Selected Short Stories

by Leo Tolstoy

It is universally acknowledged that Leo Tolstoy, author of War and Peace and Anna Karenina, was as much a master of the short story as of the full-length novel. This original collection, which features some of his most hard-to-find tales, will enchant longtime enthusiasts of Tolstoy's work as well as new readers.
"The Forged Coupon" traces how an act of deception leads to both murder and redemption. "After the Dance" depicts an army deserter's punishment and explores the subjective nature of opinions on good and evil. "Alyosha the Pot" profiles a simple man content to live according to others' expectations. "A Prisoner in the Caucasus" undermines the romantic conceptions associated with the region in particular and with war in general. "The Bear Hunt" forms a cautionary tale of acting in anger; "Two Old Men" suggests that the best way to honor God is to love and care for other people; additional stories include "The Raid," "The Snow-Storm," and "The Godson."

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Classics, Russian Literature

208 pages, Paperback

Published December 13, 2017

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.

Reviews

[PattyMacDotComma · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5★
“Only from time to time the rumble of a heavy gun, the jingling of bayonets, subdued talk, or the snort of a horse, was heard in the ranks. All Nature seemed filled with peace-giving power and beauty. Is there not room enough for men to live in peace in this fair world under this infinite starry sky? How is it that wrath, vengeance, or the lust to kill their fellow men, can persist in the soul of man in the midst of this entrancing Nature? Everything evil in the heart of man ought, one would think, to vanish in contact with Nature, in which beauty and goodness find their most direct expression.”

I certainly can’t disagree with the sentiment, and I doubt you would either. There are stories of war, poverty, and the nature of men (not women). They are varied in style and tone and were written and published over many years. Some translations are smooth and easy reading and some are extremely stilted and awkward.

Like this one, for example, (although I admit I don’t know the original Russian, but I bet it read better than this does).

“And that would be first-rate!” he said in such a persuasive tone that I really did feel for the first minute that it would be first-rate. I answered firmly, however, that I would not stay behind for any consideration.
. . .
After regaling me with a capital pie and salted game, Marya Ivanovna went into her bedroom and fetched from there a rather large black amulet. . .”

It sounds as if were translated using a dictionary by someone who didn’t speak much English.

But most aren’t that odd, just good stories. “The Snow Storm” is absolutely blindingly, unbearably cold. A man is inside a horse-drawn coach, freezing cold, while the driver is up top having no idea which way they’re going. Suddenly, another coach is heard (they all have bells), so they continue to plough on, hoping there is some kind of road somewhere.

I was reminded (silly) of feeling frozen walking home from school (in the days when girls wore skirts only), and I was miserably cold. But it must have been above 20 degrees F (-7 C) or my mother would have given me a ride, such was the family policy. I was finally only a block or so from home, lugging all my books and thinking I had heard it was peaceful to fall asleep and freeze to death, so I would just lie down in a nearby snowdrift and THEY WOULD BE SORRY when they found me in the Spring. HA!

Reading the passenger’s description of his plight (which was certainly far worse weather), is what reminded me. He decided to doze off to pass the time and hope he wouldn’t feel so cold if he were asleep. It worked for a while.

“I opened my eyes. Still the same insufferable wavering snow floating before one’s eyes, the same drivers and horses, but beside me I saw a sledge. . .

It certainly was terrible to see the blizzard getting more and more violent, the horses growing weaker, and the road getting worse . . .

I felt awfully sleepy. ‘Can I really be beginning to freeze?’ I wondered sleepily. ‘Being frozen always begins by sleepiness, they say.’”

Of course, the driver and the other drivers and coachmen traipsing around, looking for the road were in far worse circumstances.

War stories compare the enthusiasm of the young and the world-weariness of the seasoned soldiers.

“ . . . in the same instant a very pretty and boyish youth, in the uniform of an officer, and a high white astrakhan cap, galloped up. As he passed us, he smiled, nodded, and waved his whip. . . .“

You’ll find history, a fairy tale, a fable, and more. Quite a mix.

“The Bear Hunt” is a truly scary one, and by truly, I mean it happened to Tolstoy himself!

All in all, if you’re an admirer of Tolstoy and Russian literature, you might like to add this to your collection. For me, I’m glad I read it, but I probably won’t read more.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dover Publications for the preview copy from which I’ve quoted.

[Phiến Phiến · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mỗi lần đọc sách, lâu lâu tôi lại mường tượng là mình được trò chuyện với tác giả. Tôi hình dung mình như gặp Tolstoy như gặp một ông già tại một quán nước bên đường trong căn nhà nhỏ xập xệ. Ông hí hoáy viết, nghe đâu ông cũng có danh lắm, người ta biết tới ông qua những điều hùng vĩ mà tôi không có điều kiện tiếp cận. Tôi gặp ông như thế. Tôi đánh bạo ngồi lại với ông, ông kể cho tôi nghe vài mẩu chuyện, khác với một ông bạn cùng thời ông là Dos, nhân vật ông không nói gì nhiều nhưng ông thì nói lắm, mà ông nói cuốn lắm. Đi vào những câu chuyện ông kể, tôi tưởng như ông nghiên cứu về xã hội với lịch sử hơn là viết văn, hiện thực trong lời ông kể như cứ bóc ra đại từng mảng rồi được ông kể lại. Những câu chuyện không mấy vui, nhiều cái chết, như một lẽ thường tình của xã hội. Tôi cứ nghe, rồi nghĩ ngợi gì đó…

[Alex Lane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tolstoy's stories reflect a complex man's search for God amongst the eastern European Christian world. his work shows keen insight into man's sinful nature, the desire for Godliness, and the difference between professing Christ and loving him. The hard nature of life for peasants is something that clearly affected Tolstoy and his writing shows that. He is very aware of the vanity in worldly riches, what forgiveness can do for a human heart, and why we must all stay humble before God.

