The Death of Ivan Ilych
Combining detailed physical description with perceptive psychological insight, Leo Tolstoy realistically sweeps aside the sham of surface appearances to lay bare man's intimate gestures, acts, and thoughts. Murder and sacrifice...greed and devotion...lust and affection...vanity and love - one by one, in this volume of great stories, Tolstoy dissects the basic drives, emotions and motives of average people searching for self-knowledge and spiritual perfection. Chekhov said, "Of coauthors my favorite is Tolstoy." And Turgenev "marveled the strength of his huge talent...It sends a cold shudder even down my back, though you know my back has become thick and course. He is a master, a master."
Show more
BUY THE BOOK
Community Reviews
The most important, most true, most amazing thing I have ever read. I wish I had read it sooner and often.
Death is one of the most important things humans must confront, but most of us don't until and unless we must. Instead, we are caught by surprise. When I had to confront it the first time (with the death of my father) I couldn't believe how unprepared our society had left me. There is a lot of information that would make us able to handle it ...read more
Death is one of the most important things humans must confront, but most of us don't until and unless we must. Instead, we are caught by surprise. When I had to confront it the first time (with the death of my father) I couldn't believe how unprepared our society had left me. There is a lot of information that would make us able to handle it ...read more
Is a really good window on a person whose about to die and only then comes to recognise the people around him . Who are there for benefits only
Never have I read a book which looked at all the stages of death under such a meticulous scope without the delicacies of the deceptions we often force upon ourselves. Indeed, it called those out for what they were. From the aftermath to the life the ordinary man lived, describing him as an everyday average person which made him far more relatable than most of the main characters written about today. Then the subtle way he realized something was w...read more
See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.