A successful man must face the terror of his own mortality in this masterful nineteenth-century Russian novella by the author of War and Peace. In his later years, Leo Tolstoy began to contemplate the inescapable realities of mortality—its terrifying mystery, its many indignities, and the way it forces one to look back on the legacy and regrets of one’s life. The Death of Ivan Ilyich, widely considered the masterpiece of Tolstoy’s late career, is both a deeply insightful meditation on the final months of a man’s life, and an unsparing critique of conventional middle-class life in nineteenth-century Russia. Ivan Ilyich, a prosperous high-court judge, spends his days pursuing social advancement among his peers and avoiding his loveless marriage. But when a seemingly innocuous injury signals the beginning of a terminal illness, Ilyich begins to see the true worth of his life with tragic clarity.

In the middle of the night of October 28, 1910, Leo Tolstoy, the most famous man in Russia, vanished. A secular saint revered for his literary genius, pacificism, and dedication to the earth and the poor, Tolstoy had left his home in secret to embark on a final journey. His disappearance immediately became a national sensation. Two days later he was located at a monastery, but was soon gone again. When he turned up next at Astapovo, a small, remote railway station, all of Russia was following the story. As he lay dying of pneumonia, he became the hero of a national narrative of immense significance. In The Death of Tolstoy, William Nickell describes a Russia engaged in a war of words over how this story should be told. The Orthodox Church, which had excommunicated Tolstoy in 1901, first argued that he had returned to the fold and then came out against his beliefs more vehemently than ever. Police spies sent by the state tracked his every move, fearing that his death would embolden his millions of supporters among the young, the peasantry, and the intelligentsia. Representatives of the press converged on the stationhouse at Astapovo where Tolstoy lay ill, turning his death into a feverish media event that strikingly anticipated today's no-limits coverage of celebrity lives—and deaths. Drawing on newspaper accounts, personal correspondence, police reports, secret circulars, telegrams, letters, and memoirs, Nickell shows the public spectacle of Tolstoy's last days to be a vivid reflection of a fragile, anxious empire on the eve of war and revolution.

A Confession Leo Tolstoy - This short work was originally titled An Introduction to a Criticism of Dogmatic Theology. It is a brief autobiographical story of the author's struggle with a mid-life existential crisis, and describes his search for the answer to the ultimate philosophical question: If God does not exist, since death is inevitable, what is the meaning of life?

One of Tolstoy's most exquisitely constructed novellas is presented here with The Devil,a further work exploring the powerful and destructive nature of obsession. On learning of Ivan Ilyich's sudden demise, his former colleagues begin vying for promotion; it seems in neither life nor death has Ivan Ilyich made any lasting impression. And, as the author takes us back to Ilyich's early days, we are shown a life of futility, emptiness, and spiritual barrenness. Yet, in the end, Tolstoy reveals Ivan Ilyich's final resolute gesture to come to terms with his mortality and to embrace his impending death. Leo Tolstoy wrote two of Russia's greatest novels, Anna Kareninaand War and Peace,as well as many short stories and essays.

Step into the profound depths of human existence with Leo Tolstoy's poignant novella, ""The Death of Ivan Ilych."" This masterful work delves into the stark realities of life, death, and the search for meaning in a world filled with superficiality. As the narrative unfolds, follow the life of Ivan Ilych Golovin, a high-ranking judge who seemingly has it all: a successful career, a comfortable home, and a respectable family. But when faced with a terminal illness, Ivan is forced to confront the emptiness of his existence. Tolstoy's incisive prose unveils the haunting truth behind a life lived for societal approval. But here’s the question that will linger in your mind: What is the true measure of a life well-lived? Can we find authenticity in our choices, or are we merely playing roles defined by others? Explore the emotional landscape of Ivan’s final days, where the illusion of happiness shatters, revealing the profound truths about love, regret, and the inevitability of death. Tolstoy’s exploration of mortality invites readers to reflect on their own lives and the choices that define them. Are you ready to confront the realities of existence, where every decision shapes the legacy you leave behind? Engage with this timeless meditation on life and death, where every moment holds the weight of significance. This is not merely a story of death; it is a call to live authentically and embrace the depths of our humanity. Don't miss your chance to experience this literary gem. Purchase ""The Death of Ivan Ilych"" now, and embark on a transformative journey into the essence of life.

Fresh translations of Tolstoy's four richest shorter works by the award-winning Boris Dralyuk Tolstoy's stories contain many of the most acutely observed moments in his monumental body of work. This new selection of his shorter works, sensitively translated by the award-winning Boris Dralyuk, showcases the peerless economy with which Tolstoy could render the passions and conflicts of a life. These are works that take us from a self-interested judge's agonising deathbed to the bristling social world of horses in a stable yard, from the joyful vanity of youth to the painful doubts of sickness and old age. With unwavering precision, Tolstoy's eye brings clarity and richness to the simplest materials.

Presents materials that reveal the essence of Tolstoy's beliefs on immortality, death, God, and the meaning of life. Contains two booklets ("About Immortality" No. 751 and "About Death" No. 752) compiled by Tolstoy comprising quotations from various philosophers explaining the meaning that death gives to life; essays explaining the actions that Tolstoy thought must be taken to grow spiritually; and finally, diary entries (translated here for the first time in English) pertaining to spiritual themes made during the last year of Tolstoy's life.