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Tolstoy Selected Stories
One of the most accomplished authors in history, Tolstoy has inspired and influenced generations of readers. While celebrated for his masterpieces Anna Karenina and War and Peace, his short stories are just as compelling. This collection includes 'The Story of Ivan the Fool', 'Ilys', and many more of Tolstoy's finest tales, and it demonstrates the raw power and emotion of his narrative genius.
301 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2018
84 people are currently reading
419 people want to read
About the author
Leo Tolstoy
7,061 books28.7k 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
March 5, 2022
Leo Tolstoy was born into an aristocratic family in 1828. His real name was Count Lyov Nikolayevich Tolstoy. Both his parents and two guardians died before he was 12. Leo and his siblings ended up living in Kazan with an aunt.
Reckless behaviour at the university in Kazan meant Leo never finished his studies. He joined the Russian army and took part in the Crimean War between 1853 and 1856. Shortly after, he lost all his money gambling in Paris and returned to Russia, started a school, got married, and began writing.
The stories vary from a daring thriller in the Caucasus when a Russian soldier is kidnapped by Tartars, to the benefits of not having any wealth, via a parable on how to go on pilgrimmage and the perils of trying to grab too much land at once.
All the stories have a meaning and are very well written without any smugness or pretense. The translation is excellent with clear, simple words and descriptions.
Recommended.
Reckless behaviour at the university in Kazan meant Leo never finished his studies. He joined the Russian army and took part in the Crimean War between 1853 and 1856. Shortly after, he lost all his money gambling in Paris and returned to Russia, started a school, got married, and began writing.
The stories vary from a daring thriller in the Caucasus when a Russian soldier is kidnapped by Tartars, to the benefits of not having any wealth, via a parable on how to go on pilgrimmage and the perils of trying to grab too much land at once.
All the stories have a meaning and are very well written without any smugness or pretense. The translation is excellent with clear, simple words and descriptions.
Recommended.
October 9, 2020
Meh. A lot of forgettable stories. The ones I enjoyed the most were:
The story of Ivan the Fool ★★★★
The Death of Ivan Ilych ★★★★ and a 1/2 stars
Esarhaddon, King of Assyria ★★★
I think The Death of Ivan Ilych is definitely worth a read. The descriptons of his agony and mental torment were so well written that I found myself deeply uncomfortable and sad while reading. It really makes one think.
The story of Ivan the Fool ★★★★
The Death of Ivan Ilych ★★★★ and a 1/2 stars
Esarhaddon, King of Assyria ★★★
I think The Death of Ivan Ilych is definitely worth a read. The descriptons of his agony and mental torment were so well written that I found myself deeply uncomfortable and sad while reading. It really makes one think.
May 23, 2021
Tolstoy's stories have the feeling of folk tales in their simplicity and their homely characters, but they are full of wisdom for living, and a spirituality that is not limited to any one religion. After living decades of a lax and leisurely lifestyle, and then experiencing the horrors of the Crimean war and other disillusionments, in the 1870's Tolstoy experienced a profound moral crisis, followed by a profound spiritual awakening, as outlined in his "Confessions". He was greatly influenced by the ethical teachings of Jesus, became fervent Christian anarchist and pacifist (Encyclopedia Brittanica) and in turn had a strong impact on Mahatma Ghandi and Martin Luther King Jr., among others. And he anticipated the writings of contemporary thinkers in his expression of the unity of all persons and everything. "Life is one in them all, and yours is but a portion of the same common life." ("Esarhaddon, King of Assyria") His beliefs and philosophy are summed up in this familiar answer to the "Three Questions": "Now..is the most important time....The most necessary man is he with whom you are....and the most important affair is, to do him good." These engaging stories are of value from a strictly literary standpoint, and also for their spiritual content.
January 29, 2024
demasiadas histórias sobre deus e o diabo e a plebe a rezar. há tipo 4 que se comem bem, o resto é arroz.
