The Raid

by Leo Tolstoy

The Raid is a novella written by the renowned Russian author Leo Tolstoy. The story is set in the Caucasus Mountains during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878. The main character, Vasili Andreevich, is a Russian officer who leads a group of soldiers on a raid against a group of Chechen rebels. The novella explores themes of war, violence, and the morality of killing. Tolstoy's writing style is characterized by his vivid descriptions of the natural landscape and the emotional turmoil experienced by the characters. As the raid progresses, Vasili becomes increasingly disillusioned with the violence of war and begins to question the morality of his actions. The story culminates in a dramatic confrontation between Vasili and the Chechen leader, Hadji Murat. Overall, The Raid is a powerful exploration of the human cost of war and the complexities of morality in times of conflict. Tolstoy's masterful storytelling and insightful commentary on the nature of violence make this novella a must-read for fans of Russian literature and anyone interested in the human experience of war.THIS 36 PAGE ARTICLE WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE Master and Man and Other Parables and Tales, by Leo Tolstoy. To purchase the entire book, please order ISBN 1417913304.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

Genres: Classics, Russian Literature, Fiction, Short Stories, Russia, War, 19th Century

48 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1853

About the author

Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy (Russian: Лев Николаевич Толстой; most appropriately used Liev Tolstoy; commonly Leo Tolstoy in Anglophone countries) was a Russian writer who primarily wrote novels and short stories. Later in life, he also wrote plays and essays. His two most famous works, the novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina, are acknowledged as two of the greatest novels of all time and a pinnacle of realist fiction. Many consider Tolstoy to have been one of the world's greatest novelists. Tolstoy is equally known for his complicated and paradoxical persona and for his extreme moralistic and ascetic views, which he adopted after a moral crisis and spiritual awakening in the 1870s, after which he also became noted as a moral thinker and social reformer.

His literal interpretation of the ethical teachings of Jesus, centering on the Sermon on the Mount, caused him in later life to become a fervent Christian anarchist and anarcho-pacifist. His ideas on nonviolent resistance, expressed in such works as The Kingdom of God Is Within You, were to have a profound impact on such pivotal twentieth-century figures as Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.

See also:
French → Léon Tolstoï
Spanish → León Tolstói

Reviews

[Carolyn Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Can it be that there is not enough space for man in this beautiful world, under those immeasurable, starry heavens? Is it possible that man’s heart can harbor, amid such a ravishing natural beauty, feelings of hatred, vengeance, or the desire to destroy his fellows? All the evil in man, one would think, should disappear on contact with nature, the most spontaneous expression of beauty and goodness.”

Oh Tolstoy, I adore you!

[ميّ.. قارئة كتب · Rating 2 out of 5]

الغارة
قصة قصيرة أُلحقت برواية الحاج مراد في طبعة دار التنوع الثقافي السورية
إنها مجرد مشهد قصير جداً عن أحداث معركة لم تدم سوى ليلة واحدة
لكنها تلخص مواقف البشر الذين يخوضونها في فصيل واحد وفقاً لدوافع مختلفة

الخلاصة دائماً
الحرب هي أقذر نتاجات البشرية

[Appu · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Caucasus region was the 'wild west' of Imperial Russia. It was where the young men of Russia went to prove their manhood. Tolstoy too, as a young man, volunteered for military duty in the Caucasus. Out of this experience came many memorable stories, among them, The Raid.
The narrator joins an army contingent stationed in the Caucasus and engaged in fighting the Muslim rebels of the region. The senior officers have an air of resignation about them. The periodic engagements with the enemy are for them a requirement of the job, nothing more nothing less. They know how to protect their skin.
As the company moves out for a raid on an enemy village, the narrator meets a young ensign who is excited to see action for the first time. He brims with patriotism and is keen to prove himself.
While the company under the command of the phlegmatic Captain exchanges fire with the enemy, sheltered behind a protective cover, the young ensign ventures out into the enemy camp with a small contingent. The raid is a success but the ensign is mortally wounded.
What are we to make of the action of the young officer? Was it foolhardiness or bravery? Tolstoy quotes an officer as saying: "He who does what he ought to do is brave". The officer is echoing Plato who stated that courage is knowledge of what should be and should not be feared.
Like all good stories, the author does not give us a definite answer. It is open-ended. It is for the reader to decide whether the young ensign showed courage or not.
Tolstoy also problematizes the Russian attitude of seeing the Chechens as enemies. After all, the Chechens were only defending their home with the resources at their command.
This early story lacks the directness and simplicity of Tolstoy's later stories. The richness of the narration can sometimes be overwhelming. Nevertheless, it is disturbing and thought-provoking.

