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The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Other Stories

By Leo Tolstoy
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Other Stories is a collection of short stories by Leo Tolstoy that delves into the themes of mortality, the meaning of life, and moral struggle. The titular story follows Ivan Ilyich, a high-ranking judge who faces a terminal illness, prompting him to reflect on the superficiality and emptiness of his prior existence. Tolstoy's other stories in the collection explore human nature and ethical dilemmas through richly developed characters and poignant narratives.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you appreciate profound explorations of the human condition, beautifully crafted narratives, and insightful reflections on life, death, and morality. Tolstoy's storytelling invites readers into a deep contemplation of existence, making it a compelling choice for those who enjoy philosophical and emotional depth in fiction.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

A devastating account of a man fighting his inevitable end, and asks the existential question: why must a good person be taken before his time?

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

At the age of forty-one, Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) underwent a profound spiritual crisis, from which he emerged believing that he had encountered death itself. These seven compelling stories explore, in very different ways, his subsequent preoccupation with mortality.

The Death of Ivan Ilyich is a devastating account of a man fighting his inevitable end, and asks the existential question β€” why must a good person be taken before his time?

In Polikushka, a light-fingered drunk's chance to prove himself has tragic repercussions, while Three Deaths depicts the last moments of an aristocrat, a peasant, and a tree.

The Forged Coupon shows a seemingly minor offence that leads inexorably to ever more horrific crimes.

And in three tales about soldiers, After the Ball, The Wood-felling, and The Raid, Tolstoy portrays the brutality that all too often accompanies military life.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780140449617

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 28 February 2008

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Contributors:

  • Translated by David McDuff
  • Introduction by Anthony Briggs
  • Translated by Anthony Briggs
  • Translated by Ronald Wilks
  • Translated by David McDuff
  • Translated by Anthony Briggs

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 20.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 259g

Pages: 352

Collections

Classic Fiction Classic General Fiction Fiction General Fiction Leo Tolstoy Literary Fiction Penguin Books Penguin Classics

About the Author

Count Leo Tolstoy was born on September 9, 1828, in Yasnaya Polyana, Russia. Among his best-known works are the novels War and Peace (1869) and Anna Karenina (1877). Tolstoy died on November 20, 1910. Anthony Briggs has written, translated or edited many books and articles on Russian and English literature. A leading authority on Alexander Pushkin, he has also edited five volumes of English poetry. His recent translation of War and Peace has been widely acclaimed. David McDuff has translated a number of nineteenth century Russian prose works for the Penguin Classics series. These include Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment, The Brothers Karamazov, The Idiot, The House of the Dead, and Tolstoy's The Cossacks. Ronald Wilks has translated The Little Demon by Sologub and, for Penguin Classics, My Childhood, My Apprenticeship and My Universities by Gorky and four volumes of stories by Chekhov- The Kiss and Other Stories, The Duel and Other Stories, The Party and Other Stories and The Fiancee and Other Stories.

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