How to Read Leo Tolstoy

Leo Tolstoy was a Russian author and one of the greatest novelists of all time. His works are distinguished by his exploration of human experience and emotion on a large scale, and his novels “War and Peace” and “Anna Karenina” are considered landmarks of realist fiction.

1. “War and Peace” (1869)

In a Nutshell: An epic tale that intertwines the lives of five aristocratic families during the Napoleonic Wars. It not only includes a historical account but also delves deep into the existential questions of life.

Review: An immense and intricate work, “War and Peace” is both a novel and a treatise. The philosophical discussions can be lengthy but are interspersed with captivating narrative and character development.

Reason to Read: Its deep insight into human nature and society, along with the breadth and depth of its storytelling, makes it one of the most important works of world literature.

Key Quotes:

• “We can know only that we know nothing. And that is the highest degree of human wisdom.”
• “Nothing is so necessary for a young man as the company of intelligent women.”

2. “Anna Karenina” (1877)

In a Nutshell: This novel revolves around the life of Anna, a beautiful and intelligent woman who leaves her husband for a dashing officer, Count Vronsky, facing societal backlash.

Review: “Anna Karenina” is a realist masterpiece that explores a wide range of human emotions. Tolstoy’s exploration of themes such as love, faith, and family make it a classic.

Reason to Read: The book offers a profound, timeless insight into human nature, the complexities of life and the inescapable consequences of our choices.

Key Quotes:

• “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”
• “He stepped down, trying not to look long at her, as if she were the sun, yet he saw her, like the sun, even without looking.”

3. “The Death of Ivan Ilyich” (1886)

In a Nutshell: This novella focuses on a high-court judge in 19th-century Russia and his sufferings and death. It is a reflection on the nature of life and the inevitability of death.

Review: Shorter than Tolstoy’s monumental works, but no less profound, “The Death of Ivan Ilyich” is a moving examination of life, death, and the human condition.

Reason to Read: This is a thought-provoking read that can shift one’s perspective on life and provoke introspection about the nature of suffering and the approach of death.

Key Quotes:

• “Maybe I did not live as I ought to have done, but that’s up to you to judge.”
• “It is only in the face of death that man’s self is born.”

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