While I loved all the stories in one way or another, "Father Sergius" holds a special place in my heart. "The Death of Ivan Ilyich" is one of the most hauntingly beautiful portrayals of redemption in a fallen world that I've seen.

[Joseph Spuckler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy better known in the United States as Leo Tolstoy was a master storyteller. Perhaps best know for long novels like War and Peace and Anna Karenina.  His longer works turned many a student off by the sheer size of the book.  Once started, however, the books seem to flow and grow on the reader.  The bulk of the book itself is lightened by the storytelling.  Tolstoy is also known for his shorter works.  My introduction to Tolstoy's short stories was "The Cossacks".  Years later a friend in Minnesota got me to  "Master and Man" as a reminder of the real cold I was missing in Texas.  Recently another friend got me to read Anna Karenina and still the ice skating scene burned into my memory --- Book 1 Chapter 9.

This collection by Dover Thrift Editions brings stories that reflect the nature of Russia herself.   War, winter, and of course bears take center stage in this collection of nine stories.  These are lesser known writings, in fact, "The Forged Coupon" is the only one I read before.  Although holding the rank of count, Tolstoy captures the not only the nobility but also the peasant class in his writing.  A serf in his stories is as important as a nobleman. This gives the reader a feeling of what it was like to be part of Imperial Russia's 99%.  Tolstoy had an empathy that reaches deep into common Russian Culture.  

In this collection "Alyosha the Pot" shows the life of a majority of Russians.  This is my favorite story in the collection.  It is very different the others because it deals with domestic issues of a common man.  Alyosha's life is controlled for him. His every move seems to serve the interest of others.  His one wish for himself is lost in the service of others.  He becomes happy with his life much likes Camus' Sisyphus embracing the absurd.  Where many would see defeat, Alyosha seems to feel a victory.  

An excellent collection of Russian Short stories.  They capture the spirit if not the reality of life in Czarist Russia.  Tolstoy's writing (and the translation) presents clear and flowing stories with easy to identify characters and storylines.  His writing remains timeless and fable-like easily holding the reader's attention.  A great collection of stories to read over a cup of coffee and being Dover Thrift Edition it won't set the reader back more than a cup of coffee at the neighborhood coffee shop. 

[Lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Years ago, I tried to read “Anna Karenina”. After plodding through it night after night, and having to re-read the parts I slept through, I finally put it back on the bookshelf, bookmark still in place. When I won a copy of Tolstoy’s short stories from Goodreads I thought this would be an excellent way to re-introduce myself to one of the great classic authors. I really enjoyed the first few stories and even began to consider dusting off “Anna Karenina”. But then we started to get into a repeating pattern: one man’s actions affect the next man, whose behavior toward the next man after that triggers more of the same, et cetera, ad nauseum, until it all finally loops back to the original man who discovers that God is great. Time for a nap.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a mixed bag for me. The first story, "The Raid," was so meandering and boring that I almost gave up on the book 16 pages in. I pushed on, however, and was rewarded with some other stories that I really enjoyed, like "The Snow-storm," "A Prisoner in the Caucasus," and even "Two Old Men." I could have done without the endless, heavy-handed proselytizing (especially in "The Forged Coupon"), but I did find the descriptions of 1800s Russian life really interesting.

*Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, provided by the author and/or the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Janelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. Prior to this book, I had never read anything by Tolstoy. I am glad I read this book though because Tolstoy was a good writer. His descriptions of 1800s Russia is astounding. He is a very descriptive and detailed writer. I could imagine each story unfold as if I were there to watch it all with my own eyes. Tolstoy had some good story ideas, too. My favorite stories in this collection were "A Prisoner in the Caucasus" (c. 1872), "Two Old Men" (1885), and "Alyosha the Pot" (1911). I enjoyed this book enough and am interested in reading more Tolstoy now.

[Bùi Công · Rating 3 out of 5]

- Dài, có nhiều truyện ngắn, đa phần đều kể về chiến tranh trong thế chiến thứ nhất
- Một số chuyện đọc có cảm giác na ná giống nhau
- Hơi nản để đọc hết cuốn này

[Shivani Pimplapure · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful book. The stories give me vintage vibes and that's so cool. Some people say that it's difficult to understand, but I didn't find ut really hard. Yeah some words and the grammer were a bit different, but it is easy to understand. Great book. Do read

[Ankit Bhandari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Collection of classic stories imparting the conventional yet useful wisdom ! A light read collection of stories with wise takeaway messages !

[RedRobinXXX · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am reviewing this book for Leo Tolstoy - Dover Publications, and NetGalley who gave me a copy of their book for an honest review.
Some stories I got into and others I couldn’t. I did like the descriptions of life in those times as not any Tolstoy previously.