Leo Tolstoy

"At a glittering society party in St. Petersburg in 1805, conversations are dominated by the prospect of war. Terror swiftly engulfs the country as Napoleon?s army marches on Russia, and the lives of three young people are changed forever. The stories of quixotic Pierre, cynical Andrey, and impetuous Natasha interweave with a huge cast, from aristocrats and peasants, to soldiers and Napoleon himself. In War and Peace, Tolstoy entwines grand themes--conflict...

First published in 1894 in Germany after being banned in Leo Tolstoy's native Russia, "The Kingdom of God is Within You" is, in the words of the introduction, "one of the most remarkable studies of the social and psychological condition of the modern world". Thirty years in the making, Tolstoy expounds upon his earlier work "What I Believe" and argues that nonviolence is the very foundation of Christianity. Tolstoy believed that the teaching of Christ...

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...

Childhood (1852) is a novel by Leo Tolstoy. Published at the beginning of his career as a leading Russian author of his generation, Childhood is the first in a trilogy of semi-autobiographical novels tracing Nikolenka's journey from innocence to experience. As a record of the past, a nostalgic reminder of a lost world, Childhood is one of Tolstoy's most personal works, and yet his prose shows signs of the universal religious and philosophical themes...

In this short story, a land owner named Vasili Andreevich Brekhunov takes along one of his peasants, Nikita, for a short journey to the house of the owner of a forest. He is impatient and wishes to get to the town more quickly 'for business' (purchasing the forest before other contenders can get there). They find themselves in the middle of a blizzard, but the master in his avarice wishes to press on. They eventually get lost off the road and they...

Boyhood (1854) is a novel by Leo Tolstoy. Published at the beginning of his career as a leading Russian author of his generation, Boyhood is the second in a trilogy of semi-autobiographical novels tracing Nikolenka's journey from innocence to experience. As a record of the past, a nostalgic reminder of a lost world, Boyhood is one of Tolstoy's most personal works, and yet his prose shows signs of the universal religious and philosophical themes that...

This work marks the author's movement from the pursuit of aesthetic ideals toward matters of religious and philosophical consequence. The poignant text describes Tolstoy's heartfelt reexamination of Christian orthodoxy and subsequent spiritual awakening. Generations of readers have been inspired by this timeless account of one man's struggle for faith and meaning in life.

Dans le monde somptueux et turbulent de la Russie du XIXe siècle, la passion et la société se heurtent dans le chef-d'œuvre fascinant de Léon Tolstoï, "Anna Karénine". Cette saga envoûtante vous plonge dans l'opulence de la Russie impériale, remplie de liaisons clandestines, de soirées extravagantes et de la lutte intemporelle entre le désir et les normes sociétales. Suivez Anna Karénine qui ose défier les conventions au nom de l'amour....

"A Letter to a Hindu" was a letter written by Leo Tolstoy to Tarak Nath Das on 14 December 1908 in response to two letters sent by Das, seeking support from the famous Russian author and thinker, for India's independence from British colonial rule. The letter was published in the Indian newspaper Free Hindustan and caused the young Mohandas Gandhi to write to the world-famous Tolstoy to ask for advice and for permission to reprint the Letter in Gandhi's...

"Albert" is a short story by Nobel Prize winning Russian author Leo Tolstoy. The lead character, Albert, is a homeless, yet brilliant, violinist. The kind stranger Delesov wanted to save the young violinist, but after taking him home, discovers that Albert's drinking and temper threaten to destroy his entire family. Albert has been described as reflection on moral questions of art, and society's ability to recognize true art.