[Annalise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Feels like notes on War and Peace!

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like everyone will probably take different meaning from this, especially if only read once, but my main takeaway was the injustice of morality within some of the characters. the Lietenant for example, will gladly gallop in to battle against men and take life, with the same determination that he would run in to a burning building to save the life of two pigeons, or risk his hardened reputation by stopping soldiers from killing a baby goat. I thought about this two ways, it could be a focus on the inherent guilt and willingness to sacrifice themselves of those involved in war, vs the unbreakable innocence of animals who never choose to die or risk their own lives, yet are thoughtlessly killed or allowed to die in the same way as the soldiers in this book. Then there's the point which I feel is more likely what Tolstoy was going for, that although man can be turned against other men for the purposes of war, through propaganda and brain washing, his base morality will still remain. Someone who is gentle and merciful, although capable of doing what they feel they must, will still remain gentle and merciful where they are able to remain in control, such as the lieutenant with his lover and the animals he saves. This can so easily be related back to the turmoil of modern men and women, being what they feel they must be to fit in, vs what they want to be and more naturally are. Don't be threatened by the hype around Tolstoy, this was an extremely easy to read story, and how you interpret it is so personal, but I'd say if you're not the type of reader who is going to analyse, it is just a dull short story about men at battle.

[Amreet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oooh my first Tolstoy, definitely not my last. I know this is just a novella, but god this is SO much easier than Dostoevsky. However, war novels aren’t my usual cup of tea so I was kinda meh towards this. Though I did very mucho enjoy how like literally every man in this book was described as beautiful. Aside from that wow, this is very skillfully written. I’m starting to realize how much i have out there to read.

Still, gonna work up on some more short stories before I touch his magnum opus (Anna Keranina or War and Peace?? I shall see).

[Alexandria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those stories you have to read several times...the first time to get the story, the second to appreciate the beauty and imagery of the writing, and again several more times to understand the complexity and meaning behind each and every character and event.

[Ayesha (Seokjin's Version) ☾ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[nirvana]

brave? the man that behaves as he ought to is brave.

[Justin Bryant · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the read was short, I was truly able to admire Tolstoy’s skill in description. This short novel seems to be ahead of its time, questioning the ideals of war and stripping down what reality is. How can we fight surrounded by such beauty? The narrators perceptive thoughts on the young soldiers and the old men tell a story of how life changes, how youthful excitement to prove oneself and claim glory gets drowned out by the harsh realities of war. As an introduction to Tolstoy, this short story was just what I needed to get excited about the rest of his work.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short exploration of bravery, cowardice, fear, morality, and anxiety (among other things) in the face of death.

[Alexander Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this short story. "The Raid" presents an intriguing glimpse into the Russian conquest of the Caucasus and Circassia in the mid-19th century, a historical event with which I was previously unfamiliar. The story examines the concept of gallantry and evaluates it in a way that does not glorify senseless violence. I especially liked how Tolstoy interweaves these little sanguine passages about the beauty of the Caucasian forests and sunsets with the brutality of war and the Russian expedition. This juxtaposition gave this brief narrative genuine nuance, which is often hard to achieve in the short story form. I'd recommend this story to anyone looking to familiarize themselves with this period and region, as well as to those seeking to read a story about war without overly graphic descriptions of violence and cruelty.

[Negin Asghari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although war novels are not usually my type of reading, I was curious to find out what happened in this story. If you are not someone who likes to analyse what you read, The Raid may seem like a simple war story in which very little happens. However, I think that would miss the point.

What stood out to me most was the way Tolstoy humanized his characters. We meet the trustworthy Velunchka, who is determined to return the money he owes, the humorous Chikin, and the simple Captain Khlopov, who openly admits that he is not particularly brave.

When we think of war, we often imagine either reckless monstrous soldiers, or heroic ones. Tolstoy presents something quite different. Rather than portraying them as heroes or villains, he shows them as ordinary people participating in a military campaign, which is what I found most memorable about the story.

