Lives and Deaths

If you are looking for a light-hearted read to lift your mood, Lives and Deaths by Tolstoy is not the direction in which I'd point you. As the title suggests, death plays a major part in all four stories included in this volume, so it's far from a merry read. If, however, you enjoy Tolstoy's writing, you shouldn't pass by this selection of shorter pieces, which prove he is as adept at a concise narrative as he is at a lengthy tome. All the stories are beautifully written, and the translation flows smoothly. There is much to ponder here and much to enjoy. The opening piece is a fascinating character study, entering the world of horses offers a wonderful change of pace, and Three Deaths is short but compelling. My favourite, though, was Aloysha the Pot, which was still deep and sad but a little lighter than the others.

I didn’t think something written by Tolstoy would entertain me. And I stood corrected. The storylines were engaging and had me flipping the pages not able to wait to see what was coming next. This book contains four short stories and is on the quicker side of a read. Highly recommend. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Tolstoy's writing is so refreshing. These stories were fun to read and reminded me of is full length novels. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher!

This is a great collection. It was not what I was expecting, but I was pleasantly surprised. I will be recommending this one.

This beautifully translated collection of the eclectic short fiction of the master of domestic drama is part of the Pushkin Press set of Essential Stories. No need to be put off by the reputation for extreme length of the novels. These are diverse, focused and touching stories that should encourage the reader to venture further into Tolstoy's world.

Very grateful for this copy as I've always wanted to read Tolstoy and not got around to it yet. He is a true master of his craft. It's not light reading but definitely worth reading

Every once in a while, it’s nice to be pleasantly surprised by a classic. Or at least – to be reminded, again, that “classic” doesn’t automatically mean “boring”. In the case of Tolstoy’s Lives and Deaths? Quite the opposite turned out to be true!

The story
Tolstoy’s stories contain many of the most acutely observed moments in his monumental body of work. This new selection of his shorter works, sensitively translated by the award-winning Boris Dralyuk, showcases the peerless economy with which Tolstoy could render the passions and conflicts of a life.

These are works that take us from a self-interested judge’s agonising deathbed to the bristling social world of horses in a stable yard, from the joyful vanity of youth to the painful doubts of sickness and old age. With unwavering precision, Tolstoy’s eye brings clarity and richness to the simplest materials.

The opinion
Tolstoy has a way of depicting the nitty and the gritty of everyday life, while still maintaining an illusion of elegance, and purposefulness. In a collection of short stories that focus so explicitly on (maybe) the least elegant part of humanity’s existence? That’s not necessarily what I was expecting – in the most positive way.

Part of that has to have been the translation. After all, not only language- but also geographical and temporal barriers separate the reader from the writing of these stories. However, each of these stories held a sort of “universal” feeling, that could very easily have been lost in translation. That it wasn’t, speaks both to Tolstoy’s abilities and the translators work.

Whether it’s the longest description of someone’s death I’ve ever read, the innocence of a well-meaning young man, the life story of a horse, or the parallels between a rich dying lady, and a poor dying man? Each of these short stories were weirdly entertaining and invited a fair bit of reflection on the (my) state of life. It’s not so much the plot, as it is the feeling of these short stories that will grab you.

The rating
If you want a story that will leave you feeling good? Lives and Deaths is not what you should be reading. If you want to be fully immersed, however, and be left oddly pensive? Maybe even slightly more aware of your own mortality? Definitely give this collection a go!
-Saar

Tolstoy is a titan of world literature, as this excellent collection of short stories amply demonstrates. The stories cover the breadth of Tolstoy's career; the unifying thread is how people (and animals!) face their own deaths.

I can't judge the quality of the Russian translation, but the stories are written in clear idiomatic English that is highly readable while capturing the depth of Tolstoy's insights. The book also has a brief introduction by the translator, in which he provides a short summary of Tolstoy's life and explains how he came to choose the stories for the book.

Absolute classic! Who couldn't love Tolstoy? Wonderful translation as well - very readable. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher!

With the exception of The Death of Ivan Ilyich, which I read decades ago, all these stories were new to me. Like most people, I am more familiar with Tolstoy's novels than his stories. As such, I was pleasantly surprised at how readable such thoughtful and insightful works truly were. As I cannot read Russian, I cannot attest to the quality of translation from the original, but the language presented before me was worthy of the esteem held for Tolstoy himself.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC

Summary in a quote: "Why must I suffer like this? And the voice would reply: No reason. That's just how it is."

Although I was a literature student and read around 50 books a year, I have never read a Tolstoy... This collection of 4 short stories was the perfect way to be introduced to his style and themes. Death and the process of dying are at the core of this collection, however, it seems to be a theme that leaks into all his writing. If you have never read Tolstoy but are interested in tasting his style, this is the perfect starting point.

These stories were first published in the late 1800s, and yet they are strikingly relevant for our contemporary experience. The way in which Ilyich's colleagues receive news of his death is so true to corporate environments now. They are very briefly surprised and then begin contemplating who will replace him. The story goes on to reveal the pain, futility and shame of dying,

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this collection. It is honest about the human condition. We are duped into thinking that we can be anything and do anything we want if we just try hard enough. I can be a unicorn or a princess if I just believe in myself, right? And if you are struggling in life, it's your own fault for not accessing the power of affirmations and astral projection... I'm being snotty, excuse me. But I do believe we are being lied to. You can not stop death. You can not will yourself into different circumstances. We can only take each day as it comes and the grace that comes with it.

In the throes of his pain, his soul asks him; "What was so good and pleasant about your life?" This, it seems to me, is the message for us who think we are alive. We think we are living a "good" life, obeying social convention and ticking all the appropriate boxes, but is that even a life?

Death tolls are a part of our every day and most people have lost someone in their close circle to Covid-19. This disease is isolating, to put it bluntly. It is scary and lonely. And many people shrug it off as though it's all a hoax. I can imagine that patients have this same inner conversation: "Why must I suffer like this? And the voice would reply: No reason. That's just how it is."

Somehow, I had gone through life oblivious to the fact that Leo Tolstoy had also written short stories in addition to the tomes that are War & Peace and Anna Karenina.

This is a compilation of four short stories including "The Death of Ivan Ilyich ", "Pace-Setter: The Story of a Horse", "Three Deaths", and "Alyosha the Pot". All of the stories offer discussions surrounding the conflicts and passions of a life, but perhaps not always from a perspective that you would initially expect!

Tolstoy's writing in these stories is so dramatically different from War & Peace and Anna Karenina. In fact, I'd go so far as saying that the writing read quite modern, making this a perfect introduction for anyone who is yet to explore his work. The stories aren't particularly cheerful, which can probably be assumed just based on the book title alone, but be assured that each story provides a fascinating tale. My favourite of the four had to be "Pace-setter: The Story of a Horse", as it offers such a unique perspective that was unlike anything I had ever read before. The narrative was really well done throughout and the translation was super smooth.

I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of short stories, and they're proof of the marvel that was Tolstoy's writing style. Definitely would love a physical copy to add to my shelves one day!

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.