- Paperback: 304 pages
- Publisher: Oxford Paperbacks; New edition edition (Mar 1 1999)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0192838083
- ISBN-13: 978-0192838087
- Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 13 x 1.5 cm
- Shipping Weight: 200 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #2,266,117 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Product Details |
Product Description
Book Description
This collection of Tolstoy's stories includes "Sevastopol," "Two Hussars," "Albert," "What Men Live By," "Master and Man," "How Much Land Does a Man Need?," "The Death of Ivan Ilych," "The Three Hermits," and the title piece.
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Customer Reviews
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Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Tolstoy on a smaller, more managable scale.,
This review is from: The Raid and Other Stories (Paperback)
I was attracted to this volume by Calvino's recommendation of 'Two Hussars', a gorgeous, bipartite story of Turgenev-like transparency, about the respective, mirroring adventures of a father and son, and their relationships with the army, their servants, the local society they briefly enter, and the women they meet. In one sense it is a tale about history, about the raucous gambling, drinking and dancing of the early 19th century, and the more sedate, stolid bourgeoisification in its middle. The climax, where narrative and character gives way to suspended time and a tableaux of nature, is heartstopping. The other stories in this collection are similarly schizophrenic, ranging from early works in the 1850s influenced by Tolstoy's time in the army; and the later didactic, moralistic works, including some of his most famous, 'The Death of Ivan Illyich' and 'How much land does a man need?' (which Joyce thought the greatest story ever written). the translations by Louise and Aylmer Maude, nearly a century old, are still very readable, probably because they were friends of Tolstoy's, and had greatr knowledge of his methods and intentions. The annotation and 1982 introduction needs updating, though.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
4.3 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews) 3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Tolstoy at his best,
By doc peterson - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: The Raid and Other Stories (Paperback)
Tolstoy is a masterful writer, and this marvelous collection of his short stories is excellent proof of this. Of the 9 stories contained in the collection, 3 in particular are worth noting: The Raid was an interesting tale of life on the "frontier" of Ukraine - and is not unlike a Louis L'Amour viginette. Tolstoy pulls no punches here, and the line between "good guy" and "bad guy" is blurred. Two Hussars is another favorite of mine, mostly because of the way in which he writes the characters - so real you can imagine meeting them in person in some dimly-lit pub. How Much Land Does a Man Need? is the third short story that resonnated with me, as it wrestles with the typically Russian theme of a man and his attachment to the land, but also with the broader human theme of need versus greed. (Especially resonant in our own time, what with ozone depletion, increased consumption of fossil fuels, and over population.) While the other stories are good, these 3 in particular make the book worth the purchase price. Don't think of it as "Tolstoy" - read it for its own sake - its a thumping good book.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Tolstoy's short masterpieces,
By Amir Javadi - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: The Raid and Other Stories (Paperback)
This book represents stories from Tolstoy's both periods. "What Men Live By?", "Master and Man", "How Much Land Does A Man Need?" and "The Death of Ivan Ilych", are among his best parables written during his second period (and they are indeed some of the best parables ever written). But it is his early and less-known fiction that makes this collection so valuable. "Sevastopol in May 1855", "Albert" and "Two Hussars" in particular, are great examples of Tolstoy's art. They are largely overshadowed by "War and Peace" and "Anna Karenina" and are lesser-known, but equally great. In these stories, one can see Tolstoy's familiar `life and death' theme, as well as his mastery in revealing the inner thoughts of his characters, and furnishing the so-called `furniture' of his stories. Notice the description of a piece of music, "illumining the inner world of every listener with an unexpectedly clear and tranquilizing light." in "Albert"; death of Praskukhin in "Sevastopol in May 1855"; Ilyin's inner thoughts, intermingled with street events as he walks, in "Two Hussars" and several other examples. Structures of these stories are highly original, and gave people opportunity to criticize Tolstoy's fiction for lack of apparent structure. I strongly recommend this book for serious lovers of literature.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Tolstoy on a smaller, more managable scale.,
By darragh o'donoghue - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: The Raid and Other Stories (Paperback)
I was attracted to this volume by Calvino's recommendation of 'Two Hussars', a gorgeous, bipartite story of Turgenev-like transparency, about the respective, mirroring adventures of a father and son, and their relationships with the army, their servants, the local society they briefly enter, and the women they meet. In one sense it is a tale about history, about the raucous gambling, drinking and dancing of the early 19th century, and the more sedate, stolid bourgeoisification in its middle. The climax, where narrative and character gives way to suspended time and a tableaux of nature, is heartstopping. The other stories in this collection are similarly schizophrenic, ranging from early works in the 1850s influenced by Tolstoy's time in the army; and the later didactic, moralistic works, including some of his most famous, 'The Death of Ivan Illyich' and 'How much land does a man need?' (which Joyce thought the greatest story ever written). the translations by Louise and Aylmer Maude, nearly a century old, are still very readable, probably because they were friends of Tolstoy's, and had greatr knowledge of his methods and intentions. The annotation and 1982 introduction needs updating, though. |
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