August 16, 2025
lots of stories about god and praying. Death of Ivan Ilyich and prisoner in the caucasus are very good. I also liked How Much Land Does a Man Need and the coffehouse of surat, but most of the rest I will probably forget because the morale seems written for a child
June 11, 2022
Uso este libro como botón de: Goodreads no tiene exactamente algo que se ajuste a lo que venía en el audiolibro de LobriVox que he estado escuchando de a poco estos últimos mesecillos, y no quiero crear uno nuevo.
Los que leí concretamente, con breves comentarios:
1) El origen del mal. Reflexión muy interesante, nada que ver con lo que esperaba de Tolstói.
2) Malachka y Akulina.
3) La muerte de Nicolai Levine
4) Tres cuentos
5) Iván el imbécil. Cuento muy directo cuyo mensaje es: el mundo sería mejor si fuésemos menos "astutos".
6) Los dos ancianos. Un relato para pensar en la importancia de las intenciones, principalmente cuando de fe se trata.
7) El canto del cisne
8) Recuerdo de mi infancia. Me aburrió a morir.
9) Historia de un caballo (Jolstomer). Bueno, triste, crudo, desesperanzador. De esos que lees con la mente en blanco y negro. Básicamente, muy humano, aunque trate de caballos.
Los que no fueron comentados, sinceramente, no marcaron diferencia para mí. No los recomendaría especialmente.
En fin, que no le agarro el truco a los autores rusos, pero tampoco me disgusta lo que me encontré esta vez. Esa aparente sencillez que busca comunicar conceptos complejos de forma accesible, tan propia de esta época en concreto de Lev. Quedé con ganas de ir a por otros.
Los que leí concretamente, con breves comentarios:
1) El origen del mal. Reflexión muy interesante, nada que ver con lo que esperaba de Tolstói.
2) Malachka y Akulina.
3) La muerte de Nicolai Levine
4) Tres cuentos
5) Iván el imbécil. Cuento muy directo cuyo mensaje es: el mundo sería mejor si fuésemos menos "astutos".
6) Los dos ancianos. Un relato para pensar en la importancia de las intenciones, principalmente cuando de fe se trata.
7) El canto del cisne
8) Recuerdo de mi infancia. Me aburrió a morir.
9) Historia de un caballo (Jolstomer). Bueno, triste, crudo, desesperanzador. De esos que lees con la mente en blanco y negro. Básicamente, muy humano, aunque trate de caballos.
Los que no fueron comentados, sinceramente, no marcaron diferencia para mí. No los recomendaría especialmente.
En fin, que no le agarro el truco a los autores rusos, pero tampoco me disgusta lo que me encontré esta vez. Esa aparente sencillez que busca comunicar conceptos complejos de forma accesible, tan propia de esta época en concreto de Lev. Quedé con ganas de ir a por otros.
November 15, 2020
It's been a pleasure to revisit Tolstoy's works again. This compilation of short stories is a refreshing change from his longer works like Anna Karenina and War and Peace, which I've read more than 7 years ago.
True to his style though, the stories had social commentary but these stories seemed more didactic and a call to return to religion, perhaps written at a time when Tolstoy turned to his religious side/had religious fervor.
Repentance, kindness and good behaviour are recurring themes across the stories. While they may not be his best works, if you enjoy his writing, you'd probably not wanna miss out on these stories.
True to his style though, the stories had social commentary but these stories seemed more didactic and a call to return to religion, perhaps written at a time when Tolstoy turned to his religious side/had religious fervor.
Repentance, kindness and good behaviour are recurring themes across the stories. While they may not be his best works, if you enjoy his writing, you'd probably not wanna miss out on these stories.
July 5, 2020
I loved this collection of Tolstoy's stories. Some sentences make you think of your choices in life and whether they were good.
My favourite ones were : "Two old men", and "The story of Ivan the fool" ❤️
My favourite ones were : "Two old men", and "The story of Ivan the fool" ❤️
May 5, 2024
I can see why Tolstoy was (is) so popular; there is much to be learned in these stories. If nothing else, it would be hard to not spend some time self-reflecting as you read through them. Since it is a collection of stories, it's hard to pinpoint a "main take". There are simply many lessons that can be learned from each story if you keep your eyes and mind open.