[Andrei Topală · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

"Can it be that there is not enough space for man in this beautiful world, under those immeasurable, starry heavens? Is it possible that man's heart can harbour, amid such ravishing natural beauty, feelings of hatred, vengeance, or the desire to destroy his fellows? All the evil in man, one would think, should disappear on contact with Nature, the most spontaneous expression of beauty and goodness."

[V K · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Can it be that there is not enough space for man in this beautiful world, under those immeasurable, starry heavens? Is it possible that man’s heart can harbour, amid such ravishing natural beauty, feelings of hatred, vengeance, or the desire to destroy his fellows? All the evil in man, one would think, should disappear on contact with Nature, the most spontaneous expression of beauty and goodness.”

Leo Tolstoy

[Fatih · Rating 3 out of 5]

Üç hikayeden oluşan eserin ilk kısmında savaşın cesaret mi ahmaklık mı olduğu, ikinci kısımda can çıkmadan huy çıkar mı ve son kısımda ise menkıbe başlıkları yer alıyor. İlk hikayeyi çıkarırsak "İnsan ne ile yaşar?"tadında bir kitap. Yazın kalitesi oldukça yüksek ama öğüt biz gençlere ters bir olgu olduğu için beklediğim keyifi alamadım.

[James]

To short to feel the need to rate; however, I think might be a masterpiece (this is my first Tolstoy though so my thoughts on it might change once I have a broader sense of his work after reading the other stories in the colllection)

[Zoë · Rating 5 out of 5]

If this is what Tolstoy is like I need to read more. New favourite. Bam. Tolstoy just mended my life in 30 pages. This book was just what I needed, the commentary on bravery is something I will return to for sure!!!

[Pablo De Kerpel · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of Tolstoy’s foundational works, though perhaps more valuable as a window into the author’s artistic evolution than as a fully realized work in its own right. It reads as the first cornerstone of the meditations on death, war, and human vanity that Tolstoy would later perfect and more deeply dive in his later works.

The book itself feels uneven. More than a compelling narrative, it often resembles an attempt by Tolstoy to process and de-romanticize war by dismantling the figure of the heroic officer and exposing the ego, pretension, and emptiness embedded within that archetype.

Set during the Caucasus War of the mid-19th century, the novel never struck me as emotionally or philosophically powerful enough to distinguish itself among the many works exploring similar themes. Still, flashes of Tolstoy’s brilliance emerge throughout, even if what stands out most is the visible rawness of a great writer still honing his skill.

[Hasan ❦ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sonnets on nature told between enigmatic accounts of death and foolishness

[Shams Adnan · Rating 3 out of 5]

التقييم ممكن يكون بين 3 ونص من النجوم او 4
قصة قصيرة رائعة ، فعلا انها احدى روائع تولستوي
تدور احداث القصة عن عملية هجوم مجموعة من الجنود هل من الممكن معرفة من يقع عليه دور الموت؟! هل يمكن للجندي ان يتخيل ان تكون هذه اخر معركة له في مسيرته العسكرية! من الممكن ان يموت اعز اصدقائه ! هذا مايصوره لنا تولستوي في اثنى عشر فصلا بالاضافة الى مشاعر الجنود ومايحدث في نفوسهم اثناء القتاال وماهي مشاعرهم
ابدع تولستوي في تصوير جميع المعاني في ١٠٠ صفحه

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

A raid is characterised as a sudden or surprise attack. I cannot think of a more appropriate title for such a short story. We are thrust straight into Tolstoy’s visceral depiction of the Russian expansion into the Caucasus, interpreted through the eyes of our narrator, a man who is travelling with the battalion. Our narrator grapples with what it means to be courageous, a young man’s excitement and bravado in warfare and the more subdued duty bound experienced veteran and the Russian armies approach to proportionate armed response.

We are introduced to the Captain of the battalion, the man I consider to be the central figure and moral focal point of the short story and as an aside is most definitely a figure of admiration for Tolstoy. Early on he states “The man who behaves as he ought to is brave.” Indeed the Captain is a man who performs his role as he must. We often see his subordinates overcompensating with their “dhzigiting” in the face of imminent danger. Ensign Alanin and Lieutenant Rosenkrantz spring to mind. The former being a young officer, yet to see action brimming with the anticipation of seeing his first action, he is met with disapproval by the Captain who knows the reality of a skirmish. “When you’ve seen it a few times you’re not so pleased. The Lieutenant however, could be described as a quixotic figure. The Captain comments, “ These young men view the Caucasus only through the prism of these Mullah Nurs and Heroes of Our Time.” Fictional novels set in the Caucasus regions. Rosenkrantz is categorized as a man who enjoys the company of high society but seeks to show his rough side. A particularly striking example of this is how he often takes a group of his Tartar friends to lie in ambush on the roadsides and “kill a few hostile passing Tartars.” We find that “ his heart told him more than once that there was nothing very daring in this”. Our narrator says that a “man who risks his life from vanity, curiosity or greed cannot be called brave.” The Lieutenant epitomises this view and also the Captains. Despite the compelling views of our narrator and Captain we can forgive the mindset of these young officers, these military movements and actions would be exciting. I think the Captain’s philosophy should be approached as an inevitable, as he clearly accounts non-conformity to his viewpoint simply as youth.

It’s at this moment that I think back to the foreword of the raid:

Men must endure
Their going hence, even as their coming hither:
Ripeness is all.

In other words, life and death is inevitable, but how we approach this and conduct ourselves is all. Indeed the Captain is not only more ‘ripe’ in his attitude to warfare. For example we see his disdain for the disproportionate armed response to the Circassians, when the enemy is first encountered a few shots are met by the combined actions of infantry, cavalry and a battery. We can also infer that unfair treatment of civilians is common, Ensign Alanin is panicked by some cossacks slaughtering a goat, which he thinks sounds like a child, this reveals that brutality to conquered populations is common.

The Captain's composure in the heat of battle is also striking, whilst other officers act more calm or positive than usual, his behaviour is constant. In other words he behaves as he ought to. He is also more ‘ripe’ in his appearance. He is the only officer who is not in a new uniform. All the other officers' uniforms are described as brand new which showcases their untarnished view of conflict, and social vanity. Whereas the Captain, a man who is clearly not one for high society, a man who smokes cheap tobacco, doesn’t hunt, and is first and foremost frugal so he can provide for his family, even working a less desirable posting for extra pay. I think what Tolstoy is getting at here is that despite social standing and appearance, true military honour cannot be bought or be bred into.

The question I am left with is what drives us to be excited about warfare? When we can see rationally that we become like the Captain, who’s views on conflict could be described as a necessary evil. It’s a behaviour apparently so deep rooted in the human psyche that we can only be left to wonder. Tolstoy explores this in my favourite passage of the story.

Can it be that there is not enough space for man in this beautiful world, under those immeasurable, starry heavens? Is it possible that man’s heart can harbour, amid such ravishing natural beauty, feelings of hatred, vengeance, or the desire to destroy his fellows? All the evil in man, one would think, should disappear on contact with nature, the most spontaneous expression of beauty and goodness.

[⋆. 𐙚˚࿔ eva 𝜗𝜚˚⋆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Raid is a story about a volunteer accompanying soldiers during war. Early on, the captain attempts to warn him, asking him why he wants to be there. Why does he want to see war? Why does he seem so fascinated by it? Through this conversation, Tolstoy begins exploring bravery, vanity, and the stories people tell themselves about violence.

One idea that stood out to me was the distinction between courage and recklessness. The volunteer argues that a choice springing from duty is a form of courage, while actions driven by vanity, greed, or curiosity are not. A man who risks his life simply because he wants glory cannot be called brave. Likewise, a man who avoids conflict because he values his family or because he is genuinely good cannot automatically be called a coward.

That idea feels strangely relevant even now. We often celebrate risk without questioning the motives behind it.

There is a passage where the narrator reflects on hatred, vengeance, and contempt, describing them as among the most poetic emotions. I found myself agreeing with him. Not because they are good emotions, but because they are deeply human ones. They connect us to one another in unsettling ways. They are powerful, dramatic, and often destructive, yet they appear throughout history again and again.

What fascinated me most, however, was not the war itself but the way the narrator viewed the world around him. Throughout the story, Tolstoy uses almost spiritual language when describing nature. As the volunteer travels through towns and landscapes, he repeatedly notices beauty even while surrounded by violence.

