By the time he dies, Ivan Ilych has come to understand the worthlessness of his life. Paradoxically, this elevates him above the common man, who avoids the reality of death and the effort it takes to make life worthwhile. In Tolstoy's own words, "Ivan Ilyich's life had been . . . most ordinary and therefore most terrible." Newly designed and typeset in a modern 5.5-by-8.5-inch format by Waking Lion Press.
The Death of Ivan Ilych
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From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. In the lovely, low tones of a fine storyteller, Oliver Fox Davies guides us through the stages of Tolstoy's mini masterpiece. Davies's skill with inflection, even within words, heightens the social satire of the early section and shifts with Ilyich's slide into ever increasing pain and irritability. With the terror and anguish of approaching death, his voice grows convincingly hoarse. Until his illness, Ivan Ilyich had never reflected on his life. But he slowly comes to see his life as a terrible, huge deception which had hidden life and death. As he lays dying, his lifelong friends think of the promotions that may come their way, and his wife began to wish he would die, but she didn't want him to die because then his salary would cease. He has always avoided human connection, but through the tender ministrations of a peasant he comes to recognize the mesh of falsity in which he's lived. Written more than a century ago, Tolstoy's work still retains the power of a contemporary novel. (Jan.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.
Review
“The English-speaking world is indebted to these two translators.” —Orlando Figes, The New York Review of Books
“Excellent. . . . The duo has managed to convey the rather simple elegance of Tolstoy’s prose.” —The New Criterion
“Pevear and Volokhonsky’s new version is . . . flexible individuated, immediate.” —The Nation
“Well translated. As a lover of Tolstoy’s work, one couldn’t ask for more, and I can’t recommend it highly enough.” —André Alexis, The Globe and Mail (Toronto) --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.
“Excellent. . . . The duo has managed to convey the rather simple elegance of Tolstoy’s prose.” —The New Criterion
“Pevear and Volokhonsky’s new version is . . . flexible individuated, immediate.” —The Nation
“Well translated. As a lover of Tolstoy’s work, one couldn’t ask for more, and I can’t recommend it highly enough.” —André Alexis, The Globe and Mail (Toronto) --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.
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First Sentence
During an interval in the Melvinski trial in the large building of the Law Courts the members and public prosecutor met in Ivan Egorovich Shebek's private room, where the conversation turned on the celebrated Krasovski case. Read the first page
Front Cover | Table of Contents | Excerpt
During an interval in the Melvinski trial in the large building of the Law Courts the members and public prosecutor met in Ivan Egorovich Shebek's private room, where the conversation turned on the celebrated Krasovski case. Read the first page
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Most helpful customer reviews
By Ronald W. Maron
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
As a long standing critic of the art of short story writing I can say, without a doubt, that this tale is the premium classic of all that has been created. I strongly advise that this reading to be included in everyone's list of lifetime prose experiences.
Within this tale we, most unfortunately, must come to face ourselves and the experience of our own existense. It is only by degrees that we can measure our lives as being different from that of Ivan Ilyich. None of us can make the statement that "This is not I!" without a great deal of denial and repression. Do we take our professional lives to the point of them becoming the base of our personalities? Do we embrace and appreciate those around us or do we forcefully nudge them to the side because they do not meet our unrealistic expectations? Are we truly the gregarious person we think we are or are we, too, merely an animate facade which laughs/laments/cajoles only when socially appropriate? Is altruism the core of our souls or is it actually a much less kinder word; like narcissism or simple selfishness? Do we see a wholeness in the inner spirit of our lives, learning like we will live forever but living like we will die tomorrow or do we, like Ivan Ilyich, feel that life itself is purposeless and we are left abandoned when it is time for it to conclude?
Ponder these and greater thoughts as you read this classic tale and, by doing so, you will not only come to know yourself better for who you really are but will come to identify what the actual meaning of life could possibly be....