Some of these stories felt like they were over too soon (the downside of short stories, I suppose), while others I had a harder time connecting with. However, there is a message in each one and this seems like quite a good way to ease yourself into Tolstoy's work. (I HAVE to start Anna Karenina and actually finish it this time).
Some of these stories felt like they were over too soon (the downside of short stories, I suppose), while others I had a harder time connecting with. However, there is a message in each one and this seems like quite a good way to ease yourself into Tolstoy's work. (I HAVE to start Anna Karenina and actually finish it this time).
August 27, 2025
Not sure how to rate this one. The stories are all over the place in terms of style and content. The Death of Ivan Ilyich alone takes up like 20% of this collection, and it's incredible. But then some of these are 3 pages long and don't have much going on. Most are parables about the virtues of Christianity and honest work, which are well done enough, but pretty samey. It's hard to call some of these "stories" at all- more like folktales, which is cool but you really have to be in the right mood for it. I think it averages out to a light 4 stars. Worth the read but not my favorite short story collection.
December 31, 2024
There's a reason this man is considered one of the greatest authors of all time... he was a freakin genius storyteller and his short stories are no exception.
February 5, 2021
Meh... a lot of forgettable stories.
February 23, 2020
Nice and short stories of morality.
March 28, 2023
Although labeled “Stories,” from one of the greatest literary writers of the 19th century, these pieces read like morality tales, parables, and “hit-them-over-the-head” lessons on how to live the virtuous life.
Tolstoy re-affirms my stance that a writer, if they are worth their salt, should take a moral position in their writing. While good and bad can battle each other in equal or unequal measure, the reader must come away with an understanding of what is good and what is evil and be able to place their bet on the side of good even though the latter may lose in the story. And Tolstoy does that with vigour. His omniscient narrator is pretty sure of himself, quoting biblical text to support his case, using devils and imps and other forms of magic realism, and fable, to get his message across. The characters are caricatures. Wise old men appear from nowhere to sprinkle trinkets of wisdom on the stories, suggesting perhaps that Tolstoy must have been a fan of the Brothers Grimm who wrote their fairy tales during his formative years. And Tolstoy does death very well.
Two stories that stray from the parable mode are “A Prisoner in the Caucasus” and “The Death of Ivan Illych,” the latter being of novella length. The former reads like a journalistic event of a soldier captured by Tartars, who makes his escape across the steppe with an unfit colleague likely to take the easy way out – i.e., pay the demanded ransom and not try to outwit the enemy. I expected a twist at the end but it never came. In “Ivan Illych” we see the gradual death of the protagonist, an otherwise ambitious, successful, and prosperous judge with a nagging wife and predatory colleagues. As his cancer grinds him down, he looks back on his life and realizes that it has been a fraud. He knows he will not be missed; his colleagues will be fighting to step into his job and his wife will grab his pension.
Some of the stories are forgettable – their moral lessons have been done to death in the last two centuries following Tolstoy. Some stories like “How Much Land Does a Man Need” and “Too Dear” are laced with irony. Other stories, like “The Three Hermits” and “Death, Work, and Sickness” have ambiguous lessons that I couldn’t quite understand. Some stories are adapted from de Maupassant and Russian folk tales and don’t appear to have any incremental value added by Tolstoy.
Love is the overarching theme in this collection, the most important requirement for a fulfilled life. Tolstoy brings this home in his last story in this collection, named “Three Questions:
1. What is the best time to do anything? Now.
2. Who is the best person you need to consult? The one you are with.
3. What is the most important task? To do that person good.
Now, is that not love? Even the dying Ivan Illych realized it was the missing element in his life. And, I believe, that was true for Tolstoy too – otherwise, why would he have left his wife at the end of his life and died in a train station?
