Death Of Ivan Ilych And Other Stories by Leo Tolstoy (1976, Paperback, Reissue)

Tolstoy’s The Death of Ivan Ilych was widely acclaimed when it was published in 1886 and remains a famous narrative for contemporary readers. It is important for its universally powerful portrayal of a man’s physical deterioration and subsequent spiritual rejuvenation at the moment of death, and because it is the first fiction which Tolstoy published after his conversion to radical Christianity. Several critics note a shift in his writing after his spiritual breakdown in the 1870s, which inspired him to write book on religious and philosophical issues while repudiating his earlier works. Tolstoy’s Voina i mir (War and Peace) and Anna Karenina are almost unanimously praised as compelling documents of human existence and are lauded as excellent examples of the realistic novel. He has been long thought of by a variety of writers as one of the most important figures in modern literary history, successfully animating his fiction with the dynamics of life. Due to Tolstoy’s neverending examinations of psychology and society, he has won the admiration of multitudes of writers and still affects readers with his stark portrayal of human life. ‘‘The Death of Ivan Ilych’’ perfectly demonstrates a man’s struggle with how to live his life. As a man who is searching I found this book to me amazing.