Within this tale we, most unfortunately, must come to face ourselves and the experience of our own existense. It is only by degrees that we can measure our lives as being different from that of Ivan Ilyich. None of us can make the statement that "This is not I!" without a great deal of denial and repression. Do we take our professional lives to the point of them becoming the base of our personalities? Do we embrace and appreciate those around us or do we forcefully nudge them to the side because they do not meet our unrealistic expectations? Are we truly the gregarious person we think we are or are we, too, merely an animate facade which laughs/laments/cajoles only when socially appropriate? Is altruism the core of our souls or is it actually a much less kinder word; like narcissism or simple selfishness? Do we see a wholeness in the inner spirit of our lives, learning like we will live forever but living like we will die tomorrow or do we, like Ivan Ilyich, feel that life itself is purposeless and we are left abandoned when it is time for it to conclude?
Ponder these and greater thoughts as you read this classic tale and, by doing so, you will not only come to know yourself better for who you really are but will come to identify what the actual meaning of life could possibly be....
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By CALTON
Format:Mass Market Paperback
This is an exceptional book. On one front, you have an opportunity to explore Tolstoy's mind without devouring one of his more notable (and lengthy) novels (War and Peace, Anna K). That alone should be worth reading the 100 or so pages.
On another front, this work ranks up there as one of the greatest literary achievements since ink found its way on paper. Do not be fooled by the titled. This book is not about death, but about life. After finishing this book, one question loomed frequently in my head: is death nothing more than a state of mind?
On another front, this work ranks up there as one of the greatest literary achievements since ink found its way on paper. Do not be fooled by the titled. This book is not about death, but about life. After finishing this book, one question loomed frequently in my head: is death nothing more than a state of mind?
Format:Mass Market Paperback
We are born knowing only life but it takes courage to realize this and rise above the mundane, to make the ordinary extraordinary, fully exploring and experiencing life for the gift that it is.
This is what Ivan Ilyich becomes aware of, when there is not much more he can do about it other than acknowledge it.
A profound novella!
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4.3 out of 5 stars
Most recent customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
In Passing
Tolstoy's novella makes rewarding and unsettling reading. Surely, I can think of no novel that treats dying as boldly. Death is a fact. Read more
Published on Sep 20 2002 by Alvaro Lewis
4.0 out of 5 stars
immensely important and meaningful--except the end
"the death of ivan illyich" is probably one of the most important books ever written, but not for the reason that many of the other reviewers on this page imagine. Read more
Published on Mar 24 2002 by J from NY
2.0 out of 5 stars
It's missing something.
I felt that this book lacked the kind of depth it needed to properly convey its meaning. Tolstoy rambles too much to make the story truely *interesting*, and Ivan Ilyich's untimely... Read more
Published on Aug 21 2001 by "anodos"
4.0 out of 5 stars
Review of "Death of Ivan Ilyich"
I highly recommend this book for a successful affluent professional who was once blessed with a nice education, nice position, nice family, nice home, nice car, blah, blah, blah,... Read more
Published on Aug 13 2001 by Zohreh Valai
5.0 out of 5 stars
Death brought to Life
This novella is a poignant meditation on death. I can't imagine a tougher subject to think about, let alone write about. Read more
Published on May 19 2001 by Yan Timanovsky
5.0 out of 5 stars
Who has not thought about death?
Honestly, who has not contemplated their the subject of death. Religious or not, death is a part of life as much as living is. Read more
Published on April 1 2001 by Matthew Holton
5.0 out of 5 stars
I stand amazed...
There are so many levels upon which this story can be read, yet they are woven so inextricably into this masterpiece that the complexity is staggering. Read more
Published on Feb 15 2001 by Ilana Teitelbaum
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Inauthentic Life Redeemed
"He went to his study, lay down, and once again was left alone with It. Face to face with It. Unable to do anything with It. Read more
Published on Sep 25 2000
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not Tolstoy's best
"Perhaps I did not live as I should have... but how could that be when I did everything one is supposed to?"
These are the words of Ivan Ilyich as he awaits death. Read more
Published on July 27 2000 by Knut Oyangen
5.0 out of 5 stars
A masterpiece by a master
There are books that must be read and reread, and there are great pieces of literature that really tell as much about the reader as the characters in the story. Read more
Published on July 20 2000 by Samuel W. Harnish, Jr.
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