Tolstoy re-affirms my stance that a writer, if they are worth their salt, should take a moral position in their writing. While good and bad can battle each other in equal or unequal measure, the reader must come away with an understanding of what is good and what is evil and be able to place their bet on the side of good even though the latter may lose in the story. And Tolstoy does that with vigour. His omniscient narrator is pretty sure of himself, quoting biblical text to support his case, using devils and imps and other forms of magic realism, and fable, to get his message across. The characters are caricatures. Wise old men appear from nowhere to sprinkle trinkets of wisdom on the stories, suggesting perhaps that Tolstoy must have been a fan of the Brothers Grimm who wrote their fairy tales during his formative years. And Tolstoy does death very well.
Two stories that stray from the parable mode are “A Prisoner in the Caucasus” and “The Death of Ivan Illych,” the latter being of novella length. The former reads like a journalistic event of a soldier captured by Tartars, who makes his escape across the steppe with an unfit colleague likely to take the easy way out – i.e., pay the demanded ransom and not try to outwit the enemy. I expected a twist at the end but it never came. In “Ivan Illych” we see the gradual death of the protagonist, an otherwise ambitious, successful, and prosperous judge with a nagging wife and predatory colleagues. As his cancer grinds him down, he looks back on his life and realizes that it has been a fraud. He knows he will not be missed; his colleagues will be fighting to step into his job and his wife will grab his pension.
Some of the stories are forgettable – their moral lessons have been done to death in the last two centuries following Tolstoy. Some stories like “How Much Land Does a Man Need” and “Too Dear” are laced with irony. Other stories, like “The Three Hermits” and “Death, Work, and Sickness” have ambiguous lessons that I couldn’t quite understand. Some stories are adapted from de Maupassant and Russian folk tales and don’t appear to have any incremental value added by Tolstoy.
Love is the overarching theme in this collection, the most important requirement for a fulfilled life. Tolstoy brings this home in his last story in this collection, named “Three Questions:
1. What is the best time to do anything? Now.
2. Who is the best person you need to consult? The one you are with.
3. What is the most important task? To do that person good.
Now, is that not love? Even the dying Ivan Illych realized it was the missing element in his life. And, I believe, that was true for Tolstoy too – otherwise, why would he have left his wife at the end of his life and died in a train station?
May 7, 2024
Overall it's an interesting book, full of stories from different years and some at the end are even based on different authors.
Some are sad, some are funny, some are generally interesting, some are religious, some are about kings and peasants.
It is definitely a change from my other readings.
Some good remarks about the stories:
- They are full of wisdom.
- Good vs Bad.
- Adventures.
- Some aspects on peasant life.
- Life of scholars and kings.
- Different settings.
- Excellent parables.
What I personally didn't like:
- Religious texts - praising god isn't something that "buys" my heart.
- Monotonous environments.
- Suffering - most of the stories include some vigorous descriptions.
- Too much about how to the devil makes you sin - ergo you need to believe more in god.
- The Death of Ivan Ilych - I read good comments on this short story but for me it was a big disappointed.
The good thing about it was how Tolstoy described the suffering of Ilych but it was very monotonous - not much happened and I think he could add more story to it.
The parable was important but not enough to make this short story stand out for me.
Stories I liked:
- Two old men - Adventure and description of the world.
- The Story of Ivan the Fool - that was funny and somewhat wholesome.
- The Three Hermits - Very cynical I like it!
- How much land does a man need - Funniest story in this book. I might adopt it as a joke.
- Esrahaddon, King of Assyria - Nice Parable but very expected.
- Three Questions - A short story with a good parable.
If you want to increase your horizons and taste something different this book is a good choice!
Some are sad, some are funny, some are generally interesting, some are religious, some are about kings and peasants.
It is definitely a change from my other readings.
Some good remarks about the stories:
- They are full of wisdom.
- Good vs Bad.
- Adventures.
- Some aspects on peasant life.
- Life of scholars and kings.
- Different settings.
- Excellent parables.
What I personally didn't like:
- Religious texts - praising god isn't something that "buys" my heart.
- Monotonous environments.
- Suffering - most of the stories include some vigorous descriptions.
- Too much about how to the devil makes you sin - ergo you need to believe more in god.
- The Death of Ivan Ilych - I read good comments on this short story but for me it was a big disappointed.
