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A Confession Leo Tolstoy
82 pages, Paperback
Published December 8, 2023
About the author
Leo Tolstoy
8,859 books30.6k followersLev 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
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
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 24, 2026
Didn’t know what this was about before I started it.
Turned out to be a personal account of how he came to faith that I found deeply relatable. Wholeheartedly agree with his finding that the empirical sciences, the most brilliant of metaphysics, and the varied “semi-sciences” between, do not, and can never, answer the questions of why am I here and why does my life have meaning. It takes courage to push the nihilism of a life without God to its furthest conclusions, but that dark road ultimately leads to the light of the truth that God is life.
It’s the faith of working class Russians that really wins him over, he realizes they all have faith and overcome difficulties by it, while his wealthy friends (both religious and non religious) fail miserably.
There’s a short part about his relationship to the Orthodox Church at the end that is interesting. He finds the rituals of it no longer burdensome as he did as a child, but at the same time struggles with a number of their teachings. His discouragement that every denomination feels like they have the exclusive corner on truth and are 100% confident I find very relatable.
I am thankful that I don’t live in a place and time where religious identity, state power, and national identity are so tightly intertwined. The fact that modern societies can, for the most part, have deep religious disagreements without significant physical, legal, or political consequences is a big deal.
Turned out to be a personal account of how he came to faith that I found deeply relatable. Wholeheartedly agree with his finding that the empirical sciences, the most brilliant of metaphysics, and the varied “semi-sciences” between, do not, and can never, answer the questions of why am I here and why does my life have meaning. It takes courage to push the nihilism of a life without God to its furthest conclusions, but that dark road ultimately leads to the light of the truth that God is life.
It’s the faith of working class Russians that really wins him over, he realizes they all have faith and overcome difficulties by it, while his wealthy friends (both religious and non religious) fail miserably.
There’s a short part about his relationship to the Orthodox Church at the end that is interesting. He finds the rituals of it no longer burdensome as he did as a child, but at the same time struggles with a number of their teachings. His discouragement that every denomination feels like they have the exclusive corner on truth and are 100% confident I find very relatable.
I am thankful that I don’t live in a place and time where religious identity, state power, and national identity are so tightly intertwined. The fact that modern societies can, for the most part, have deep religious disagreements without significant physical, legal, or political consequences is a big deal.
December 9, 2025
I'm trying to tell you something 'bout my life
Maybe give me insight between black and white
And the best thing you ever done for me
Is to help me take my life less seriously
It's only life after all, yeah
Maybe give me insight between black and white
And the best thing you ever done for me
Is to help me take my life less seriously
It's only life after all, yeah
July 23, 2024
No stranger to the nihilistic slumps of doom and despair that existential crises can bring to fruition, Tolstoy penned “A Confession” to lay bare his complicated thoughts about the nature of God, his contempt for dogmatic faith-based ideology, and his moments of turmoil and suicidal ideation that accompanied life-long crises of belief. Bristling with illustrative analogies and frank depictions of apostasy and staunch religious doctrinairism (and concomitant sanctimony), this brief work traces the ebbs and flows of Tolstoy’s convoluted experience with religion and with his ultimate determination in the reality of God to startlingly emotional effect.
June 13, 2024
To know God and to live is one and the same thing. God is life. Live seeking God and then you will not live without God.
Leo Tolstoy
Leo Tolstoy
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March 9, 2026Life = God and God = Life is a true enough conclusion, but I thought Tolstoy’s confession was building toward more hope. He barely got there. I like the contention. I like the appreciation of working people and ordinary life. I don’t even mind that his struggle isn’t resolved, that feels honest. But I also like to think there is more for me, this side of heaven, than just “Life is sad and bleak and meaningless, but maybe hold onto God if you can”
July 8, 2025
RIP Tolstoy would’ve, they would’ve loved Rick and Morty 😔 no cap, someone needed to tell this diva to lay off the Schopenhauer bc what the helly
December 22, 2023
Tolstoy is surprisingly thorough in the short page count. His story, approach, and conclusion is very unique and refreshing. I think many agnostics and atheists who have quarrels with Christianity would get a lot out of this book, especially if they are philosophically and rationally minded. I think his perspective is very human, and I appreciate how honest he is. I think it shows that someone can carve their own way to a meaningful and stable spiritual place if the options before you aren’t satisfying. This book didnt give me solid answers like I thought it would; I had already gone through several of his stages on my own. But it definitely reassured me. I think this one is essential for anyone who is interested in how atheism and Christianity interact.
December 27, 2025
احتمالا این طولانی ترین ریویوی بنده باشه.