While the soldiers laugh, tell stories, and distract themselves from what is coming, the volunteer seems unable to look away. He notices everything. Every sound, every object, every detail of the landscape. In the midst of chaos, nature remains peaceful.

This became the central question of the story for me.

If nature can be so beautiful, why is man so violent?

If beauty exists, why does evil exist alongside it?

The volunteer seems to ask these questions repeatedly. At one point, nature appears almost cleansing, as though it should be capable of washing away cruelty itself. Yet it cannot. A gorge remains a gorge. Horses continue swimming across the water. Trees continue growing. Nature exists independently of human violence.

While battle unfolds, the volunteer appears to be one of the only people truly witnessing what is happening. Everyone else seems accustomed to it. The captain laughs things off. The soldiers carry on. Yet the volunteer notices the horror of it all.

One line that stayed with me described the battle as a man swinging an axe only to cut thin air. It captures the absurdity of war better than any strategic description ever could.

Even during the raid itself, moments of compassion appear. A child is encountered, and the captain insists that the child not be harmed. Another man surrenders to his death. These moments are heartbreaking precisely because they remind us of the humanity that still exists beneath the violence.

What I ultimately took away from The Raid was not a story about military conflict but a story about perception.

Some people in the story become so consumed by war that they can no longer see anything beyond it. Their vision is clouded. They stop noticing the beauty around them. They stop questioning what they are doing.

The volunteer never reaches that point.

He continues looking.

He continues noticing.

And because of that, he never allows violence to become normal.

Perhaps that is why the story affected me so much. It feels less like a war story and more like a meditation on what happens when people lose sight of the beauty that still exists in front of them.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you have read War and Peace, you know Tolstoy is adept at painting scenes of battle and depictions of the men who fight them. His understanding of both the thrill of going into battle and the incomprehensible nature of man to kill others offers the reader a unique opportunity to see and feel what a battle in the 1870s would have been.

Our narrator is a by-stander, not a soldier. He accompanies the military to see the battle, after having spent the evening in company with his friend, Captain Hlopov. The captain is a seasoned soldier, understands warfare, and is not excited about the upcoming fight; but the young officers around him are anxious to engage. I could not help making the comparison in my mind to the exuberance of the Confederate soldiers during the American Civil War, chasing the "glory" of war in the beginning and then finding out about the realities of war in the end.

Two officers sat by the wagon, playing cards on a canteen box. I listened with curiosity to the conversation of the soldiers and officers, and attentively watched the expression of their faces, but could find absolutely no trace of the anxiety I myself experienced: jokes, laughter, and anecdotes, expressed the general carelessness and indifference to the impending danger: as if it were quite out of the question that some of us would never return along that road.

As they set out on the battlefield, our narrator observes:

Nature seemed to breathe with pacifying beauty and power. Can it be that there is not room for all men on this beautiful earth, under those immeasurable starry heavens? Can it be possible that in the midst of this entrancing Nature, feelings of hatred, vengeance, or the passion for exterminating their fellows, can endure in the souls of men? All that is unkind in the hearts of men, ought, one would think, to vanish at the touch of Nature: that most direct expression of beauty and goodness.

These are the questions we cannot help asking as well--about any war, at any time. The overall impression we are left with is that of senseless loss and utter uselessness. The raid makes no real difference, except in the lives of those who are lost forever, and yet the men return from this bloody melee to the sound of singing and tambourines, immersed in the joy of winning, having learned nothing.

[Sebsus · Rating 2 out of 5]

As the name of this short story suggests, it is a tale about a singular raid. It takes advantage of the reader POV, with minor Anti-War thoughts. Tolstoy's ability in drawing the countrysides shines a lot here because of his poetic descriptions. It felt like an experiment and added nothing to my opinion Tolstoy's writing.

Can it be possible that in the midst of this entrancing Nature, feelings of hatred, vengeance, or the passion for exterminating their fellows, can endure in the souls of men?

It was late in the day when the detachment, with songs, and formed into a broad column, approached the Fort. The sun had hidden behind the snowy mountain range and threw its last rosy beams on a long thin cloud that stretched motionless across the clear horizon. The snow peaks began to disappear in purple mists, and only their top outline was visible, wonderfully distinct on the crimson sunset glow. The delicate moon, risen long since, began to grow pale against the deep azure. The green of the grass and trees was turning black, and was becoming covered with dew.