The good thing about it was how Tolstoy described the suffering of Ilych but it was very monotonous - not much happened and I think he could add more story to it.
The parable was important but not enough to make this short story stand out for me.
Stories I liked:
- Two old men - Adventure and description of the world.
- The Story of Ivan the Fool - that was funny and somewhat wholesome.
- The Three Hermits - Very cynical I like it!
- How much land does a man need - Funniest story in this book. I might adopt it as a joke.
- Esrahaddon, King of Assyria - Nice Parable but very expected.
- Three Questions - A short story with a good parable.
If you want to increase your horizons and taste something different this book is a good choice!
March 14, 2020
A collection of 20 morality tales, 2 really stand out :The Story of Ivan the Fool and The Death of Ivan Ilych
Ivan Ilyich is a decent man. He has all of the trappings of a “successful life”: respectable family, respectable job, respectable home. He is by all intents and purposes content with his position in life.
But has he truly lived? Socrates said that an unexamined life was not worth living.
Tolstoy describes Ivan Ilyich’s failing health in such a way that the reader can almost feel what it was like for him. The gnawing ache in his side, the pain… unrelenting, demoralizing… every simple facet of existence plagued by torturous, insufferable, incurable pain. It’s agonizing. He cannot escape it. Ivan Ilych's awakening comes through the realization of death which ignites within him fear, anger, contemplation and eventually acceptance. The story is probably the best account of the physiological and psychological panic, a man feels when so close to his own death.
Some of the other stories read like biblical parables and included bible verses and even the occasional imps and angels. Count Lyov can certainly tell a good story.
Ivan Ilyich is a decent man. He has all of the trappings of a “successful life”: respectable family, respectable job, respectable home. He is by all intents and purposes content with his position in life.
But has he truly lived? Socrates said that an unexamined life was not worth living.
Tolstoy describes Ivan Ilyich’s failing health in such a way that the reader can almost feel what it was like for him. The gnawing ache in his side, the pain… unrelenting, demoralizing… every simple facet of existence plagued by torturous, insufferable, incurable pain. It’s agonizing. He cannot escape it. Ivan Ilych's awakening comes through the realization of death which ignites within him fear, anger, contemplation and eventually acceptance. The story is probably the best account of the physiological and psychological panic, a man feels when so close to his own death.
Some of the other stories read like biblical parables and included bible verses and even the occasional imps and angels. Count Lyov can certainly tell a good story.
February 11, 2023
I have mixed feelings about this set of stories. I don't think any of them are much less than well-constructed and effective, but most of them are not really "short stories" at all- they're parables or fairy tales intended to convey moral instruction. They're not bad parables; and while I might disagree with Tolstoy on any number of things, I will grant that his sincerity and essential goodness give them a palpable moral force. But: parables don't necessarily make for the most engaging reading, and their simplicity and the directness of their morals means there is (deliberately) vanishingly little room for interpretation or for a variety of reader response.
The two main exceptions to this pattern are "A Prisoner in the Caucasus," which is an early adventure story that derives most of its interest from its "regional flavor;" and the spectacular "The Death of Ivan Ilych," which, while hardly devoid of moral content, is much more deeply and colorfully realized than the schematic parables that Tolstoy otherwise favors.
The two main exceptions to this pattern are "A Prisoner in the Caucasus," which is an early adventure story that derives most of its interest from its "regional flavor;" and the spectacular "The Death of Ivan Ilych," which, while hardly devoid of moral content, is much more deeply and colorfully realized than the schematic parables that Tolstoy otherwise favors.
