Tolstoy's Russian Life as Portrayed by Rosamund Bartlett: An Intimate Exploration of a Literary Giant

Tolstoy: A Russian Life

by Rosamund Bartlett

4.4 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	8408 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	581 pages
Lending	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported

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Leo Tolstoy is one of the most celebrated authors in world literature. His novels, such as Anna Karenina and War and Peace, are considered masterpieces of the literary canon. Tolstoy was also a complex and contradictory figure, and his life was marked by both great triumphs and personal struggles.

In her book Tolstoy's Russian Life, Rosamund Bartlett provides a comprehensive and intimate portrait of the author. Bartlett draws on a wide range of sources, including Tolstoy's own diaries and letters, to create a vivid account of his life and work.

Bartlett begins by describing Tolstoy's childhood in Yasnaya Polyana, a large estate in the Russian countryside. Tolstoy was born into a wealthy and aristocratic family, and he enjoyed a privileged upbringing. However, he was also exposed to the harsh realities of Russian life, and he witnessed firsthand the suffering of the peasantry.

As a young man, Tolstoy attended Kazan University, where he studied law. However, he soon abandoned his studies and returned to Yasnaya Polyana to manage his estate. During this time, he began to write fiction, and he published his first novel, Childhood, in 1852.

In 1862, Tolstoy married Sofya Andreyevna Bers. The couple had 13 children, and they lived together at Yasnaya Polyana for the rest of their lives. Tolstoy's marriage was often difficult, and he struggled to reconcile his idealistic beliefs with the realities of family life.

Despite the challenges he faced, Tolstoy continued to write prolifically throughout his life. He published some of his most famous works, including Anna Karenina and War and Peace, during the 1860s and 1870s. In his later years, Tolstoy became increasingly interested in religious and philosophical questions, and he wrote a number of works on these topics.

Tolstoy died at Yasnaya Polyana in 1910. He was 82 years old. He is buried in the forest near his home, and his grave is a popular destination for pilgrims from all over the world.

Rosamund Bartlett's Tolstoy's Russian Life is a masterful biography of one of the most important figures in world literature. Bartlett provides a rich and detailed account of Tolstoy's life and work, and she offers a unique perspective on the author's complex personality.

Bartlett's book is essential reading for anyone interested in Tolstoy or in Russian literature. It is a work of scholarship that is both informative and engaging, and it is sure to leave a lasting impression on readers.

Further Reading

• Leo Tolstoy at Encyclopedia Britannica
• Leo Tolstoy at the Nobel Prize website
• Tolstoy Museum in Yasnaya Polyana

Tolstoy: A Russian Life

by Rosamund Bartlett

4.4 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	8408 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	581 pages
Lending	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported

FREE