The troops in dark masses moved with measured sounds along the luxuriant meadows. Tambourines, drums, and merry songs were heard here and there. The voice of the second tenor of the Sixth Company rang with full force, and the sounds of his clear chest-notes, full of feeling and power, floated away through the clear evening air.

[Richard Bracken · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Raid is a short story about a Russian military engagement in the Caucasus, and based on Tolstoy’s own military experiences. I loved his depiction of the Captain. A man of substance and competency who didn’t necessarily look the part.

”How many different variations have I noticed in others; one wishing to appear quieter, another sterner, a third merrier than usual; but the captains face showed that he did not even see why he should appear anything but what he was.”

A recent conflict between the U.S. and Iran seems to have just concluded. Russia and Ukraine are still exchanging blows. On a recent evening I stepped onto the porch of a mountain cabin. It was cool. I could see bright stars and hear night sounds from the woods. I considered that everyone on earth fell under the same night sky; that every interpersonal problem seemed unnecessarily manufactured. It was a moment of contemplation that almost seemed to mirror one of Tolstoy’s.

”Nature seemed to breathe with pacifying beauty and power. Can it be that there is not room for all men on this beautiful earth? Can it be possible that in the midst of this entrancing nature, feelings of hatred, vengeance, or the passion for exterminating their fellows can endure in the souls of men?”

[Titus · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short story set during the Second Polish War where an unnamed narrator follows the Russian army into the fray. The book is centred around the theme of "bravery", how it takes many form, and how it can some times be subtle and different from what you would conventionally expect, chiefly in the context of reckless enthusiasm often found in youths, contrasted with saged experience.

However, if one were to take a higher level view of this book, bravery and courage can be found in smaller aspects in this book: not just a contrast between the young ensign/lieutenant and the captain, but also in the old man caught in the raid, in the narrator who joined the raid despite being a civilian and in the soldiers on both sides of the war.

War and Bravery very much remains relevant today and the book distills some universal realism in this regard.

Nonetheless, I would still give 3.5 stars just because the book did not wow me. Short stories usually have the difficulty of being impressive. It was still a pleasant read, just not amazing

[Grace Camille · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remembered Plato’s definition of bravery as the knowledge of what should and should not be feared. Now, despite the generality and vagueness of the Captain’s definition, I felt he wasn’t so far from Plato and that, if anything, his definition was more accurate than that of the Greek philosopher. Had he been as articulate as Plato, he might have said that brave is the man who fears not what should not be feared and fears what should.

I thought of a remark I heard a Tartar make: only a poor man can be brave. ‘When you become rich,’ he said, ‘You become a coward.’

Was it possible that there was no place for men in this beautiful world under this immense starry sky- that hatred, vengeance and the passion for destruction could lurk in the hearts of men amid such natural beauty? Surely all these evil instincts should vanish in contact with nature- the most direct expression of beauty and goodness.

[Bianca Bernhard · Rating 2 out of 5]

As far as short stories on war go, this one was pretty nondescript. I feel like one would read this simply because of the notoriety of the author, as opposed to the quality of the content. It was a pleasant short read regarding Russian and Tartar conflicts, in which a main character narrates his experiences with the Russian battalion. I must say, the narrator seemed quite similar in situation as well as mental condition to Mr. Watson (Sherlock Holmes's sidekick), who was enraptured by the beauty of nature, confounded as to how man could go about such horrible deeds when the world is so lovely. Nothing particularly novel in this ideology, just a succinct description of how life goes on after death, how the wheels of society keep turning even when the misery of loss dampens it. I wouldn't particularly recommend this to anyone, unless they are wishing to get a more comprehensive understanding of Tolstoy's works. I rate this three bananas out of 13 creeks.

[julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short story by Tolstoy where we follow the narrator as he observes a battle in the Caucasus. Tolstoy writes beautifully about the human condition, nature, and his own philosophy regarding war and bravery. A lot of the messages from this short story are still prevalent today. This one quote stood out to me: “Can it be that there is not enough space for man in this beautiful world, under those immeasurable, starry heavens? Is it possible that man’s heart can harbor, amid such a ravishing natural beauty, feelings of hatred, vengeance, or the desire to destroy his fellows? All the evil in man, one would think, should disappear on contact with nature, the most spontaneous expression of beauty and goodness.”