing appetite for land—an appetite which becomes his ruin. “The Death of Ivan Ilyich”, one of Tolstoy’s short masterpieces, tells of the early death of a high-court judge in 19th century Russian. “Family Happiness” explores the female identity within changing romantic relationships. Narrated in first person by the protagonist Masha, the tale is a skilled and engrossing story of a woman’s difficult position in a shifting society. “The Kreutzer Sonata” is an intense tale of love, marriage, sex, and jealousy. Initially banned by the Russian censors, the novella has inspired many films, theater productions, and paintings. In “The Devil”, Evgeni Irtenev struggles with a new inheritance riddled with debts when sudden romance and lust threaten to turn his world upside down. Lastly, “Father Sergius” tells of a young aristocrat who, upon discovery of his fiancé’s infidelity, retreats into the life of a monastic Orthodox Christian, though this radically new life proves to be difficult. This representative collection of short stories exhibits why Leo Tolstoy is considered one of the world’s most renowned authors. This edition includes a biographical afterword.

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