Showing results by author "Leo Tolstoy" in All Categories

In the town of Surat, in India, was a coffeehouse where many travellers and foreigners from all parts of the world met and conversed. One day a learned Persian theologian visited this coffeehouse. He was a man who had spent his life studying the nature of the deity and reading and writing books upon the subject. He had thought, read, and written so much about God that eventually he lost his wits, became quite confused and ceased even to believe in the existence of a god. Read in English, unabridged.

Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy (1828 - 1910), usually known as Leo Tolstoy, was a Russian writer, widely regarded as one of the greatest authors of all time. He received many nominations for the Nobel Prize in literature and for Nobel Peace Prize. The fact that he never won is a major controversy.

The Cossacks is a short novel by Leo Tolstoy, published in 1863. It tells the story of the nobleman Dmitry Olenin who joins the army in the hope of escaping the boredom and superficiality of daily life. He longs to find fulfilment among the people of the Caucasus. While spending life as a Cossack, he learns lessons about the nature of reality, moral philosophy, the complexities of psychology, and his own inner life.

Unlike his two brothers, a merchant and a militarist, Ivan lacks insight into the ways of the materialistic world. He stays on the farm to look after his parents and sister. The story idealizes peasant life while pointing out the devious and destructive aspects of commerce and the military.

Christmas is the perfect time to curl up with a good story, and this cracking collection brings you 30 wonderfully diverse tales inspired by this most special of seasons. From Santa Claus, gift-giving and family gatherings, to an unexpected encounter in a snowstorm and an alternative take on the Nativity, they're sure to get you in the festive mood.

Part 4: When Anna and Vronsky continue seeing each other, Karenin consults with a lawyer about obtaining a divorce. During the time period, a divorce in Russia could only be requested by the innocent party in an affair and required either that the guilty party confessed or that the guilty party be discovered in the act of adultery. Karenin forces Anna to hand over some of Vronsky's love letters, which the lawyer deems insufficient as proof of the affair. Stiva and Dolly argue against Karenin's drive for a divorce.

When Dr. Watson returns to London from a weekend seminar, he finds hat Sherlock Holmes has been arrested. Inspector Lestrade refers Watson to a questionable psychiatric hospital where Holmes is jailed for mental incapacity.

Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) began writing when he was stationed in the Caucasus in the Russian army. After fighting in the Crimean war, he settled in St. Petersburg, where he wrote a number of stories which reveal an increasing disillusionment with society and the military. "The Empty Drum" is an antiwar story adapted from a Russian folk tale.

In 1851, at the age of 22, Tolstoy joined the Russian army. The four years he spent as a soldier were among the most significant in his life and inspired the tales collected here. In The Cossacks, Tolstoy tells the story of Olenin, a cultured Russian whose experiences among the Cossack warriors of Central Asia leave him searching for a more authentic life. In writing about individuals and societies in conflict, Tolstoy has penned some of the most brilliant stories about the nature of war.

Tolstoy’s final novella, The Forged Coupon is an examination of the destructive powers of evil. In Part II, the author shows that good works have a domino effect, just as evil does in Part I.

Con la invasión napoleónica en Rusia entre los años 1805 y 1813 como trasfondo, la novela sigue la historia épica de cinco familias rusas de alta alcurnia. Es una obra extraordinaria que incluye personajes históricos y de ficción, alternando en su magnífica trama historias familiares con las vicisitudes del ejército napoleónico.

Leo Tolstoy describes the mental and emotional journey of Ilyich as he is suddenly confronted with his own mortality and must question his entire way of life. Ilych had chosen to ignore his family and the health of his own soul as he attempted to reach new heights in his career and social standing. As his ideas and opinions come under intense scrutiny, he begins to understand the futility and consequences of his way of life. In describing the deconstruction of this worldview, Tosltoy reveals the serious dangers of selfish and short-sighted living.

Tolstoy’s short stories and novellas are considered to be some of the greatest penned in the 20th century. Many of these stories have strong Christian themes, revealing Tolstoy’s own sincere faith along with important lessons and ideals. These stories often focus on self-sacrifice, the sovereignty of God, and the fulfillment and happiness that comes with living for others.

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.

The Inevitable Revolution is an essay about abolishing the law of violence and replacing it with the law of love. It is a text on civil disobedience, pacifism, and anarchism, and it is Tolstoy's last non-fiction work detailing his final opinions on political, economic, and religious issues. In it, he criticizes prisons, parliaments, wars, conscription, capitalism, theft, revolutionary violence, and taxes, and praises Christianity's message of love as the solution to these problems; although he also recognizes the law of love in other religions.

Krieg und Frieden - Zweites Buch. 1806-1811. Pierre schließt sich der Loge der Freimaurer an. Andrej verliert seine junge Frau bei der Geburt des Sohnes. Er schöpft neuen Lebensmut, als er auf die bezaubernde Natascha Rostowa trifft, und verlobt sich mit ihr. Doch Natascha bändelt mit dem Blender Anatol Kuragin an. Andrej kann ihr nicht verzeihen.

Part 3: Kostya continues working on his estate, a setting closely tied to his spiritual thoughts and struggles. He wrestles with the idea of falseness, wondering how he should go about ridding himself of it, and criticizing what he feels is falseness in others. He develops ideas relating to agriculture, and the unique relationship between the agricultural laborer and his native land and culture. He comes to believe that the agricultural reforms of Europe will not work in Russia because of the unique culture and personality of the Russian peasant.

A classic short story by Leo Tolstoy, this is the tale of the journey of Vasili Andreevich and his servant Nikita, set in rural Russia in the 1870's. It provides insight into the human character and condition, greed, and social hierarchy. Gripping, touching, and reflective.

After a year of marriage, Eugene Irtenev's wife, Liza, employs two peasant women. One of them is Stepanida, with whom Eugene had a passionate relationship prior to meeting Liza. Eugene notices Stepanida dancing, and their glances rekindle his desire. Tormented by lust, he thinks of resuming relations with her, but realizes that the affair would cause too much of a scandal.

A children’s story about the origin of the Great Bear constellation. There was a drought on the earth: The rivers dried up and the trees withered, and and men and beasts died of thirst. One night, a little girl went out with a pitcher to find some water for her sick mother. On her journey, the water and the pitcher took on miraculous properties.