خوندن این کتاب از تولستوی مثل ایستادن جلوی یه آینه بیانتهاست که نه فقط انعکاس من، بلکه تمام شکوه و سقوط بشر رو نشان میده. تولستوی انگار با دست خودش لایههای زندگیم رو میشکافه و روی هم میچینه. هر فصل، هر جمله، مثل ضربهایه که هم من رو بیدار میکنه و هم به یک نقطهی تاریک از وجودم میبره که خودم مدت ها ازش گریزان بودم.
این کتاب برخلاف چیزی که فکر میکردم اعترافات یک مرد نبود. اعترافات یک انسان بود که به تمام تناقضاتش، به همه شکها و ترس هاش از مرگ، خدا، عشق و معنای زندگی اعتراف میکنه. من توی تک تک صفحاتش دیدم که چطور یک ذهن هوشیار، از ثروت، موفقیت، حتی زندگی عادی، باز هم به پوچی نگاه میکنه و به دنبال اون لحظهی کوچیک و روشنی هست که همه چیز رو معنا کنه. هر بار که جملهای از تولستوی میخوندم حس میکردم مستقیما توی ذهنم قدم میزنه و هر فکر تاریک و روشنم رو لمس میکنه. جایی بین ناامیدی و اشتیاق، بین خشم و صلح، بین تنهایی و نیاز به همدلی.
چیزی که من رو بیشتر از همه تکون داد، صداقت بیپرده اش بود. اینکه هیچ ماسکی نداره، هیچ تظاهر یا فریب. و من وقتی خوندمش، متوجه شدم که خودم سالهای گذشته یک زمانی بود که ماسک داشتم و خودم رو در قالب موفقیتها و رفتارهای روزمره پنهان میکردم. غافل از اینکه ترس و شک درونم همیشه بیدار بود. تولستوی مجبورم کرد که اون ترس رو نگاه کنم، نه برای اینکه شکستش بدم بلکه برای فهمیدنش.
به نظرم اعتراف فقط یک کتاب فلسفی یا اعترافنامه نیست. یک سفره. سفری که تو رو با خودت تنها میذاره اما هم زمان نشون میده که توی همان تنهایی، شاید بتونی لمس کنی چیزی رو که زندگی رو ارزشمند میکنه. مثل حضور خالص، آگاهی لحظهای، و شاید، به قول خودش فقط شاید، خدا. بعد از خوندنش، شاید دیگه نتونم مثل قبل زندگی کنم. نگاهم به زمان، به انسان ها، حتی به خودم تغییر کرده. و شاید همین، بزرگ ترین قدرت یک کتابه؟ اینکه تو رو نمیذاره همون باشی که بودی.
خوندن این کتاب از تولستوی مثل ایستادن جلوی یه آینه بیانتهاست که نه فقط انعکاس من، بلکه تمام شکوه و سقوط بشر رو نشان میده. تولستوی انگار با دست خودش لایههای زندگیم رو میشکافه و روی هم میچینه. هر فصل، هر جمله، مثل ضربهایه که هم من رو بیدار میکنه و هم به یک نقطهی تاریک از وجودم میبره که خودم مدت ها ازش گریزان بودم.
این کتاب برخلاف چیزی که فکر میکردم اعترافات یک مرد نبود. اعترافات یک انسان بود که به تمام تناقضاتش، به همه شکها و ترس هاش از مرگ، خدا، عشق و معنای زندگی اعتراف میکنه. من توی تک تک صفحاتش دیدم که چطور یک ذهن هوشیار، از ثروت، موفقیت، حتی زندگی عادی، باز هم به پوچی نگاه میکنه و به دنبال اون لحظهی کوچیک و روشنی هست که همه چیز رو معنا کنه. هر بار که جملهای از تولستوی میخوندم حس میکردم مستقیما توی ذهنم قدم میزنه و هر فکر تاریک و روشنم رو لمس میکنه. جایی بین ناامیدی و اشتیاق، بین خشم و صلح، بین تنهایی و نیاز به همدلی.
چیزی که من رو بیشتر از همه تکون داد، صداقت بیپرده اش بود. اینکه هیچ ماسکی نداره، هیچ تظاهر یا فریب. و من وقتی خوندمش، متوجه شدم که خودم سالهای گذشته یک زمانی بود که ماسک داشتم و خودم رو در قالب موفقیتها و رفتارهای روزمره پنهان میکردم. غافل از اینکه ترس و شک درونم همیشه بیدار بود. تولستوی مجبورم کرد که اون ترس رو نگاه کنم، نه برای اینکه شکستش بدم بلکه برای فهمیدنش.
