Leo Tolstoy Books
Leo Tolstoy (1828–1910) was a Russian writer, philosopher, and one of the greatest authors in world literature. His works include War and Peace and Anna Karenina, as well as numerous novellas, short stories, and essays that have had a lasting influence on global culture.
Known for: The Death of Ivan Ilyich, Anna Karenina, Resurrection, The Kreutzer Sonata, War and Peace
Books by Leo Tolstoy
The Death of Ivan Ilyich
The Death of Ivan Ilyich is a novella by Leo Tolstoy, first published in 1886. It tells the story of Ivan Ilyich Golovin, a high-ranking judge who faces a terminal illness and begins to confront the e...
Anna Karenina
Anna Karenina is a novel by Leo Tolstoy, first published in 1877. Set in 19th-century Russia, it tells the story of Anna, a married woman who embarks on a passionate affair with Count Vronsky. The nov...
Resurrection
Resurrection is the final novel by Leo Tolstoy, first published in 1899. It tells the story of Prince Dmitri Nekhlyudov, who, upon encountering Katusha Maslova—a woman he once wronged and who is now s...
The Kreutzer Sonata
The Kreutzer Sonata is a novella by Leo Tolstoy, first published in 1889. It takes the form of a confessional monologue by Pozdnyshev, a man who recounts his jealousy, the murder of his wife, and his ...
War and Peace
War and Peace is an epic novel by Leo Tolstoy, first published in 1869. It chronicles Russian society during the Napoleonic Wars, exploring the lives of aristocratic families and delving into philosop...
Key Insights from Leo Tolstoy
Ivan Ilyich’s Background
Ivan Ilyich was a man who lived precisely as society expected him to live. His path was well paved—the right education, the right profession, and the ceaseless pursuit of decorum. He worked within the judiciary, where dignity was a mask and ambition disguised itself as duty. From his youth, Ivan und...
From The Death of Ivan Ilyich
Marriage and Domestic Life
Ivan’s marriage to Praskovya was never a union of hearts but of convenience. It is a portrait of domestic life arranged for decorum rather than love. When they marry, both calculate; there is propriety, social standing, and expectations—all the ingredients of a respectable household. Yet, as life un...
From The Death of Ivan Ilyich
The Moscow Beginning: A Family in Crisis
The story opens with turmoil in the Oblonsky household. Stepan’s infidelity has been uncovered by his wife, Darya, throwing the family into chaos. Amid this tension, Anna is summoned from St. Petersburg to mediate. Her arrival brings grace and composure, momentarily restoring harmony and revealing h...
From Anna Karenina
The Train Station Encounter: The Spark of Fate
During her journey to Moscow, Anna meets the officer Vronsky at a train station—a moment that divides her destiny. The train, a symbol of modern power and uncontrollable fate, frames the scene in steam and motion. When their eyes meet, passion ignites like a flash of destiny. This attraction is not ...
From Anna Karenina
The Awakening of Conscience
The story unfolds when Dmitri Nekhlyudov, a nobleman, accepts his duty as juror. He believes himself conscientious and civilized, until fate—or rather, conscience—places him face to face with Katusha Maslova, once a bright and innocent servant whom he seduced years before. Her fall into prostitution...
From Resurrection
The Corruption of Society and the Quest for Justice
As Nekhlyudov plunges into the labyrinth of Russian legal and penal institutions, his eyes open to the monstrous hypocrisy of civilized order. I wished to show, not abstract evil, but structural inhumanity—how entire systems thrive on cruelty while pretending to serve virtue. In the prisons, he enco...
From Resurrection
About Leo Tolstoy
Leo Tolstoy (1828–1910) was a Russian writer, philosopher, and one of the greatest authors in world literature. His works include War and Peace and Anna Karenina, as well as numerous novellas, short stories, and essays that have had a lasting influence on global culture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Leo Tolstoy (1828–1910) was a Russian writer, philosopher, and one of the greatest authors in world literature. His works include War and Peace and Anna Karenina, as well as numerous novellas, short stories, and essays that have had a lasting influence on global culture.
Read Leo Tolstoy's books in 15 minutes
Get AI-powered summaries with key insights from 5 books by Leo Tolstoy.