Library of Russian Classics S.

3 total works

The Death of Ivan Ilyich

by Leo Tolstoy

Published 28 October 1971

Ivan Ilyich is wasting away. He lies alone, dosed up on opium and deceived by doctors, haunted by memories and regrets. His friends come to see him, their faces masks of concern. His faithful servant tends to his every need. But as he forces down false remedies and listens to empty promises, Ivan grows aware of one terrible truth. His wife and his children are not awaiting his recovery. They are waiting for him to die.

Childhood

by Leo Tolstoy

Published 1 July 1984

Childhood (Detstvo) appeared in 1852 and was Lev Tolstoy's first published work. Together with Boyhood (Otrochestvo) and Youth (Iunost') it forms a trilogy which, though fictional, is deeply rooted in Tolstoy's autobiography. As the first-person narrator grows out of childish innocence, he develops a growing awareness of the degree of deception inherent in adult behaviour and the extent to which he himself is increasingly capable of deception. Remarkable in its own right for its clear-sighted portrayal of the child's world, the work also contains in embryo themes which dominate Tolstoy's nature work. These are detailed in the introduction to this edition, which also contains full notes and a vocabulary.

Sebastopol in December

by Leo Tolstoy

Published 1 July 1984