June 3, 2022
"'There is one bright spot there at the back, at the beginning of life, and afterwards all becomes blacker and blacker and proceeds more and more rapidly - in inverse ratio to the square of the distance from death"
- the death of ivan ilych
I LOVE TOLSTOY'S WRITING!!!!! his stories were all so cute and accessible??? i think his stories are the very definition of 'beauty in simplicity' bc man. they appeared to me almost like fairy tales you'd read before bed as a child. there's smth very entrancing abt russian peasant life that made his writing all the more magical. very easy to read and understand. also his stories brought me back to the wholesomeness that christianity should be standing for and it was such a breeze getting through each story.
fav story: ivan the fool, bc like..... it was funny and lighthearted and so stupid lmaoo
- the death of ivan ilych
I LOVE TOLSTOY'S WRITING!!!!! his stories were all so cute and accessible??? i think his stories are the very definition of 'beauty in simplicity' bc man. they appeared to me almost like fairy tales you'd read before bed as a child. there's smth very entrancing abt russian peasant life that made his writing all the more magical. very easy to read and understand. also his stories brought me back to the wholesomeness that christianity should be standing for and it was such a breeze getting through each story.
fav story: ivan the fool, bc like..... it was funny and lighthearted and so stupid lmaoo
June 12, 2025
For a guy who’s regarded as one of the greatest authors of all time, you’d think his short stories would be better.
Nearly every one of these stories has the same messaging and a similar plot line to achieve it. Russian peasants live a hard life in Russia. If the peasant finds God, they can be happy or enlightened or what have you. If they don’t, and instead chase money or power, they suffer greatly. That’s nice and all, but like why was this whole book just that same premise over and over and over with ever-so slightly different characters?
Many of the stories weren’t even stories. They were vaguely inspirational, sad, Russian-themed fables about enlightenment. It was just not a fun read.
Ironically, the longest story in the book was the best one: The Death of Ivan Ilyich.
Nearly every one of these stories has the same messaging and a similar plot line to achieve it. Russian peasants live a hard life in Russia. If the peasant finds God, they can be happy or enlightened or what have you. If they don’t, and instead chase money or power, they suffer greatly. That’s nice and all, but like why was this whole book just that same premise over and over and over with ever-so slightly different characters?
Many of the stories weren’t even stories. They were vaguely inspirational, sad, Russian-themed fables about enlightenment. It was just not a fun read.
Ironically, the longest story in the book was the best one: The Death of Ivan Ilyich.
April 26, 2022
'God Sees the Truth, but Waits' - 5/5 . A tragic, yet powerful story.
'A Prisoner in the Caucasus' - 5/5 . Adventurous! I liked the theme of not being overconfident, with the two Russian soldiers.
'What Men Live By' - 5/5 . A meaningful story and very true. Humans live by love!
'A Spark Neglected Burns the House' - 4/5. I liked the theme of coexistence and being friendly with a neighbour.
'Two Old Men' - 5/5. A wholesome story that I found having Christian symbolism, in the form of charity which was seen with helping the starving village.
The rest I found meaningful stories that were filled with Christian symbolism, Russian culture, and/or conventional wisdom.
'A Prisoner in the Caucasus' - 5/5 . Adventurous! I liked the theme of not being overconfident, with the two Russian soldiers.
'What Men Live By' - 5/5 . A meaningful story and very true. Humans live by love!
'A Spark Neglected Burns the House' - 4/5. I liked the theme of coexistence and being friendly with a neighbour.
'Two Old Men' - 5/5. A wholesome story that I found having Christian symbolism, in the form of charity which was seen with helping the starving village.
The rest I found meaningful stories that were filled with Christian symbolism, Russian culture, and/or conventional wisdom.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 6, 2024
I won't lie I could not finish because although the writing is good and the stories are interesting, it's far too religious for me to really buy-in. Most plot points get solved by some mysterious godly force leading the way. I didn't realize how christian tolstoy was and how much it seeped into his writing but at least I learned something! Not that they were bad, but after the 6th short story you get the idea that they ALL are going to be resolved by god and that kind of takes the mystery out of it... Also it's incredibly sad and brutal, very harsh poor times and I had too much sympathy for too little pay off. Don't think I'll finish but I read prob 2/3.
January 29, 2025
I definitely expected Tolstoy to be quite a challenge because, well... He's Tolstoy. But I actually found him very readable; At least, these short stories were. As far as the collection goes, like most short story collections some where engaging/entertaining, while others were flat and boring. All had a moral or Christian message tied into them. They felt very much like long-form Aesop's fables. I feel like this book was a good introduction to Tolstoy, but I haven't read anything else by him so maybe his novel work is completely different than this
October 2, 2022
Some stories are better than others, but all enjoyable and easy to read.