به نظرم اعتراف فقط یک کتاب فلسفی یا اعترافنامه نیست. یک سفره. سفری که تو رو با خودت تنها میذاره اما هم زمان نشون میده که توی همان تنهایی، شاید بتونی لمس کنی چیزی رو که زندگی رو ارزشمند میکنه. مثل حضور خالص، آگاهی لحظهای، و شاید، به قول خودش فقط شاید، خدا. بعد از خوندنش، شاید دیگه نتونم مثل قبل زندگی کنم. نگاهم به زمان، به انسان ها، حتی به خودم تغییر کرده. و شاید همین، بزرگ ترین قدرت یک کتابه؟ اینکه تو رو نمیذاره همون باشی که بودی.
November 8, 2025
Tolstoy gave us a religious point of view on the start of his autobiography.
it did seem as it was a social doctrine to follow a religion. Some would say it has dependency with life, some would say these two discussions are too far away to be encountered.
Indeed, it has a critic upon theology. He delivered the questions upon which is right, or easier to say, what is right.
What is life, and how is life.
And yet, we have faith. A faith that brings us to continue and pursue the meaning of our existence. A will to be good person cause you have not been contaminated by the striking life events. Passion, cause you do believe that your surrounding will return to you in the same way. But there are culture and social term, that bring to a question if anything that you did or about to do, would be considered as a positive review.
Then, hiding yourselves would be the short-solution upon this confusion of an individual presence.
We have the desire to live, but again, without knowing what it is for. We just keep doing what we are told to do, that the society wanted us to be, without knowing exactly the point. Hence, it becomes meaningless.
I personally then did not come with such questions or answer but it is a good way to reflect to see other perspectives. The society was built upon religous path and yet the question about life is still hanging regardless how we put a halt on religion. Tolstoy also helped us to see other perspective of individual existence thru the eyes of the predecessors such as Shakyamuni, Schopenhaur, and Solomon.
Which then you will try to suit whose idea would be fitted with your situation.
it did seem as it was a social doctrine to follow a religion. Some would say it has dependency with life, some would say these two discussions are too far away to be encountered.
Indeed, it has a critic upon theology. He delivered the questions upon which is right, or easier to say, what is right.
What is life, and how is life.
And yet, we have faith. A faith that brings us to continue and pursue the meaning of our existence. A will to be good person cause you have not been contaminated by the striking life events. Passion, cause you do believe that your surrounding will return to you in the same way. But there are culture and social term, that bring to a question if anything that you did or about to do, would be considered as a positive review.
Then, hiding yourselves would be the short-solution upon this confusion of an individual presence.
We have the desire to live, but again, without knowing what it is for. We just keep doing what we are told to do, that the society wanted us to be, without knowing exactly the point. Hence, it becomes meaningless.
I personally then did not come with such questions or answer but it is a good way to reflect to see other perspectives. The society was built upon religous path and yet the question about life is still hanging regardless how we put a halt on religion. Tolstoy also helped us to see other perspective of individual existence thru the eyes of the predecessors such as Shakyamuni, Schopenhaur, and Solomon.
Which then you will try to suit whose idea would be fitted with your situation.
July 1, 2024
The book was an enjoyable and easy read. However, as someone that went from almost 10 years of Atheism to a devout Catholic, I find it hard to agree with Tolstoy's conclusions, primarily because my experiences have been the complete opposite. I have found God revealing Himself to me in the Eucharist after embracing the faith.
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September 27, 2026I read this to further my understanding of Leo Tolstoy's religious beliefs. He openly rejects the definition of faith presented in the book of Hebrews. The story he tells is of him submitting to a spiritual reality against his will, but I ultimately felt that he still failed to let go of his pride in his reason to accept the divine.
December 31, 2024
“See that you remember.”
What a perfect final book of the year. At the end, he sums up the entirety in a dream he had and I’m wrecked. He was no longer hanging on as if to fall. He was held with no possibility of falling. So beautiful, I could simply weep.
What a perfect final book of the year. At the end, he sums up the entirety in a dream he had and I’m wrecked. He was no longer hanging on as if to fall. He was held with no possibility of falling. So beautiful, I could simply weep.
February 6, 2025
This book took me on a ride of epic philosophical proportions. Tolstoy proved himself a true philosopher on the meaning of life in this book. I think I wore my highlighter out on this one. This book was short, but packed with deep thoughts.
December 17, 2023
Tolstoy’s narrative of how he went from being a complete heathen to a follower of Christ is the best part of the book, because his search for meaning is so universal and relatable, his conclusions so correct that life really is meaningless without God, and that grace and truth are to be found in Jesus Christ. But the final fifth of the book ruins it for me, as he begins to explain why he departed the Orthodox Church. It’s bland and whiny and no different from modern Christians talking about how we just need love, not doctrine. We just need love, not authority. More insipient wu-wu trash. But the first four fifths of the book were fascinating, which is why this gets 4 stars out of five from me.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews