Synopses & Reviews
One of the world's greatest novelists, Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) also wrote numerous excellent short stories, three of which are contained in this volume. "The Kreutzer Sonata" (1891) is a penetrating study of jealousy as well as a splenetic complaint about the way in which society educates young men and women in matters of sex. In "The Death of Ivan Ilych" (1886), a symbolic Everyman discovers the inner light of faith and love only when confronted by death. "How Much Land Does a Man Need?" (1886) is a simple, didactic story of peasant life, written by Tolstoy in the wake of a spiritual crisis. All three tales offer readers a splendid introduction to Tolstoy's work as well as the focused delights of the short story form brought to a pinnacle in the hands of a master.
Synopsis
Title story plus "How Much Land Does a Man Need?" and "The Death of Ivan Ilych." Explanatory footnotes.
Synopsis
"The Kreutzer Sonata" portrays an intense conflict between sexual desire and moral constraint. "How Much Land Does a Man Need?" is a simple, moving tale of peasant life with a moral lesson; the hero of "The Death of Ivan Ilych," after a lifetime of struggle, finds faith and love only as he faces death. Explanatory footnotes.
Synopsis
Three great stories offer profound insights into human behavior and motivation. Title story plus "How Much Land Does a Man Need?" and "The Death of Ivan Ilych." Explanatory footnotes.
About the Author
Novelist, essayist, dramatist, and philosopher, Count Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) is most famous for his sprawling portraits of 19th-century Russian life, as recounted in Anna Karenina and War and Peace.
Table of Contents
How much land does a man need? -- The death of Ivan Ilych -- The Kreutzer sonata.