Some stories however are must reads and honestly should be required.
My personal favorites (not that anybody asked) are:
The Two Old Men (It had an effect on me few stories have)
What Men Live By
Where Love is, God is
You will notice the exclusion of Ivan Ilych from my top three, it is probably top 4 or 5, but I think these three are too often past over for Ivan Llych.
Some stories however are must reads and honestly should be required.
My personal favorites (not that anybody asked) are:
The Two Old Men (It had an effect on me few stories have)
What Men Live By
Where Love is, God is
You will notice the exclusion of Ivan Ilych from my top three, it is probably top 4 or 5, but I think these three are too often past over for Ivan Llych.
December 4, 2023
Stories:
God Sees the Truth, but Waits
A Prisoners in the Caucasus
What Men Live By
A Spark Neglected Burns the House
Two Old Men
Where Love is, God Is
The Story of Ivan the Fool
Little Girls Wiser than Men
Ilyás
The Death of Ivan Ilych
The Three Hermits
The Imp and the Crust
How Much Land Does A Man Need?
The Repentant Sinner
The Empty Drum
The Coffee House of Surat
Too Dear!
Esarhaddon, King of Assyria
Work, Death and Sickness
Three Questions
God Sees the Truth, but Waits
A Prisoners in the Caucasus
What Men Live By
A Spark Neglected Burns the House
Two Old Men
Where Love is, God Is
The Story of Ivan the Fool
Little Girls Wiser than Men
Ilyás
The Death of Ivan Ilych
The Three Hermits
The Imp and the Crust
How Much Land Does A Man Need?
The Repentant Sinner
The Empty Drum
The Coffee House of Surat
Too Dear!
Esarhaddon, King of Assyria
Work, Death and Sickness
Three Questions
May 13, 2025
“Where are there any records of God’s goodness so easy to understand as the blessings which God has strewn abroad for man’s happiness? Where is there any book of the law so clear to each man as that written in his heart? What sacrifices equal the self-denials which loving men and women make for one another? And what altar can be compared with the heart of a good man, on which God Himself accepts the sacrifice?”
July 19, 2025
These short stories were great! I would’ve loved if some of them were longer and made into full length novels because they were that interesting. I did like how they were all varying lengths and topics, various characters. They were all so different but the main themes of God, morality, life/death, higher power, were consistent which I enjoyed. Many of these stories really got me thinking, a great work.
December 18, 2019
Reads like a children's picture book without the pictures. I can definitely see why people like it, but it greatly wasn't to my taste. I prefer religious undertones rather than overtones, as with the latter story structure and message are redundant and ham-fisted. I'll likely still pick up more Tolstoy in the future.
May 6, 2021
I'm so glad a ran across this book of short stories by Tolstoy. He's still one of my favorites.
Each story is unique. Some of them have an undertone of religion, quoting the Bible with the story going from there. Others have the devil and his imps causing havoc in the world.
All in all, a wonderful read.
Each story is unique. Some of them have an undertone of religion, quoting the Bible with the story going from there. Others have the devil and his imps causing havoc in the world.
All in all, a wonderful read.
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February 12, 2023الكتاب جاءني كهدية والا لم أكن لاشتري او أقرا أدبا روسيا مترجما الى الإنجليزية. الكتاب به عدة قصص قصيرة لتولستوي. بعضها راق لي كثيرا وبعضها كان عاديا. لا أدري اذا كانت اللغة سببا في ذلك. لن أضع تقييم ولا حتى مراجعة مفصلة الآن. في يوم من الأيام سأقوم بقراءة قصص تولستوي مترجمة الى العربية وحينها سيكون الوقت المناسب للتقييم.
June 23, 2023
A little heavy on the religious metaphors, but it’s Tolstoy so it still gets 4 stars from me. The Death of Ivan Ilych, the novella included in this collection, is a must read. Tolstoy is the master of bringing you into a character’s psyche, and that skill is at work in several of the other stories included as well.
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